Best Circle Of Nerds Podcasts (2025)

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Clippy Cult: The Paperclip That Wouldn’t Quit 26:04

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21h ago26:04

26:04

Inside the UX lessons, internet lore, and surprising comeback of Clippy Love him or loathe him, you remember him. Clippy — the googly-eyed paperclip that lived inside Microsoft Word — has become a permanent fixture in internet culture. But how did a productivity tool become the patron saint of annoying-yet-adorable UI? In this episode of Podcast Aw…

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Episode 93 - Donkey Kong Bananza 47:05

1h ago47:05

47:05

After a brief hiatus, Matthew and Christina are back with a review of Donkey Kong Bananza, a fun rampaging time. Christina is adamant that this is what the Nintendo Switch 2 should have launched with, but maybe that's from all the bananas she ingested playing as Donkey Kong.By marriedwithvideogames

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NERD_0381 Free the Teachers! Calendar and Circle Times 1:01:37

6h ago1:01:37

1:01:37

It’s time for the second installment of Free the Teachers! In this episode, Heather Bernt-Santy is joined by Richard Cohen, Carol Garboden Murray, Stacy Benge, and Tiffany Pearsall to talk through the ways we can be free of traditional calendar, circle, and other large group times and to share new ways of thinking about gathering with young childre…

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Episode 8 - Lost in Thought 17:42

12h ago17:42

17:42

Flow Into Your Mind is back with another episode! This time, I'm excited to give you details about the progressive metal band Lost in Thought. Show Lost in Thought some support: Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/1eaEhax0Mj4NNXxvWEtnUF Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lit_band/# Follow the podcast to discover more underground artists: L…

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PPD + Down Syndrome | Hannah’s Birth Stories 1:10:58

23h ago1:10:58

1:10:58

This week, I am joined by my friend Hannah, who went from not knowing how an epidural worked to delivering her third without her husband while he was at military training! Her experiences include (but aren’t limited to) pre-eclampsia, severe postpartum depression, the emotional impact of 2 miscarriages, and joyfully welcoming their son with Down sy…

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🎙️ Rage Coding, Headless Web Components, and the Future of DX with Burton Smith 45:33

7d ago45:33

45:33

Have you ever rage-coded your way into building a developer tool that actually fixes things? Burton Smith has. And we’re here for it. In this episode of Podcast Awesome, Matt and Web Awesome's boss, Cory Laviska chat with Burton Smith. Burton is an open source wizard and creator of the Web Components Toolkit, and he tells us about the gap between t…

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NERD_0380 Scrap Circle Time with Amy Reyes-Hauff 39:29

7d ago39:29

39:29

In this week’s episode, host Heather Bernt-Santy interviews Amy Reyes-Hauff, Early Learning Specialist with the Wyoming Department of Education’s school success divistion. They talk about traditional circle time practices in early childhood settings and Amy suggests that it’s time to scrap circle time in favor of more developmentally informed pract…

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Pitocin Inductions + Powerful Support Team | Jorden’s Birth Stories 1:57:20

8d ago1:57:20

1:57:20

This week, I am joined by my sister-friend, Jorden, who is my incredible sister-in-law, who is due just 2 days after I am! She has had 3 previous birth experiences that included 3 pitocin inductions, adjusting to breastfeeding, and the exhilarating experience of pushing one of her babies out in 2 pushes! In this episode: Positive pregnancy experien…

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NERD_0379 A New Way of Looking at Children’s War Play with Ebba Theorell 57:55

14d ago57:55

57:55

Host Heather Bernt-Santy and fellow nerd Mike Huber talk with Ebba Theorell about her brilliant article, Transformative Aesthetic Dimensions in Young Boys’ War Play: Exploring the World Through Kinesthetic Musicality, in which she discusses her research and thesis work examining war play through the lens of dance and choreography. Find her article …

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SURPRISE! I'm Pregnant!! 1:16:01

15d ago1:16:01

1:16:01

You read that right! I’m having a baby!! Today, I give you all the deets from before we even knew we were pregnant to our recent struggle to find out the gender of our baby and everything in between! It is such a joy and a privilege to share the beginnings of my motherhood story with y’all. And fair warning, you may need a tissue or two today, I kn…

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NERD_0378 Free the Teachers! Tightly Controlled Schedules 53:35

