"Thank You for Spore-ing" is BACK! Just in time for Season 2 of HBO's "The Last of Us" show, join Eric and Chelsea who will actually be part of the panel on weekly episodes from "What the Hype?!"

Here are some NEW LINKS and instructions for those who'd love to continue the journey that started here on this feed.

• Follow the "What the Hype?!" Youtube channel for LiveStreams immediately following every Sunday's episode. 
• Videos will be released on YouTube, and full audio episodes will be available on the web site, and everywhere podcasts are found.

TWO brand new episodes have been recorded with Eric and Chelsea and they were joined enthusiastically by Laura Tee. 

• Season 1 Recap Episode, going back through Season 1 of HBO's "The Last of Us," and also making some non-spoiler predictions about Season 1.
• Season 2 SPOILER HEAVY PREDICTIONS, an episode where 3 hosts that have all played TLOU Part II try and figure out how the season will be split, and what it will mean for the show this year!

What the Hype Podcast dot com is the web site. We are so excited to keep spore-ing and now with an even larger group of friends!

HBO's "The Last of Us" episode 9 is upon us! It's titled "Look For the Light" and is the Season One finale! I bring my friend and longtime fellow TLOU stan Chad Hopkins on for our weekly reaction podcast to the exciting event series starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey.

Now that we've reached the end of Season One, all talk about the plot for The Last of Us - Part II is reserved for the spoiler section which begins at 1:10:00.

On this episode, we reach the destination with our heroes and hard choices are made.

Find Eric on Twitter at @spielerman, and find the show at @TYFSpiels.

Find Chad on Twitter at @chadadada, and find his Avatar: The Last Airbender podcast "Crossroads of Destiny" wherever podcasts are found. Also check out The Cinescope Podcast where Chad talks about favorite movies with his friends. 

Thank you to everyone who has been listening along on the journey. "Thank You for Spore-ing" will return!

E-mail us at thankyouforspieling@gmail.com.

For the start of Season 2, I am joined by my long time MuggleCast podcast co-host and dear friend Micah Tannenbaum for a two-part interview about our life outside of Harry Potter! On this Part 2 episode, we discuss high school field trips and learning the value of education, weathering the costs for college and we also dive deep into life with an anxiety disorder as both Eric and Micah offer tips to overcome high anxiety, and Micah shares his experiences from childhood. This is a can't-miss conlusion to this 2-part interview.

Thanks to Robert Southgate for his excellent work editing, visit Rob's web site where he offers consultations on a number of podcast marketing services, at RobSouthgate.com.

Episode Anxiety resources:

The Anxiety Guy on YouTube, Micah's favorite channel

The phone app "Two Dots," Eric's favorite calming pass-time, on Apple App Store and Google Play store

Find Micah on Twitter at @mjtbaum!

Find the show on Twitter at @TYFSpiels!

Thank You for Spieling is back!!!!!!

For the start of Season 2, I am joined by my long-time MuggleCast podcast co-host and dear friend Micah Tannenbaum for a two-part interview about our life outside of Harry Potter! We talk about formative experiences, favorite TV shows, early celebrity crushes, and much more on this Part 1 episode. Part 2 will be released next week or sooner. Thank you all for waiting during the inter-season break, and thanks especially to Rob Southgate for his amazing work editing our entire convo.

Find Rob's podcast marketing/editing/consulting business on his web site, RobSouthgate.com

Discussion topics bullet points:

- Are we famous?
- When Eric and Micah first met
- Micah discusses the small age difference between him and the other MuggleCasters
- Let's talk about our childhoods!
- Was Micah a Barney kid or Sesame Street kid?
- Nickelodeon, TGIF, and Pokemon... what TV were we watching?
- What video games were we playing at friends' houses?
- What were our first celebrity crushes?
- A tribute to comedians from late night TV icons to Robin Williams and Billy Crystal
- Micah's great story about a mishap in French class, and telling your teachers they were wonderful is so important.

Part 2 will include more talk on arts, college experiences, anxiety disorders and therapy, and so much more. Thanks for listening!

It's been a few months since our last Covid-19 check in episode, so I welcome back Dr. Preeyam Patel to chat about the Delta variant, breakthrough cases, vaccine boosters and more! The science is presented in such a way that a layperson such as myself can understand, as with our previous episodes!

Topics in-depth:
- Will Covid become endemic, like the flu?
- Why the so-called "free" vaccine may not actually be free in the US
- All things Delta variant. What makes it more contagious? How effective are vaccines?
- Here are two graphs that show the differences in variants (One) and (Two)
- WHAT ARE BREAKTHROUGH cases, and what happens in the body when they occur?
- The Korean study on viral load, which serves as a Provincetown event rebuttal
- Is the mutation of variants intelligent? Will a Covid variant one day bypass all vaccines?
- How can we get the entire globe vaccinated easier and stop continued variants?
- Regarding children, how is vaccine approval going, and what are schools doing against masks?
- How are we currently staying safe?

