In this episode of the Wayward Dragons podcast,
Personal Updates
- Hayden’s Symphony Life: Hayden works for a professional symphony orchestra and is celebrating the end of their intense regular season, giving him his weekends and evenings back. He shares a story and jokes about famously "tuna-canning" a 26-foot box truck in a small town
- Music & Fandoms: The host eagerly anticipates the midnight release of Shinedown’s new album, highlighting tracks like "Dance, Kid, Dance," "365," and "Searchlight"
The News Breakdown
- The Gold-Digging CIA Agent: Former CIA officer David Rush was arrested after federal agencies found roughly 300 stolen gold bars (worth over $40 million), $2 million in cash, and 35 luxury watches hidden in his home. He allegedly embezzled the assets and falsified multiple degrees to gain employment
- Big Tech vs. Canadian Surveillance: Apple and Google are pushing the Canadian Parliament to amend Bill C-22. They are seeking judicial oversight to prevent the government from forcing them to create encryption backdoors, while the app Signal has threatened to leave the country entirely
- UK Youth Unemployment Crisis: The UK is facing a projection of 1.25 million unemployed youth by 2031. The hosts discuss a 30% drop in trade school apprenticeships and emphasize that college isn't the only path to success
- Three Legal Parents in Italy: An Italian court finalized a ruling recognizing two gay fathers and one surrogate mother as the three legal parents of a four-year-old child
- Louisiana Abortion Pill Battle: Louisiana is urging the Supreme Court to uphold a blockade against mailing abortion pills via telehealth, sparking a passionate pro-choice discussion from the hosts
- Newborn Trust Funds: An app is launching to facilitate a government initiative granting $1,000 in seed money to children born between 2025 and 2028, though the hosts express skepticism about its management by BNY Mellon and Robinhood
- DOGE & ChatGPT Grant Terminations: A district judge struck down a mass termination of NCAA grants that had targeted LGBT funding and medical research
- Washington Paper Mill Implosion: A ruptured tank at a Washington State paper mill spilled 500,000 gallons of destructive chemicals, prompting hazmat warnings and environmental concerns near the Columbia River
- R.I.P. Happy the Elephant: Happy, a famously self-aware elephant at the Bronx Zoo who was once the subject of a legal battle to be declared a person, was sadly euthanized at age 57
What They're Consuming: Books & Television
Hayden's:
Hayden has dived deep into Rachel Reid’s Game Changers queer hockey romance series. He praises Game Changer, Heated Rivalry, and Role Model—admitting that Role Model actually made him cry. He strongly critiques TJ Klune's fantasy romance Wolfsong, criticizing its slow pacing, logical fallacies, and what he felt was a poor execution of werewolf lore
Kelsey's:
- A Ruin of Roses by KF Breene (mistakenly noted as Brene Brown in dialogue), a spice-heavy dragon-shifter romance
- This Is My Body, a book detailing queer religious trauma
- Shot in the Dark and Hunted in the Shadows, a trilogy series recommended for fans of the show Supernatural
The Great Supernatural Debate: The host and Hayden go on a passionate tangent about the television show
Supernatural, strongly advising listeners to watch the beautiful ending of Season 15, Episode 19, but to completely skip the rushed, undignified series finale in Episode 20.
TV Binging
The duo has also been rotating through reality TV and classics, including America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders on Netflix, original CSI marathons (featuring a dated John Mayer cameo), and introducing Hayden's partner to the wonders of Downton Abbey.
Tarot Card Wrap-Up
- Ace of Wands
- Nine of Cups
- Eight of Cups
Please rate, review and subscribe! Don’t forget to tell a friend!
You can join us on Facebook and Instagram!
If you have a topic/book recommendation or if you need someone to talk too, you can email us at [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.