21d ago53:35

53:35

Every now and then, host Heather Bernt-Santy and the other nerds in the TECN group chat hit on hot issues that we wish early childhood folks didn’t have to worry about. We decided to do a few episodes on these topics, calling it the Free the Teachers! series. In this episode, we talk about how stressful tightly controlled daily schedules are for ad…

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Positive Labor + Exclusively Pumping | Valeria's Birth Story 1:07:18

22d ago1:07:18

1:07:18

On the 10th episode of The Labor Line, I’m joined by my friend Valeria, who had only ever held one baby before she had her own! From finding the right circle of friends that helped her feel confident enough to become a mom to utilizing all the tools offered to her from a local pregnancy help center, Valeria went from being a newborn novice to a bir…

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NERD_0377 Slow Childhoods with Carol Garboden Murray and Amy Chiu 56:29

1M ago56:29

56:29

When host Heather Bernt-Santy talked with Amy Chiu (www.theworkofplay.com) on TECN episode 372, she knew she had to have a follow up conversation including Carol Garboden Murray (https://www.carolgarbodenmurray.com/). Join them all as they discuss the benefit of slowing down with children in our early childhood settings, including some great first-…

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Unexpected Twins + Early Labor | Madeline’s Birth Story 1:23:44

1M ago1:23:44

1:23:44

This week on The Labor Line, I’m joined by my friend Madeline, whose twin pregnancy was as surprising as it was thrilling! From working with a midwife at a birth center to mitigate fearmongering common with a twin pregnancy, to being lifeflighted (!!) to an unfamiliar hospital, only to be discharged a few days later, and ultimately having a C-secti…

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NERD_0376 Live from the 2025 Play Empowers Teacher Retreat! 47:22

1M ago47:22

47:22

Live from the lobby of the Claggett Retreat Center, listen in as attendees and presenters debrief the day’s events–what resonated, what challenged them, and dreams for what happens next. The Play Empowers Teacher Retreat is truly one of a kind. Because it was a live recording of a large group, the volume levels vary a bit from person to person–this…

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🖇️ Podcast Awesome: The Story Behind the Stapler Icon 9:57

1M ago9:57

9:57

🔴 “Excuse me … I believe you have my stapler?” One line. Infinite memes. A red-hot icon. In this episode of The Story Behind the Icon, we dive deep into the surprisingly rich lore behind the humble office stapler — and how a cult classic film, a soft-spoken cubicle dweller, and a spray-painted prop turned it into a cultural artifact. 🎧 Whether you’…

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RhoGAM Shots + ICP Diagnosis | Lauren’s Birth Stories 1:18:14

1M ago1:18:14

1:18:14

This week on The Labor Line, I’m joined by my lifelong friend Lauren, who had 3 unique birth experiences that all informed one another. From a positive introduction into motherhood with her first, to a mentally difficult postpartum experience with her second, followed by a diagnosis of ICP (intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy) with her third, Lau…

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NERD_0375 Trauma Informed Practices with Nikki Darling-Kuria 43:13

1M ago43:13

43:13

Nikki Darling-Kuria joins host Heather Bernt-Santy to share her growth as a trauma informed early childhood professional in an unpredictable world. The quote to start this conversation is from Katherine Anne Porter, who said, “The past is never where you think you left it,” meaning that events that we think are in the past and believe we should be …

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Surrendering to Birth + Peaceful C-Section | Mariah’s Birth Story 1:21:46

1M ago1:21:46

1:21:46

This week on The Labor Line, I’m joined by my friend Mariah, who brings her wisdom as an emotional processing yoga coach to the world of birth. From dreaming of a quiet, at-home birth to some late pregnancy hurdles that led to an unexpected, but peaceful C-section, Mariah’s journey is a crash course in the power of surrendering. In this episode: Th…

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NERD_0374 The Daycare Myth with Dan Wuori 1:01:57

2M ago1:01:57

1:01:57

For a century, America’s early childhood policy has been premised on a myth. This falsehood—which dictates that child care and education are somehow separate and distinct—not only suboptimizes the most important window into all human development, but costs American taxpayers an untold fortune. It’s time to think differently. Written in plain yet pr…

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Polyhydramnios Induction + Redemptive Water Birth | Maddie’s Birth Stories 1:40:26