Here's the overall Sources Cited document from all our episodes including this one, that Pree keeps up to date: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10KhFPu739N16C6X3Lltz3LBWMYON7Lld2yPB5y0zbUs/edit?usp=sharing

Follow Dr. Patel on Twitter (@ThePreesKnees)
Follow us on Twitter! (@TYFSpiels)

"Thank You for Spieling" is one year old! I am joined by fellow podcaster and friend Julianna (last heard on Episode 2 of this show!) to get crazy and discuss her thoughts as well as my major takeaways from the first year of Spieling.

Secrets are told, as I reveal the official lyrics to the TYFS theme song, and admit that much like a certain fictional farm boy, what I'm really saying when I podcast with people is, "I love you." 

It's a very candid and zany episode, where we are even joined by The Pizza Wizard from PuffCast! Julianna has also started a new Shadow and Bone universe podcast, called Into the Fold! Definitely check it out.

If you have particular thoughts on the show, as always you may email them to thankyouforspieling@gmail.com.

Thank you to all listeners old and new, and especially thanks to all of my guests so far: Chad H., Julianna C., Caleb W., David P., Angela K., Dave J., Ben S., Brittney B., Hannah E., Josh S., Dr. Preeyam P., Derek M., Drew K., Andrea W., Karen Y., Melissa A., Joe F., Jen U., Sarah D., Menachem C., Fuchsia R., and Janet S.! And thank you to Yike Lu for the amazing theme song and Meg Scott for the wonderful show art.

The month of May is Better Hearing and Speech Month! On this very special episode of Thank You for Spieling, I interview my mother, Janet Scull, about her long career as a speech and language pathologist working in a school district for 34 years. It was a great treat to finally talk to my mom about her career, now that I am older and understand such things! Despite retiring last year, my mom's clear dedication and depth of knowledge in the subject and her passion are clearer than ever.

We cover such topics as:

• How did she become aware of speech pathology?
• What courses did she take in college for speech pathology?
• What are the most common impairments her patients would have?
• What is her unique approach to teaching / her style?
• How do you teach a person who has suffered a stroke to swallow or to talk again?
• Why do we speak? How do we speak?
• How do you prioritize goals to work on in a patient with multiple issues?
• What have been the highlights of her teaching career?

If you have any comments on the episode, please e-mail us at thankyouforspieling@gmail.com

Refer to ASHA.org for any resources pertaining to the field of speech and language pathology.

On this episode I'm joined by my friend Fuchsia Rascal who is a real-life practicing witch! All my years spent podcasting on Harry Potter could not have prepared me to hear about what real witches do (and don't do), compared to the movies and books! And Fuchsia, who I met through Harry Potter over a decade ago, is the perfect guest to get me (and listeners) caught up. Follow us into the broom closet as we discuss the following things:

—How did Fuchsia get started as a witch?
—Are there organized religions for witches and what are they?
—Who is the Green Man?
—How a trip to New Zealand awakened dormant spiritual feelings
—Not everyone who does magic would even call themselves a witch, so how is magic defined?
—Common expressions such as "knock on wood," blowing out candles on the birthday cake, ARE magic!
—Does all magic has a cost? What is karmic balance and karmic debt?
—Men and nonbinary people can be witches, too!
—"Occultist, magician, warlock, magic practitioner" are all valid titles
—Was playing MASH as a kid being witchy?
—Fuchsia and Eric discuss the art of tarot reading, and how it works.
—Oracle decks as separate / assistant to tarot
—Black cats and books of shadows - what in witchcraft has pop culture gotten right?
—Is using Ouija board magic? Does making contact with the spiritual realm get covered in paganism/Wicca?
—What are some good resources for curious witches?
—What has changed since embracing witchcraft?

Find Fuchsia on the following platforms!

| Twitter | YouTube | Instagram | Twitch | 

And check out the Offbeats Discord and on Twitter!

Returning to the podcast is Dr. Preeyam Patel (@ThePreesKnees) to mark one year since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic! Tune in for the latest scientific facts that have been heavily checked, being explained in ways that make sense. We also praise the amazing speed by which the US President was able to secure vaccines and have the US administer over 100M at the date of airing, pledging even more. And, a first for this show, we discuss CHILDREN getting COVID and what the statistics and reasons behind them are for the spread and condition of public health.

