Explore every episode of the podcast Serious Nonsense

Gabe is serious about making life difficult for himself. So much so that he moved to Switzerland and is now learning German. Can he distinguish between real German words and the ones I've made up? Can you? (Not a question directed to native German speakers, sorry).

If you want to learn more about Gabe you can visit gabebullard.com, and you can learn more about Serious Nonsense at JoyfulAmazing.biz/podcast/

Sign up for the show’s Patreon and you can get a free sentence read by me as well as, at a higher tier, one of the card games I’ve made up myself.

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I talk to Gabe Bullard, a great writer and thinker and fun guy about why he wants things to be more difficult. That's his problem.

Follow him at https://www.gabebullard.com/ and find a place to buy his book here.

You can send this podcast to your friends via PocketCasts |Apple | Spotify. Enjoy!

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Sam Jones entertains a bunch of silly questions sort of related to chemistry, including fictional metals and solving a problem about cleaning coffee-making devices. Useful!

If you want to learn more about Sam Jones you follow the American Chemical Society's podcasts (they're Tiny Matters and Chain Reaction, and they're *great*).

You can learn more about Serious Nonsense at JoyfulAmazing.biz/podcast/

Sign up for the show’s Patreon and you can get a free sentence read by me or, at a higher tier, one of the card games I’ve made up myself.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sam Jones of Tiny Matters and Chain Reaction tells us about the Mandela Effect, death in space, death on Earth, and what we might want to misremember.

If you want to learn more about Sam Jones you can visit the site for the American Chemical Society's podcasts (they're Tiny Matters and Chain Reaction, and they're *great*).

You can learn more about Serious Nonsense at JoyfulAmazing.biz/podcast/ Sign up for the show’s Patreon and you can get a free sentence read by me or, at a higher tier, one of the card games I’ve made up myself.

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Ever try to break up with someone and it just didn't take? How about trying to get fired? Dana Gartland has got your guide to doing it right. Or wrong. Or something.

If you want to learn more about Dana you can visit her Instagram here and you can learn more about Serious Nonsense at joyfulamazing.biz/podcast. Sign up for the show's Patreon and get a free sentence read out loud on the show as well as a free card game that I made up myself.

Quick thing: If you liked this game, I really want to hear your stories about intentionally screwing up! Email me about it at acvaldez@joyfulamazing.biz.

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Dana Gartland tells us her tale of breaking through on stage in a uniquely British tradition. Caveat: this episode is not suitable for children or people who have dealt with sexual abuse, so please be aware.

If you want to learn more about Dana you can visit her Instagram here and you can learn more about Serious Nonsense at joyfulamazing.biz/podcast. Sign up for the show's Patreon and get a free sentence read out loud on the show as well as a free card game that I made up myself.

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I did my best to creep out Zach. Maybe you have a better two-sentence horror story? If so, send it to me! acvaldez@joyfulamazing.biz.

You can find out more about Zach at his website and more about Serious Nonsense at joyfulamazing.biz/podcast. Sign up for the Patreon and get a free sentence read out loud on the show as well as a free card game that I made up myself.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Zach tells us about the scariest building ever, which you might remember from a favorite movie. Definitely download this one with a VPN.

You can find out more about Zach at his website and more about Serious Nonsense at joyfulamazing.biz/podcast. Sign up for the Patreon and get a free sentence read out loud on the show as well as a free card game that I made up myself.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We talk about snacks, choices, and rankings. WHAT IS THE BEST SNACK? Listen and find out.

You can find out more about Negar Ahkami's art at her website.

Negar is making history here by writing me post-interview with a caveat:

I realize my Tortilla vs KooKoo Sabzi required a more nuanced response! I needed to give the question the seriousness it deserved and not be so impulsive! Tortilla just happened to be what I was craving in that moment on an empty stomach!

If it were March or April I would say KooKoo Sabzi hands down (seasonally, my cravings for this are it its peak, and with farmer's market bounties of herbs then, plus Ramps which are incredible in KooKoo Sabzi, there is nothing better to me!) If I were allowed to eat one or the other in a sandwich or with something accompanying it, I would also say KooKoo! Probably my favorite thing ever right now (since my cousin served this to me) is eating KooKoo sabzi wrapped in Persian bread, with a cornichon pickle, and dollop of yoghurt. But if I had to choose between them completely alone, with nothing else, Tortilla Española!

You can learn more about Serious Nonsense at joyfulamazing.biz/podcast/ and now you can support the show on Patreon. Sign up! I'll say a sentence of your choice if it's not something mean.

