Sparks of Madness

By The Trident NetworkSociety & Culture Personal Journals

Sparks of Madness episodes

August 30, 2022 The Story of Joel and Yolanda Konopken
In our season finale, we sit down and talk to two very special people, Maria's parents. Get a snack and buckle up. This story is full of joy, wisdom and lots of splashing around because as you know, all the greatest love stories begin at the pool at the YMCA...
1 hr 34 min
August 16, 2022 The Bright Side with Julie's Mom
On this special episode, my mom, Sara Schmerbeck, joins us with some personal tales filled with ups, downs and some unexpected turns. How do you react when you learn your mother was almost arrested at 12? Got kicked out of girl scouts? Loves "Freak on a Leash" by Korn?
The only way we know how - we laugh.
TW: Death of a parent, mental health - some strong themes in this one.
58 min
August 02, 2022 "I gave myself one month to learn drag" with Derry Queen
Comedy can open many doors and for this guest, one of those doors was drag. Derry retells his discovery of drag, after giving himself one month to learn the craft that he is now known for across the greater Chicago area and the popular social media platform, TikTok.
You can follow Derry on all the socials @derryqueenhaha
1 hr 3 min
July 19, 2022 I Hope You Dance with Jillian Ebanks
Sometimes a silly bit can lead you to serious joy. Jillian guides us through her journey with pole-dancing, which started as a little joke between friends but evolved into a lesson of self acceptance and body empowerment.
Follow Jillian on all the socials @curlyhairnocare
47 min
July 05, 2022 My Third Eye with Lawrence Nemeh
Recently, hope seems kind of hard to come by. Our dear friend, Lawrence (AKA Rence), enlightens us with a spiritual awakening that they experienced over the course of 2020's darkest days which honed in on love, connection and the power of leaning in to who you are.
Rence wanted to note that the beliefs discussed in this episode are theirs and theirs alone. They do not intend to insult or offend any other beliefs, and they approach this subject with respect and compassion.
1 hr 37 min
June 21, 2022 "Do it. Give the flowers." - David Ibarra
We all know the last few years have been tough. David recounts his experiences with regret and self-reflection over the loss of his father during the pandemic and how therapy (shoutout to Bob) helped him find the solace he had been seeking out for far too long.
You find David Ibarra on IG @ibarrradavid
57 min
June 07, 2022 A Beginner's Guide to Polyamory with Tina Arfaee
Love is complicated, no? This time around, Tina discusses their personal journey in discovering they've got too much love for just one person and the nuances of romantically investing in multiple partners.
You can follow Tina on IG and Twitter @Tinatwocats
1 hr 1 min
May 24, 2022 People Pleaser with Jess Martinez
Jess gives us a taste of her standup with her retelling of an awkward sexual encounter that made her realize the importance of advocating for yourself and that maybe first times don't always need to set a precedent.

Content warnings: graphic language, sexual situations and suicide

You can follow Jess on IG @meetjessmartinez
48 min
May 10, 2022 The British Getaway with Max Thomas
Max discusses his time abroad studying theater in the UK during a tumultuous time back in 2013 with a focus on hope, healing and the importance of protecting and preserving safe creative spaces for people of color.

For this episode, we want to issue a trigger warning as we discuss racism and gun violence in America. Please listen at your own discretion.

You can follow Max Thomas on IG @thatsmaxthomas
58 min
April 26, 2022 Talkin' Bout Jazz with Damon Royster
Damon delights us with a story about his first love and as you can imagine, all the necessary ingredients are involved: Band camp, Sexual questioning and the soundtrack to Cruel Intentions.

You can follow Damon on IG @daymanroyster, and his podcast , Podcast 616 on Twitter @podcast616P3

Follow us on IG @sparksofmadnesspodcast

Produced by: The Trident Network
Edited by: Julie Schmerbeck
Hosted by: Maria Konopken and Julie Schmerbeck
Theme Song by: John Love

1 hr