- We reflect on one year since the start of the pandemic, and one year since Dr. Patel had COVID herself.
- Eric has received dose 1 of Pfizer!
- US distributes 100 M vaccines, 25% of all vaccines that have gone out worldwide. Joseph R. Biden and this presidential administration's reliance on Science is to thank.
- What's up with the recent CDC recommendation for DOUBLE MASKING? (Fit and filter)
- Vaccine hesitancy, are we seeing as much as we expected?
- (33:15) non-political discussion begins
- What is COVAX?
- How effective are other countries' vaccines, Sputnik, Sinovac, etc?
- (38:15) How Eric got the vaccine
- (47:40) A Re-rundown of Covid Vaccines available in US and how they work.
- JNJ vaccine efficacy. Is it right to want a more efficacious vaccine???
- Check out this new graph about JNJ's efficacy over time
- What's cool about the new Novovax vaccine?
- See this NY Times interactive vaccine diagram!
- The Novovax vaccine uses something called an adjuvant, and a nanoparticle? Dr. Patel explains
- AstraZeneca controversy, what happened with testing, what's going on with blood clots?
- Dr. Patel discusses the heavy reality of burnout among healthcare workers and makes a grim prediction
- People who've had COVID may only need one dose of vaccine
- If your arm doesn't hurt after your shot, did the vaccine work and do you still have immunity?
- Is the second dosage more painful? Why might that be?
- Should you get it vaccinated in the same arm both times?
- Why do some people develop rashes after their vaccinations, and is it cause for concern?
- Don't freak out if you get an antibody test post vaccine and it says you don't have COVID antibodies
- (1:47:09) COVID-19 in Children discussion begins
- How does a child's immune system work?
- How does a child's immune system compare to adults?
- Debunked: False info stated that children simply can't get COVID-19. We discuss why children can spread the virus as much if not more than adults, but why their susceptibility to the virus seems lower, and what severe COVID looks like in kids.
- Returning to former show topics with current updates, we talk about COVID Long-haulers and how vaccines have been helping them with their symptoms.
- View this impressive graph of the Spike Protein arrow
- Reinfection statistics, what we know now above those with natural and vaccine immunities.

Our previous episodes with Dr. Patel were:
15. COVID-19, New Year, New Science Facts!

12. Election Takeaways and FUN with COVID Vaccine News!

8. Fun with COVID-19 Antibodies!

As always, we have a Sources Cited Google Doc kept up to date.

What can roleplaying games such as Dungeons and Dragons teach us about the Divine? How can an increasingly secular world find answers to life's deepest questions through means other than organized religion? The latest episode of Thank You for Spieling discusses this and much more as my friend Sarah Davis joins me in interviewing Menachem Cohen, a spiritual leader and rabbi from Chicago whose work using games to guide youths and adults spiritually is quickly garnering attention.

Each of the hosts recount their experience with roleplaying games, as well as their connection with spirituality and how it may have been affected and disaffected by their religious upbringings. A great topic which was a lot of fun to delve into. And then, Menachem shares a Howard Thurman quote which touches each of the hosts incredibly.

Find Menachem on Facebook, and at WhatMakesYouComeAlive.Net

Find Sarah on her web site, on Instagram, and on the TableHops Twitch stream every Wednesday!

Find Thank you for Spieling on Twitter ,on Facebook, and e-mail us at ThankYouForSpieling@gmail.com. Please also consider writing an iTunes review!

Joining Eric this week is returning guest David J. Peterson, language creator extraordinaire, who first spoke with Eric on Episode 3 of the show about the songs we are most glad exist.

And ALSO joining the show, for the first time, is Jen Usellis, a.k.a. the Klingon Pop Warrior! Jen's been translating pop and Rock'n'roll music into the Klingon language (from Star Trek) and most recently her 3rd EP "Great Deeds, Great Songs" has been successfully funded on Kickstarter!

Having two guests who both work with constructed language SURE WAS A TREAT! And, we start the show off talking about language and sharing stories of how the guests got involved with fake languages to begin with.

For a main discussion, it's all things LOVE SONGS (starting at 28:00). Just in time for Valentine's Day 2021! The hosts discuss the following questions:

• What ingredients make a good love song?
• Have we ever dated someone whose name was the title of a love song?
• How EXPLICIT can/should a love song be?
• Can a love song be about oneself, or an inanimate object? David has a good idea.

Then, the hosts pick 3 of their favorite love songs to defend in discussion, and round out the episode with some honorable mentions.

Find David creating a language weekly at LangTimeStudio on YouTube!

Find Jenbom at KlingonPopWarrior.com, or on YouTube!

And lastly, if you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review on iTunes or e-mailing us and sharing with a friend!

Converted from the original audio cassette tape, it's your morning radio show with Eric Scull (Age 9) from Reading, PA!

Modern-day reflections at 24:45. Enjoy

HBO's "The Last of Us" episode 8 is upon us! It's titled "When We Are in Need." I bring my friend and longtime fellow TLOU stan Chad Hopkins on for our weekly reaction podcast to the exciting event series starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey.

Spoilers for the video game's future plot are saved for the end of the episode behind a warning! This week's spoilers begin at 1:05:00. Up until that point we will just be discussing events that you'll have seen if you have watched the corresponding television episode, and what was different about them in the game.