2M ago1:40:26

1:40:26

This week on The Labor Line, I’m joined by my friend Maddie, whose birth stories are as powerful as they are different. From a long, exhausting hospital induction with polyhydramnios to a fast, redemptive unmedicated birth at a birth center—plus the emotional experience of miscarriage in between—Maddie shares it all with honesty, insight, and so mu…

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Episode 7 - Fourth Circle 14:17

2M ago14:17

14:17

More symphonic metal awesomeness! Today we're taking a look at the French symphonic metal band Fourth Circle! Give Fourth Circle some support: Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/0BwJ4rUxt1w8iIt2bCajCK Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/4th_circle/?hl=en Website - https://www.darktunes.com/en/releases/F/70-fourth-circle Follow the podcast …

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NERD_0373 When Children are Free to Pretend 1:05:04

2M ago1:05:04

1:05:04

Mike Huber is back to talk more about pretend play, children’s power, and the teacher’s liberation as we continue to discuss his new book The Power in Pretend: Supporting Children’s Power, Identity and Agency. Mike shares a story of powerful pretend play that started with taking chairs outside so that children could clean them and ended with the ch…

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Invisible Creature’s Don Clark on Nostalgia, Iconography, and Staying Human 48:09

2M ago48:09

48:09

Designing Joy: Don Clark of Invisible Creature on Creativity, Collectibles & Culture In this episode of Podcast Awesome, Matt hangs out with legendary designer Don Clark of Invisible Creature to dive into the analog soul of digital design. From their punk rock roots and Grammy-nominated album covers to art directing for Seattle’s swankiest restaura…

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Successful IUI + Positive Pregnancy | Annika’s Birth Story 1:17:56

2M ago1:17:56

1:17:56

This week, I’m joined by my friend from home, Annika, who is such a kind and resilient person. After wrestling with several chronic health issues in her early twenties, Annika shares her winding road to mom-hood, including her IUI journey, her positive pregnancy experience, an induction, an epidural, 30 HOURS of labor, and the emotional decision to…

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Behind the Icon: Cowbell-Circle-Plus 11:25

2M ago11:25

11:25

💥 A Podcast Awesome Deep Cut Episode Description: 🛎️ Guess what? We got a fever … and the only prescription is … well, you know. In this very special episode of Podcast Awesome, we hit pause on our usual tech-and-icon-nerdery to unleash a full-throttle ode to one of the wackiest icons in our set: Cowbell Circle Plus. What starts as a nod to the leg…

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NERD_0372 Rhythms Over Routines with Amy Chiu 41:10

2M ago41:10

41:10

“School can be a stressful place. It can be overstimulating and demanding which impacts everyone’s nervous system and ability to cope, let alone learn. The prevailing wisdom is that children thrive in predictable routines, but it’s not black and white.” Early childhood education speaker and instructor Amy Chiu suggests that we shift from thinking a…

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Empowering Birth + Comforting Community | Anahi's Birth Story 55:12

2M ago55:12

55:12

This week on The Labor Line, I’m joined by my college friend, Anahi, who’s a true girl’s girl and all-around gem. She shares what it was like emotionally adjusting to pregnancy, how she and her husband tackled labor as a team, and her empowering (mostly unmedicated!) birth story with an epidural at the 12-hour mark. We also dive into the raw postpa…

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NERD_0371 Powerful Play with Amanda Morgan 38:21

2M ago38:21

38:21

Child development expert Amanda Morgan returns to That Early Childhood Nerd to discuss her new book, "Not Just Cute: How Powerful Play Drives Development in Early Childhood," in which she calls out myths and pressures that push play aside and makes a compelling case for bringing it back. Find more Amanda here: https://notjustcute.com/Order the book…

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Big Babies + ZTTK Diagnosis | Becca's Birth Stories 1:09:49

2M ago1:09:49

1:09:49

This week on The Labor Line, I’m joined by my sister-friend Becca, the kind of mom who brings light, laughter, and a roll-with-the-punches attitude to everything life (and birth) throws at her. She walks us through her 10-year journey into motherhood, which BEGAN with a 10+ pound baby (yes, really) and has since included: Gestational diabetes Jaund…

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The GI Joe PSAs and the Birth of Internet Weird 8:47

