Important conversations and encouraging words to help you make every day a great one.

Snacks! (00:00)

Amy Biedel and Josh Bingham join Lisa to talk about snacks—how it’s always the right time for nachos, and how dill pickles are the only true pickles.

Improving Relationships (14:53)

Hank Smith is a popular speaker, writer, and professor. He is an expert on relationships and he joins us today to help us improve ours.

Choosing a Charity (50:28)

The holiday season is the time of year when everyone’s feeling extra giving. We’re counting our blessings, and refocusing on our values, and so we want to give back. But how do you know if a cause is actually helpful? What’s the best way to make an impact—do you give your spare change to the bell-waving Santas on the corner, or just say “yes” every time the cashier asks you to donate an extra dollar? Sally Boulter is here to help us learn a little more about charities and where donated money goes. Sally is a Senior Engagement Officer at Impact Assets, where she has helped charities raise philanthropic capital.

Water You Talking About (1:05:32)

Does the water you drink come from the French Alps? Is it filtered through volcanic rock in Fiji? Does it really matter? There are a surprising number of conflicting opinions on what kind of water you should drink. Water can’t just be water anymore, it has to be “alkaline” or “non-fluorinated,” or the 6-8 glasses you drink a day don’t even count! Today we want to get to the bottom of the water trend, and find out which water is really the best for you. Whether you drink water out of a bottle, a filter, or the tap, let’s find out what the deal is.

Scott Miller is a fifth-year doctoral student at the Berkeley Water Center. He and his colleagues run the podcast “Water You Talking About.” Scott joins us today by telephone to help explain the effects of different types of water.

No More Scams (1:23:31)

Have you ever received an email from a friend asking you to send them 900 dollars, because they’re stranded in France? If you have, you’ve probably been scammed. But you’re not alone. In 2017, the FTC received 1.1 million fraud reports. Of these reports, 328 million dollars were lost to imposter scams. But there are a few ways to recognize a scam before being duped.

Dr. Stacey Wood is the Molly Mason Jones Professor of Psychology at Scripps College and a clinical neuropsychologist. She’s here to share some tips for deconstructing a scam. You can learn more about her at her website.