On this episode, we meet a man called David, and Ellie and Joel both have terrifying things happen to them. 

Find Eric on Twitter at @spielerman, and find the show at @TYFSpiels.

Find Chad on Twitter at @chadadada, and find his Avatar: The Last Airbender podcast "Crossroads of Destiny" wherever podcasts are found. Also check out The Cinescope Podcast where Chad talks about favorite movies with his friends. 

We'll be back next week for the finale! And this episode will be streamed on YouTube soon. Tell a friend if you enjoy it!

E-mail us at thankyouforspieling@gmail.com. Thanks for Spore-ing!

We're back with another apolitical science episode! Dr. Preeyam Patel (PhD in immunology) and Eric follow up their initial episode (8 of this podcast) and the supplemental vaccine talk (of episode 12) to update listeners on how much of the information previously discussed is still accurate (spoiler: it's 100%!) and talk about the latest questions emerging from COVID-19 across the globe. Such as:

- We've updated the original sources cited document to include all-new research for today's episode!

- What's the difference between a COVID variant, a mutation, and a strain?
- has COVID been acknowledged as having aerosol status?
- What is the Swiss Cheese Diagram?
- How long do antibodies last?
- Will COVID variants increasinly get more deadly and worse as time goes on?
- What if COVID mutated as fast as influenza / the common flu?
- from beach balls to proton packs, Dr. Patel has no trouble explaining heavy concepts to a captive Eric.
- We discuss variants B117 and 501.v2, what gives them an edge, and whether they're actually more deadly or infectuous than other COVID.
- ONCE you are vaccinated, can you still transmit the virus to others?
- What's the deal with COVID reinfection?
- We deep dive into the 5 major vaccines getting approval and trials across the globe
- a summary of what went wrong with AstraZeneca's trials in the UK
- Have scientists found a correlation among severe covid patients.
- Why do more MEN die from severe COVID than women?
- What are INTERFERONS and who has antibodies to them?
- Do we know any more about the long-term effects of COVID?
- Final advice

It was thrilling having Dr. Patel back on the show. Please let us know if you still have questions about COVID after listening! e-mail the show at thankyouforspieling@gmail.com or @TYFSpiels on Twitter.

On this Holiday episode I invite my dear friends Derek Martz and Joe Falbo, both long-time fans of the BBC's Doctor Who, to discuss what a time-traveling alien from Gallifrey means to them. Covering an impressive span of 56 years in the show's history, the guys bring informative facts and anecdotal humor to the table.

On this episode, I ask:

—is "Rose" still the default entry point for new viewers?

—in what ways has Doctor Who been political?

—How did the hosts get into Who, which companions / Doctors are their favorites and why?

We also discuss Big Finish audio dramas, specific Doctor Who Christmas Specials and how they differ from the rest of the show, the plywood TARDIS that Joe and I helped build, and so much more. 

Find more of Derek's work at Down in Front Comedy on Facebook.

On this special mini-episode, your in-house Last of Us Part 2 stans Chad and Eric discuss the 7 wins that #TLOU2 picked up at tonight's The Game Awards 2020 on Dec. 10, and we also go through several of the fellow nominees and winners and have a nice little brief conversation about video games. It's a quick one and fun!

Feel free to e-mail the show at thankyouforspieling@gmail.com, find us on Twitter @TYFSpiels and do consider leaving a review of the show on iTunes! 

With the news that PlayStation's "The Last of Us" is getting a full series order over at HBO, it's time to dive back into discussing the game on this podcast for the first time since Episode 1!

I'm joined by the first episode's co-host Chad Hopkins of The Cinescope Podcast, and we are joined QUITE excitedly by the brilliant Melissa Anelli of Mischief Management, the team behind BroadwayCon, Con of Thrones and of course, LeakyCon! In addition to sharing our love for a certain boy wizard, Melissa and I go way back (to LeakyMug #1, 2005) and she's also a big TLOU fan!

TOPICS include a whole hour dedicated to fan casting (that is, choosing our favorite actors or even voice-actors for the iconic character roles) on the back half of the episode, but first:

— What are we looking for in a TLOU adaptation?
— How will it open, and will there be flashbacks or Fireflies right from the start?
— What timespan will a season encompass?
— Will the TV series allude to the COVID pandemic?
— Is it possible that the TV show could be bad, and how?

It's speculation fueled by the little details that we do have from creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, and it certainly lends itself to good discussion. Grab your crafting items and join us on our journey as we get giddy with excitement over what is sure to be a great upcoming show.

Some special links talked about on this episode include:

NEIL DRUCKMANN on STORYTELLING keynote 2013.

TLOU "American Dreams" comic video.

Tess actress Annie Wersching MOCAP scene.

"Alternate" Musical Ending of TLOU.