3M ago8:47

8:47

Pork chop sandwiches!! 🫡 🏃‍♂️‍➡️ Gather round the interwebs young Gen Xers and Elder Millennials ... In this oddball solo episode of Podcast Awesome, Matt rewinds to the early 2000s and dives deep into the glitchy, glorious chaos of Fensler Film’s GI Joe PSA remixes — a series of bootleg web videos that helped shape meme culture as we know it. Thes…

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Hospital Fiascos + Hip Dysplasia | Lindsy's Birth Story 53:46

3M ago53:46

53:46

This week on The Labor Line, I’m joined by my powerhouse of a mom-friend, Lindsy, who brings the kind of raw, beautiful honesty that this podcast is all about. After a smooth pregnancy, things took a wild turn: her OB completely ghosted her, the backup Physician's Assistant dropped the ball, and on the morning of delivery, Lindsy found out her baby…

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Episode 92 - South of Midnight 32:20

3M ago32:20

32:20

Christina finished playing South of Midnight a month ago. The storytelling, the music, the atmosphere, the visuals are all so absolutely top-notch, but it falls short when it comes to the combat. That being said, if you play video games for the story or the vibes, you need to play this. We also give a quick opinion-dump at the start about the Ninte…

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NERD_0370 Surviving the Child Care Crisis with Kisa Marx 38:36

3M ago38:36

38:36

Kisa Marx joins host Heather Bernt-Santy to talk about her powerful Exchange article, "A Letter to Educators: Surviving the Child Care Crisis." Find the article here: https://hub.exchangepress.com/articles-on-demand/50396/More about Kisa's work: https://theplaylabnfpoakpark.org/the-play-labThanks for listening!Save 10% on professional development f…

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Miraculous Fertility + Battling Breastfeeding | Kylie's Birth Story 1:01:45

3M ago1:01:45

1:01:45

Welcome to the very first episode of The Labor Line! I’m your host, Emily — a non-mom who’s always been weirdly obsessed with birth. (Like… childhood Barbie birth scenarios obsessed.) To kick things off, I’m joined by my dear friend Kylie, who may or may not have told her OB to shut up while pushing. From not being sure she even wanted kids, to nav…

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Set Us Up the Meme: The Strange Tale of All Your Base 9:11

3M ago9:11

9:11

Where did the “All Your Base Are Belong to Us” meme come from — and why did it break the early internet? In this nostalgic deep dive, Matt explores the wackadoodle origin of one of the internet’s most gloriously awkward memes. Before “going viral” was even a phrase, this phrase from the 1992 Sega Genesis game Zero Wing somehow made its way from mis…

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NERD_0369 Heather Wrote a Book 1:02:36

3M ago1:02:36

1:02:36

Host Heather Bernt-Santy thought she was joining a recording session to discuss an article shared by Lizz Nolasco--but surprise! The Nerds ambushed her--tricking her into talking instead about her upcoming book Using Schema Play Theory to Advocate for Free Play in Early Childhood! The book will be out in the fall of 2025, keep your eye out on That …

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Episode 6 - Madison Galloway 12:53

3M ago12:53

12:53

"Pure energy and rootsy-blues sass!" is how MusicOntario described up and coming blues rock singer-songwriter Madison Galloway. Show Madison Galloway some support: Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/50J27BeJLo8Roh6QepeJBR Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/madisongallowaymusic/?hl=en Website - https://www.madisongalloway.com/ Follow the p…

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NERD_0368 The Power of Pretend with Mike Huber pt 2 58:55

3M ago58:55

58:55

Mike Huber is back to dig into ideas about how pretend play supports focus, impulse control, and self regulation. And what about super hero play? When children imitate superheroes from tv or movies, can that be considered imaginative? It's a fun conversation! Buy the book here: https://www.redleafpress.org/Power-in-Pretend-Supporting-Young-Children…

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NERD_0367 The Power of Pretend with Mike Huber pt 1 49:37

4M ago49:37

49:37

Mike Huber has a new book! He joins host Heather Bernt-Santy for the first of (we hope) many conversations about his book The Power of Pretend: Supporting Children's Power, Identity and Agency. Buy the book here: https://www.redleafpress.org/Power-in-Pretend-Supporting-Young-Childrens-Power-Identity-and-Agency-Through-Play-P3107.aspxMore about Eve …