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Negar Ahkami tells me about why she makes dance floors as art.

You can learn more about Negar at her website and you can find out more about Serious Nonsense at JoyfulAmazing.biz/podcast/

Also! If you like the show and want to support it, consider joining the Patreon. For just five bucks a month, I'll say any sentence you want on the show, and for $10/month you'll receive a free copy of one of my tabletop games.

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David and I discuss the virtues and problems with various weird symbols and titles and evaluate whether we'd use any of them.

You can find more of David's comics at Wondermark.com and you can find out more about Serious Nonsense at joyfulamazing.biz.

By the way, if you want to support the show, consider signing up at our Patreon page. For $5 a month, you'll get a single sentence of your choice on the show. For $10 I'll mail you a copy of one of my original tabletop games.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

David walks us through the process of coming up with funny collages, as he does at Wondermark.com, a wonderful collage comic.

You can find out more about David at the link above or about Serious Nonsense at joyfulamazing.biz/podcast.

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Ryan's written a comic about things that don't exist. But he's also written an entire book on how to invent everything. Can he explain himself? Let's find out!

You can learn more about Ryan at the links above, and more about Serious Nonsense at joyfulamazing.biz/podcast.

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In which Ryan and I discuss dialogue, the socratic method, and more about writing comics and dialogue.

You can find out more about Ryan at dinosaurcomics.com or ryannorth.ca. Like Serious Nonsense? You can find out more about it at joyfulamazing.biz/podcast. <3

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In which I challenge Alex to tell us whether certain quotes are from Lena Dunham's "Girls" or some other place. A personal favorite: just because I don't care doesn't mean I don't understand!

You can find more of Alex's writing at Defector.com or the latest season of her podcast Try Hard here. Want to know more about Serious Nonsense? Visit JoyfulAmazing.biz/podcast. Catch you soon!

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Alex Sujong Laughlin of Defector.com and I break down the reasons why Girls hits and Dunham's latest memoir doesn't. In brief: everyone needs an editor.

You can find more of Alex's writing at Defector.com (truly, I mean it, the last great website). You can also find out more about Serious Nonsense at JoyfulAmazing.biz. Gosh I need an editor.

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Ronald's (very good!) podcast Weight for It discusses self-image, being a fat person, and all sorts of nuance. This game is much more shallow because I basically tortured him with questions about Gravity.

You can find out more about Ronald at ohitsbigronstudios.com or just search for OhItsBigRon on your social media of choice. To find out more about Serious Nonsense, visit joyfulamazing.biz

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Sometimes I'm simply charmed by a person, their ideas, their work, their ability to self-criticize (complimentary). It's for these reasons I kind of got over myself and reached out to Ronald Young, Jr. to discuss a whole lot of things, his approach to interviewing and just how far you can get by yourself. Stick around for the game next episode, it's one of the funnest ones I think I've done so far.

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We play a game of "real or made up?" about apples. You can read more of Rachel's writing and editing at TheAtlantic.com, if you liked this episode, share it with a friend after aging it for fourteen months. Find out more about Serious Nonsense at JoyfulAmazing.biz

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I have obsessed over this story for years: Rachel ate an apple. It was...old. It's a a pandemic weird behavior classic.

To find more of Rachel's writing, visit TheAtlantic.com, and if you like this episode, share it with a friend. Please? You can find out more about Serious Nonsense at JoyfulAmazing.biz.

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I highly advise you stay away from Reddit.com/r/eatityoufuckingcoward and you have been warned. But I made Sabrina take a look at a bunch of things that they might want to eat anyhow.

You can find out more of Sabrina Imbler's writing at Defector.com. If you liked this episode, share it with a friend. Find out more about Serious Nonsense at JoyfulAmazing.biz

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Just how much plastic is in your brain? Sabrina Imbler of Defector.com breaks it down for us.

You can learn more about Sabrina's writing at Defector.com and I highly recommend reading their very disturbing and fun piece on microplastics and brains here.

If you liked this episode, share it with a friend or any other charismatic megafauna. Find out more about Serious Nonsense at JoyfulAmazing.biz

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In which I quiz Dara Kosberg about the polar opposite of grief.

You can find out more about Dara at DaraKosberg.com. If you liked this episode, share it with a friend. Find out more about Serious Nonsense at JoyfulAmazing.biz

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Dara Kosberg tells us about why it’s important to dress up a monkey puppet and buy 300 burgers when you feel sad about losing someone.

You can find out more about Dara at DaraKosberg.com. If you liked this episode, share it with a friend. Find out more about Serious Nonsense at JoyfulAmazing.biz

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