My first recurring guests of the podcast, Caleb Woods and Dr. Preeyam Patel join me to discuss our feelings in the aftermath of the 2020 US Presidential Election, and also talk SCIENCE about the new vaccine announcement made by Pfizer and also Moderna! What does the word "efficacy" mean? What do the 70M votes for the GOP candidate mean amid a devastating pandemic? We seek solace in each other's company as we get to the bottom of our thoughts. 

POLITICS opens our episode. VACCINE talks begin at 1:24:05!

Find our hosts on Twitter (@ThePreesKnees) and (@CalebisLOST).

Also check out Caleb's new instagram account "The Art of the Toy"

Questions? Comments? E-mail us at thankyouforspieling@gmail.com.

Let's talk about sex! This week, I am joined by Karen Yates of the Wild & Sublime podcast (formerly live show in Chicago) for an episode that is an important coming-of-age moment for myself as a podcaster. Karen is used to talking about the subject in her capacity as a somatic sex educator ("somatic" meaning, "of the body"), and her compassion and great knowledge make for a tremendously insightful discussion.

We talk about my first experiences encountering a wide variety of gender identities and expressions, what makes for good communication in a relationship, and the benefits of yoga, tantra, and candles for one's love life and life in general. This is me as vulnerable as I've ever been as a podcaster, which sure is something, but it's also about relationships in general and how we see our human experience!

Some books mentioned on the podcast:

Erica Jong's "Fear of Flying" 

Jack Morin's "The Erotic Mind" 

Bessel Van der Kolk's "The Body Keeps the Score" 

Check out Wild & Sublime podcast, a curated discussion and live show podcast dealing with relevant and exciting topics for adults!

On this very special episode, I am joined by Andrea Wakely, of Twin Roses Designs, with whom I've been working since 2004! Andrea is a costume designer, small business owner, and marine biologist operating out of Bristol, VA. She's the woman who made my Gryffindor Harry Potter robes back when you couldn't get those anywhere, even before the 3rd HP movie!

Tune in as Andrea discusses what got her started, what keeps her going, and Eric recounts many tales from his times in a Twin Roses costume / cosplay. Including the internationally-renowned Elvis Dumbledore mockumentary!

For this episode I am joined by Derek of Down in Front and Drew of Gamer News Radio to discuss our personal history with Naughty Dog's classic Crash Bandicoot video games. For two of us, Crash was our first game on the PlayStation. We walk through what made each game great, what was improved in the 2017 "N. Sane Trilogy," and of course cover CTR: Crash Team Racing, too. Then, we look forward to next month's release of Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time!

This episode is dedicated to the memory of Ryan Whitaker, a caring father who loved Crash and recently was shot by police in his home. Please consider signing this petition and contributing to his family's GoFundMe. 

Fomites! Droplets! Aerosols! B-Cells! T-Cells! Vaccines! The only thing that's missing from this episode is a big yellow school bus!

In this episode I'm joined by Dr. Preeyam Patel, an immunologist, to talk about what happens inside our immune system after a COVID-19 infection. Not only that, but Dr. Patel highlights some of the most interesting contemporary studies of the day and catches me up on all things vaccine development.

For a full run-down, look no further than this Amazing Sources Cited Document!

For those who do not see a link, try a different directory. Today's topics include:

- Dr. Patel had COVID in New York City, and was told it was "just the flu."
- Symptoms were still coming out, and testing for antibodies was given emergency approval (but over 100 tests are no good! Check your results!)
- Why W.H.O. may be looking the other way on potential "aerosol" transmission of Coronavirus statistics.
- What are antibodies, how long do they last, and what is their purpose?
- What's the correlation between antibodies and reinfection? Between viral load exposure and severity of COVID?
- What's the difference between local immunity and systemic immunity?
- How are vaccines made and why do people need them more than once?
- What about the so-called "long-haulers" who experience COVID symptoms for 100+ days?
- Why the concept of 'herd immunity' is not something to strive for or relax about.

The information contained on this episode is accurate as of August 31, 2020. Once again, see our sources cited document for links to all the relevant studies, and otherwise, enjoy this somehow-fun-to-listen-to info-dump on SCIENCE.

This episode, I am joined by my oldest friend, Josh Sullivan, who I've known since I was 4 years old. We discuss our shared history of video gaming, what made our friendship last this long, and MOST of all, our favorite skateboarding games Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2. The original games are seeing a remaster, available Friday, September 4!

This is a can't-miss episode if you want to learn a bit more about my pre-Harry years than you've ever heard before, and if you're thinking about checking the game out, Josh and I talk about what made (makes?) the franchise great. 

Useful links:

WIRED's "21 Levels of Skateboarding" with Tony Hawk.

Goldfinger's "Superman" quarantine video.

Attempts at the "Leap of Faith."

Burnside, Portland comparison video.