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A Short History of Lorem Ipsum (and a Rant) 10:31

4M ago10:31

10:31

“Layouts are sexy but, you know, words still matter.” In this solo rant-style episode of Podcast Awesome, Matt takes a silly, unhinged dive into the world of Lorem Ipsum — the gibberish placeholder text that’s haunted designers and writers alike since the 1500s. From Cicero’s scrambled Latin to zombie-themed mockups, we trace the wild history and t…

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Episode 5 - Cartagena 16:02

4M ago16:02

16:02

Symphonic metal that sounds like a documentary about a historic conflict? Today I'll be telling you about Cartagena, an underrated band from Tunisia. Show Cartagena some support: Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/0iHtfYCrI0e5yOHd6xZVld Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CartagenaBand Follow the podcast to discover more underground artists:…

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NERD_0366 Teacher Research and Teacher Survival with Aaron Neimark 46:54

4M ago46:54

46:54

San Francisco Transitional KG Teacher Aaron Neimark joins host Heather Bernt-Santy to talk about being a teacher researcher and challenging yourself to survive and thrive! For more of Aaron's work: 1) Do You Want to See Something Goofy? Peer Culture in the Preschool Yard 2) Learning from Children's Humor: Peer Culture as a Teaching Tool(book chapte…

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Episode 4 - Borealis 18:38

4M ago18:38

18:38

On this episode, I am thrilled to bring Borealis to the table! A progressive/power metal band from Ontario, Canada! Give Borealis some support: Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/3WorcXKb2PFutcaYEFjBWq Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/officialborealis/ Website - https://officialborealis.com/ Follow the podcast to discover more undergrou…

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Episode 91 - Indiana Jones and the Great Circle 33:20

4M ago33:20

33:20

Matthew played through Indiana Jones and the Great Circle while Christina got to watch an excellent Indiana Jones not-movie and listen to the fantastic vocals of Troy Baker. But seriously, this game will make you want to watch the original trilogy after every gameplay session. The storytelling and vibes are absolute perfection.…

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From Stickers to State Law: The Accessibility Icon Story 37:11

4M ago37:11

37:11

Design meets activism. Philosophy meets iconography. Wheelchairs meet graffiti. In this philosophy-packed episode of Podcast Awesome, Matt chats with professor, artist, and co-founder of the Accessible Icon Project, Brian Glenny. Together with colleague Sara Hendron, they took a bold journey to make a tweak to the accessibility symbol — which led t…

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NERD_0365 Early Childhood MAYtriarchy–bell hooks and Cheng Xueqin 54:20

4M ago54:20

54:20

Welcome to Early Childhood MAYtriarchy 2025, where we celebrate the contributions of women to the work of early childhood. In this episode:Denisha Jones shares how the work of bell hooks has influenced her and informed her work.Krystina Tapia talks about her life changing experience visiting the Anji schools founded by Cheng Xueqin, and how Ms Chen…

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NERD_0364 Early Childhood MAYtriarchy: Constance Kamii, Rhonda DeVries, Ellen Key and Alva Myrdal 53:01

4M ago53:01

53:01

Welcome to Early Childhood MAYtriarchy 2025, where we celebrate the contributions of women to the work of early childhood. In this episode:Stephanie Goloway shares the accomplishments and contributions of Constance Kamii and Rhonda DeVries.Suzanne Axelsson brings two Swedish women to the conversation: Ellen Key and Alva Myrdal.I love doing this ser…

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Episode 3 - Stream of Passion 14:27

4M ago14:27

14:27

Today I put the spotlight on the gothic, symphonic metal band Stream of Passion! Check out Stream of Passion here: Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/3WbWjYpDshKxCyN7KOrDyz Website - https://streamofpassion.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/stream.of.passion/ Follow the podcast to discover more underground artists: Website - https:/…

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Clone Wars Rewatch-Season 5: Episodes 6-9 1:17:10

4M ago1:17:10

1:17:10

This week! Why Jedi are the Worst Guardians in the Galaxy! Clone Wars Season 5 episodes 6–9 take us on a wild ride with Jedi younglings constructing their lightsabers—and facing enough danger to question the Order’s parenting skills. We discuss: – The emotional impact of building sabers at Galaxy’s Edge – Why Hondo Ohnaka might be Star Wars’ most l…