The Mockingcast

Episode 291: Happiness Weighs an Extra Twenty Pounds

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk affective forecasting, fantasy literature, workplace mattering, and collapsed demands. Also, a punk rocker gets a miracle bus ticket, and the ice monster comes for our kids. Click here to register for the Spring Mbird Conference in NYC (4/23-25)Click here to listen to Sarah's sermon "I Like Your Dancing", delivered at RJ's church. Click here to read "Most of Us Are Bad at Predicting What Will Make Us Happy" by Ruston Dodd on The Athletic.Click here to read Francis Spufford's defense of fantasy in The Guardian.Click here to read The Up and Up's interview with Jennifer Breheny Wallace about Gen Z and Mattering. Click here to read about "The Three Quarter Life Crisis" by Rob Myallis on Mbird.Click here to read "What Remains When Nothing Can Be Done" by Kyle Wells on Mbird.

Episode 290: Sanctuary of the Pitiful Heart

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk face functions, last breaths, cringe churches, and Monkey Jesus. Also, Sarah runs into a teenage witch while RJ survives an iguanapocalypse. This episode is dedicated to the memory of Derek Sweatman. Click here to register for the upcoming NYC Mockingbird conference (4/23-25).Click here to read "Is the Backlash to Facial Conformity Finally Upon Us?" by Valerie Monroe in Allure.Click here to read "Ash Wednesday Asks Nothing" by Jacob Lupfer in Commonweal.Click here to read "A Church of Cringe" by Todd Brewer on Mbird.Click here to read the obituary for Cecilia Giménez in The Economist.

Episode 289: Throw Parties, Give Gifts, Tell Stories

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk Lieutenant Dan season, holy inconvenience, millennial oversocialization, and playful faith. Also, Sarah buys a rebellious sweatshirt while RJ comes to terms with his inner delivery boy. Click here to watch the toddler yacht rock Dave and Sarah mention Click here to order a copy of the Beauty Issue of The Mockingbird Magazine Click here to register for the NYC Mbird Conference (4/23-25) Click here to read "Lieutenant Dan Season" by Matt Lindeman on Mbird Click here to read "The Ugly Side of the Truth" by Gretchen Ronnevik Click here to read "In 2026, We are Friction-Maxxing" by Kathryn Jezer-Morton in The Cut Click here to read "Oversocialization, the Shackles of the Millennial Generation" by Freddie deBoer Click here to read "Whatever Ails You, the Answer Is Dance" by Boris Fishman in The NY Times Click here to read "Blessed Are the Pickleball Players" by Dave in Christianity Today

Episode 288: A Dog Named Lucifer

Last episode of the year, in which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk Knives Out, self-checkout lines, optional futures, and how not to hate Christmas. Also, Sarah gets a Zippo while heaven and earth meet at an unlikely funeral. Click here to read Dave's review of Knives Out: Wake Up Dead Man on Mbird Click here to read Valerie Trapp's piece in The Atlantic on "The One Line Americans (Weirdly) Choose to Wait In" Click here to "From Option to Obligation" by Paul Skallas in the Lindy Newsletter Click here to read Sarah's "No More Flaccid Christmas Stockings" on Mbird Click here to read David Clay's "How to Not Hate Christmas" on Mbird Click here to read "Faith's Long December" by Kyle Wells on Mbird Click here to watch the performance of "Fairytale of New York" at Shane MacGowan's funeral

Episode 287: All the Blessed Interruptions

In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk advent calendars, perfectionist musicians, interrupting mothers, and the Batman effect. The gang also takes a field trip to an acute mental health ward across the pond. Click here to respond to the opening appeal. Click here to read Ellen Cushing's "Advent Calendars Are Totally Out of Control" in The Atlantic. Click here to read "The Quest for Perfection Is Stunting Our Society" by Jonathan Biss in The NY Times. Click here to read "Can You Stop?" by Heather Havrilesky on Ask Polly Click here for the abstract of the study on The Batman Effect Click here to read William Fagan's article on Mbird, "Advent Has a Purpose (Candle Lighting Isn't It)"