HBO's "The Last of Us" episode 7 is upon us! It's titled "Left Behind." I bring my friend and longtime fellow TLOU stan Chad Hopkins on for our weekly reaction podcast to the exciting event series starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey.

Spoilers for the video game's future plot are saved for the end of the episode behind a warning! This week's spoilers begin at 1:02:00. Up until that point we will just be discussing events that you'll have seen if you have watched the corresponding television episode, and what was different about them in the game.

Chad and Eric also share what they learned since Episode 6 aired (briefly at the beginning.) This was a GREAT and very intimate episode between Bella Ramsey as Ellie and Storm Reid as Riley

Find Eric on Twitter at @spielerman, and find the show at @TYFSpiels.

Find Chad on Twitter at @chadadada, and find his Avatar: The Last Airbender podcast "Crossroads of Destiny" wherever podcasts are found. Also check out The Cinescope Podcast where Chad talks about favorite movies with his friends. ESPECIALLY, this week, the episode from 2017 where Eric and Chad discussed "Innerspace," Eric's favorite Joe Dante film.

We'll be back next week! And this episode will be streamed on YouTube soon. Tell a friend if you enjoy it!

E-mail us at thankyouforspieling@gmail.com. Thanks for Spore-ing!

In this special crossover episode I am joined by the hosts of Popcorn Psychology, a podcast that regularly analyzes pop culture films from a therapeutic lens. The hosts Ben, Brittney and Hannah are all licensed psychotherapists, and this time they're helping me understand WHAT IS GOING ON with the continuing surge of Coronavirus cases in the world.

It was wonderful hearing them discuss and diagnose what may be happening from a mental health standpoint in both adults and children at this present moment. And THEN, in the second half of discussion, I ask a question that's been in the back of my mind since this whole thing started: are horror and action movies DE-sensitizing us to care for our fellow man?!

I had a tremendous time and you will too, once you give this episode a listen.

Find Popcorn Psychology on-line in the usual places! And on Twitter.

If the shortest story ever written can be six words (and some have purported to beat that), my guest Dave Jorgenson has produced novels and novels of work. He's the Washington Post writer/producer doing all of those COVID Quarantine TikToks (and their TikToks in general), and he's here to tell me how it gets done!

This episode is a hugely fun conversation that is jam-packed with discussion on the creative process, life experiences and even Harry Potter, of which Dave is also a fan! We dive DEEP into specific TikToks as I fanboy and ask him how they were done, and he reveals some great behind-the-scenes stories for each.

For viewers familiar with the TikToks, we cover: Are SAM's days NUMBERED? Who was tap-dancing in the bathroom? Did a drawing bring Lola to life? What's with all the 90's movie and TV songs?

It was so enthralling to discover that Dave was an O.G. listener of MuggleCast and the back end of this convo covers how he got started, when and where he listened, and we both reflect on current events in that fandom. Closing the episode, I grill Dave using the "Inside the Actors Studio" questions and we part ways, for now. Please enjoy hearing from a real cool dude!

Useful Links:

The entire Tweet thread of Quarantine TikToks, starting at halfway. 

The Washington Post, on TikTok.

The HP Book that started it all for us.

The Doctor is in. My friend, Angela Kuras, DNP joins this episode of TYFS to discuss her real, lived-in experiences with COVID-19 in her capacity as CRNA working in an ICU during Chicago's first wave of Coronavirus. A lot of acronyms, but we do our best to break them all down. What you'll find on this episode is a discussion on what members of the medical profession have experienced these last four months, what symptoms as well as lasting effects a Covid diagnosis will bring, and regrettably, accounts of how some patients spent their final days. Angela offers practical advice for preventing the spread of the virus as well as preparing yourself and your loved ones as best as possible for this horrible virus.

CONTENT WARNING: Due to the subject matter, which I feel is highly relevant to all listeners, I am placing a trigger/content warning on this episode. My guest and I talk very really about death in ways that make me reflect on my own mortality, and while that's never fun, I'm proud of the discussion that we were able to have.

You can contact the show at thankyouforspieling@gmail.com.

In keeping with the trend of having guests on to talk about things OTHER than their usual, I am THRILLED to have on Episode 3 special guest David J. Peterson, language creator of (among others) the Valyrian and Dothraki languages for HBO's "Game of Thrones."

David and I discuss something we were both really excited about, our tastes in MUSIC and the songs that we are most glad exist.

Everything from The Carpenters to Oingo Boingo, Stratovarius to Hootie and the Blowfish, Amberian Dawn, Poets of the Fall, and many more are mentioned. Buckle up, and tune in for some great conversation.

Referenced links:

- The bank commercial for "We've Only Just Begun"

- Amberian Dawn's video "Cherish My Memory"

- Find David's NEW book "Create Your Own Secret Language" here

- And "The Art of Language Invention" here

E-mail us at thankyouforspieling@gmail.com and find us on twitter @TYFSpiels. 

