The Manic Episodes

[Content warning: Sexual assault and childhood sexual assault] Mary and Wyatt snuggle up on the big yellow couch for a discussion of consent, bodily autonomy, and how banishing the gender binary could save us all. Also on the agenda: Georgie has formed an independent nation in our bedroom, Wyatt thinks bagels are overrated, Mary throws serious shade, and poems by Diane Seuss and Rhiannon McGavin. 

[Content Warning: Suicide and Self-Harm]

Fresh from watching Anthony Bourdain’s biopic, Mary and Wyatt settle in on the big yellow couch for a long talk about suicide. They talk about mental illness, stigma, how suicide has touched their lives, and dig in about environmental conditions and systems that contribute to poor mental health. Also on the agenda: Mary and Wyatt’s top five favorite movies, there is poop in our basement, and poems by Maggie Smith and Adrian Matejka.

Wyatt and Mary settle in for a conversation around accountability and how empathy and reflection are required when righting a wrong. They discuss the similarities between institutional and personal accountability and how it feels when someone recognizes your humanity. Also on the agenda: a twist on an old classic of Gay or Straight, the Real Housewives cinematic universe, and poems by Lucia Misch and Agha Shahid Ali. 

Mary and Wyatt pry themselves away from “Naked and Afraid” long enough to talk about survival. Mary talks about a scary experience she had while river rafting and how our brains protect us after we experience trauma. They talk about different kinds of coping mechanisms and how we can free ourselves from the shame of doing what it takes to survive. Also on the agenda: Mary and Wyatt ask the stupid questions that you’re too afraid to ask, Mary made a corgi out of fondant, and poems by Chen Chen and Mahmoud Darwish. 

 Mary & Wyatt try to focus for long enough to talk about ADD/ADHD. They talk about the difficulties that adults face  when seeking diagnosis and treatment for ADHD, as well as whether or not the disorder is over diagnosed in children. Wyatt talks about their own experiences with ADHD treatment since being diagnosed at age 8. Also on the agenda: the return of the Manic Fam Singles Club, the best blueberry muffins (shoutout Jordan Marsh), and poems by Aziza Barnes and Ed Roberson.

Mary and Wyatt snuggle up for a fascinating conversation about language. Wyatt discusses ideas about how language reflects and shapes reality, and how our political beliefs influence our attitudes toward language. They get into the nitty gritty of nerdy language stuff like linguistic relativity and communicative competence… but in a fun way! Also on the agenda: Mary and Wyatt try a bunch of disgusting, random junk for items, and read poems by Lyd Havens and Richard Blanco.

[CW: Eating disorders] Mary and Wyatt grab big glasses of ice water and settle in for a discussion about eating disorders. Mary talks about what she’s learned about how restriction affects the brain, orthorexia, and how disordered eating robs us of living fully. Also on the agenda: the triumphant return of Gay or Straight?, baked beans for breakfast, and poems by Tomás Q. Morín and Blythe Baird.

[CW: Suicide]

Mary and Wyatt get into the nitty gritty of bipolar disorder: mixed episodes and rapid cycling, neither of which are as much fun as they sound. They also discuss their experiences with suicidal thoughts during depressive episodes, and how fear can prevent people from discussing them with loved ones. Also on the agenda: five least favorite songs, a day of locksmith-induced drama, and poems by francine j. harris and Eileen Myles. 

“This is real joy. I’m trying to convince you that there’s something on the other side of shame.” Mary and Wyatt sit down for a discussion of the perniciousness of fatphobia and diet culture and what we can do to push back. She talks about what meaningful allyship looks like and what you can do to support fat people in your life. Also on the agenda: a funeral for Yahoo! Answers, Mary’s love of ice skating, an excerpt from Sitting Pretty by Rebekah Taussig, and a poem by Natalie Díaz.