In this messy New Year’s edition of Um, Sir Podcast, Emily holds down the mic solo and rings in the new year with Everett real estate powerhouse Ashley Bolden for a raw, wide-ranging conversation that spirals exactly where it needs to. From Costco sticker shock and the true cost of living, to housing affordability, civil liberties, nihilism vs. hope, and whether West Virginia is a secret real-estate opportunity or an absolute no. Nothing is off the table. Along the way, Emily confidently misquotes several philosophers, attributes at least one quote to the wrong person, then powers through anyway, proving once again that vibes > citations. This is a New Year check-in for anyone exhausted by late-stage capitalism but still stubbornly committed to finding meaning, community, and a way forward.

CHECK OUT

The Income Needed to Buy a Home in 2025 - Post Referenced, Facebook

The Snohomish Podcast Network

Everett Recovery Café (community recovery & mutual aid model)

Everett Rotary Club 

LISTEN

Um, Sir Podcast

Neighbor-ish: Building Community Through Homeownership (and Renting, Too) -  the At-Homish Podcast

Brene Brown on Comparative Suffering

WATCH

Alone (Reality Survival) Show

Broad City, The Florida Sun - Comedy Central 

READ

Broad City, S04E07 "Florida" Discussion Thread - Reddit

Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl - by Max Gravenstein, Medium

'Tragic optimism': The antidote to toxic positivity - Allie Volpe, BBC

Affordability and Homebuilding: State-by-State Report Cards - Realtor.com

Freedom in the 50 States: An Index of Personal and Economic Freedom - CATO Institute

Margaret Mead’s work and quotes on collective action - Goodreads

West Virginia health care ranked worst in the nation - Ellen Allen, West Virginia Watch

Pieces on burnout, nihilism, and resilience in political organizing

BUY. IF YOU MUST

Planned Parenthood Marketplace

Toilet paper (apparently still emotionally charged)

Co-Op Supply Snohomish County

*Books instead of things

*Secondhand or cooperative goods

LEARN MORE

Introduction to the Property Tax–School Funding Connection - Lincoln Institute of Land Policy

Rural and Urban Health - Georgetown University, Health Policy Institute

How abortion laws vary by state - Guttmacher

Ethical Considerations in Real Estate Investing 

Red States Are Losing Their Housing Edge - City Journal

Community Organizing 101: How to Start a Social Movement - Marta Brzosko