In this episode, one of my guests has a birthday coming up and another guest has COVID-19 antibodies! Neither of those facts was known when I first asked them to join me to talk about how THIS Fourth of July, I'm as unexcited as I've ever been to celebrate America.

We discuss as a group what 4th of July meant to us as children, the thoughts and ideals we learned back when and how reality has slowly peeled away to reveal an America that is divided, oppressive and largely uneducated.

If you, too, are feeling a little lackluster about this National Holiday, feel free to plug in and hear some really intelligent guests chat with me and commiserate.

This episode's guests:

Caleb Woods, author of "Harnessing Darkness: Expressing Mental Illness Through Poetry"

Julianna Coughlin, cohost of "PuffCast the Podcast" 

Content warning: During the course of the episode, the topic of the crime of rape comes up twice. Please use caution while listening if this topic is harmful to your mental well being.

Our show e-mail address is Thank You for Spieling at gmail dot com, we are on Twitter @TYFSpiels. Thank you for listening!

In what has proven to be a topic strong enough for me to make a podcast just to talk about, it's time to talk The Last of Us, Part II by Naughty Dog! I'm joined by my buddy Chad Hopkins of The Cinescope Podcast with whom I had been texting all last weekend during my play-through of the game for the first time.

There is a SPOILER-FREE portion of this episode which contains only mild details regarding the highlights of this game. If you've already played and beaten the game, feel free to jump right to the Spoiler Section, at 45:00 minutes.

Topics discussed include

– Various difficulty settings (how Eric's a wimp and Chad is hardcore)

– Recapping the first Last of Us

– General speak of TLOU2 and comparisons to Uncharted

– What reviews said if we read them prior to playing

– Our own spoiler free quick reviews / ratings

– The importance of taking risks in storytelling

– Why TLOU2 improves nearly everything

– SPOILER BREAK / 30 second music jam at 45:00

– Abby, and the heightened violence in TLOU2

– The addition of dogs and what it changes

– The members of Ellie's closest social circle

– All groups of people in TLOU2 and how they see the world

– Examining the flashbacks we see throughout the game

– Little things we're finding during NG+

– Thoughts on Ellie's immunity and what it means today

– Talk about Tommy on bridge

– The dramatic face off

– Final Survivor mode differences

– The new types of infected

– Shoutout to Crash Bandicoot and Activision for piggybacking off Naughty Dog's big weekend.

Find Chad at the Cinescope podcast! or on Twitter.

Find THIS podcast on Facebook, Twitter, or e-mail us at thankyouforspieling@gmail.com. Interact, share your thoughts, theories, or apply to come on and spiel with me.

Welcome to "Thank You for Spieling," dear listener. In this brief introduction, I (Eric Scull) explain what I'm hoping to accomplish with this project, the first of many podcasts that I've been on which I can wholly call my own. This intro accompanies Episode 1 of the podcast, where I get right down to talking about things I love, with good friends.

MASSIVE shout-out to Yike Lu of XYZ Podcast with Yike and Zak for developing the Show Intro and Outro music.

Big thanks to Meg Scott for the show artwork.

Like the podcast on Facebook! Follow the podcast on Twitter! E-mail us, this show's title at gmail.com.

HBO's "The Last of Us" episode 6 is upon us! It's titled "Kin." I bring my friend and longtime fellow TLOU stan Chad Hopkins on for our weekly reaction podcast to the exciting event series starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey.

Spoilers for the video game and future plot are now placed at the end of the episode behind a warning! This week's spoilers begin at 1:10:00. Up until that point we will just be discussing events that you'll have seen if you have watched the corresponding television episode, and what was different about them in the game.

Chad and Eric also share what they learned since Episode 5 aired (briefly at the beginning.) This was a GREAT episode which had TONS of character moments! And some lifted directly from the amazing video game.

Find Eric on Twitter at @spielerman, and find the show at @TYFSpiels.

Find Chad on Twitter at @chadadada, and find his Avatar: The Last Airbender podcast "Crossroads of Destiny" wherever podcasts are found. Also check out The Cinescope Podcast where Chad talks about favorite movies with his friends.

We'll be back next week! And this episode will be streamed on YouTube soon. Tell a friend if you enjoy it!

E-mail us at thankyouforspieling@gmail.com. Thanks for Spore-ing!

HBO's "The Last of Us" episode 5 is upon us! It's titled "Endure and Survive." I bring my friend and longtime fellow TLOU stan Chad Hopkins on for our weekly reaction podcast to the exciting event series starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey.

Spoilers for the video game and future plot are now placed at the end of the episode behind a warning! This week's spoilers begin at 59:30. Up until that point we will just be discussing events that you'll have seen if you have watched the corresponding television episode, and what was different about them in the game.

Chad and Eric also share what they learned since Episode 4 aired (briefly at the beginning.) This was a GREAT episode which had TONS of action! And devastating consequences.

Find Eric on Twitter at @spielerman, and find the show at @TYFSpiels.

Find Chad on Twitter at @chadadada, and find his Avatar: The Last Airbender podcast "Crossroads of Destiny" wherever podcasts are found. Also check out The Cinescope Podcast where Chad talks about favorite movies with his friends.

We'll be back next week! And this episode will be streamed on YouTube soon. Tell a friend if you enjoy it!

E-mail us at thankyouforspieling@gmail.com. Thanks for Spore-ing!

HBO's "The Last of Us" episode 4 is upon us! It's titled "Please Hold To My Hand" I bring my friend and longtime fellow TLOU stan Chad Hopkins on for our weekly reaction podcast to the exciting event series starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey.

Spoilers for the video game and future plot are now placed at the end of the episode behind a warning! This week's spoilers begin at 51:30. Up until that point we will just be discussing events that you'll have seen if you have watched the corresponding television episode, and what was different about them in the game.

Chad and Eric also share what they learned since Episode 3 aired (briefly at the beginning.) This was a GREAT episode which sets up a thrilling conclusion to a mini-arc next episode.

Find Eric on Twitter at @spielerman, and find the show at @TYFSpiels.

Find Chad on Twitter at @chadadada, and find his Avatar: The Last Airbender podcast "Crossroads of Destiny" wherever podcasts are found. Also check out The Cinescope Podcast where Chad talks about favorite movies with his friends.

We'll be back next week! And this episode will be streamed on YouTube soon. Tell a friend if you enjoy it!

E-mail us at thankyouforspieling@gmail.com. Thanks for Spore-ing!

HBO's "The Last of Us" episode 3 is upon us! It's titled "Long, Long Time." I bring my friend and longtime fellow TLOU stan Chad Hopkins on for our weekly reaction podcast to the exciting event series starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey.

Spoilers for the video game and future plot are now placed at the end of the episode behind a warning! This week's spoilers begin at 48:00. Up until that point we will just be discussing events that you'll have seen if you have watched the corresponding television episode, and what was different about them in the game.

Chad and Eric also share what they learned since Episode 2 aired (briefly at the beginning.) This was a GREAT episode which deviated from the video game but left both of us stunned and appreciative of the adaptation.

Find Eric on Twitter at @spielerman, and find the show at @TYFSpiels.

Find Chad on Twitter at @chadadada, and find his Avatar: The Last Airbender podcast "Crossroads of Destiny" wherever podcasts are found. Also check out The Cinescope Podcast where Chad talks about favorite movies with his friends.

We'll be back next week! And this episode will be streamed on YouTube soon. Tell a friend if you enjoy it!

E-mail us at thankyouforspieling@gmail.com. Thanks for Spore-ing!

HBO's "The Last of Us" episode 2 is upon us! It's titled "Infected." I bring my friend and longtime fellow TLOU stan Chad Hopkins on for our weekly reaction podcast to the exciting event series starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey.

Spoilers for the video game and future plot are now placed at the end of the episode behind a warning! This week's spoilers begin at 1:09:00. Up until that point we will just be discussing events that you'll have seen if you have watched the corresponding television episode, and what was different about them in the game.

Chad and Eric also share what they learned since Episode 1 aired (briefly at the beginning.) This was a GREAT episode both of the HBO show and of our podcast.

Find Eric on Twitter at @spielerman, and find the show at @TYFSpiels.

Find Chad on Twitter at @chadadada, and find his Avatar: The Last Airbender podcast "Crossroads of Destiny" wherever podcasts are found. Also check out The Cinescope Podcast where Chad talks about favorite movies with his friends.

We'll be back next week! And this episode will be streamed on YouTube soon. Tell a friend if you enjoy it!

E-mail us at thankyouforspieling@gmail.com. Thanks for Spore-ing!

HBO's "The Last of Us" has finally debuted! I bring my friend and longtime fellow TLOU stan Chad Hopkins on for what will be a weekly reaction podcast to the exciting event series starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey.

Spoilers for the video game will be kept to a minimum for those who haven't played, but have watched the show. Spoilers for the show abound as we go along!

Chad and Eric briefly recap their expectations going in to the season and then break down HBO's premiere episode by discussing their favorite things.

Find Eric on Twitter at @spielerman, and find the show at @TYFSpiels.

Find Chad on Twitter at @chadadada, and find his Avatar: The Last Airbender podcast "Crossroads of Destiny" wherever podcasts are found. Also check out The Cinescope Podcast where Chad talks about favorite movies with his friends.

We'll be back next week! And this episode will be streamed on YouTube soon. Tell a friend if you enjoy it!

E-mail us at thankyouforspieling@gmail.com. Thanks for Sporeing!