Podcast of the Week: Man Caves, The Study, and Identity

On their latest episode, Taylor Marshall and Jared Zimmerer challenge the prevalent notion of the man cave as the retreat for the modern neanderthal and argue for the necessity of the study in the live of the paternal philosopher-king. Beyond just stressing the importance of its incorporation in a man's abode, the duo propose several tips for how to go about acquiring and implementing the essential articles for this locale, even if one happens to be a bachelor with a roommate.

Listen to "Man Caves, The Study, and Identity"

Visit Maccabee Society

Be the Maccabee,

Kelvin

P.S. - The Song Exploder episode with CHVRCHES that was recorded while I was at SXSW is finally up.

Podcast of the Week: The Heart Versus The Head & Other Random Musings

Only one son of thunder, Daniel Cornell, is present this week as the other, Kevin Kramer, is exercising paternal duties for his newborn child. Though flying solo, Dan covers a lot of ground in this 80-minute show as he touches on a variety of Catholic topics ranging from old to new: women deacons, the evangelization of Jews, participation in the Mass, the removal of verses from the Holy Thursday and Corpus Christi readings, ad orientem, attending the Latin Mass for the first time and the balance to be struck between the head and the heart.

Listen to "The Heart Versus The Head & Other Random Musings"

Visit Sons of Thunder Podcast

A hodge-podge of stuff,
Kelvin

Podcast of the Week: Finding God in the Devil of Hell's Kitchen

The Greeks have done it again! Just like in their previous episode, where the Steven and Christian of PCCH successfully steered me away from ever desiring to see My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, my media viewing was influenced when they promised spoilers and I went ahead and finished the second season of Daredevil. Their discussion was a good one, touching on the strength of the storywriting in both seasons, the lessons we can pull from Matt Murdok's struggle with identity and purpose and the present state of the superhero genre and movies and TV as a whole. They then shift gears to talk about the hero in art as an archetype for the Savior, would one be a superhero or supervillain if given the power and what superpowers are the most desirable.

Oh, and there's definitely spoilers ;)

Listen to "Finding God in the Devil of Hell's Kitchen"

Visit Pop Culture Coffee Hour

I'm all ears,
Kelvin

Podcast of the Week: Love/Pride

FINALLY!!! After 15 months of waiting, Fr. John Nepil has rounded out the trilogy of discussions on the theological virtues and their corresponding vices. Adapting the topic from the series of essays by the late and great Josef Pieper, it should be no surprise that it is pride and not hate which is the opposite of love. Pride it is also that the CSYSK duo in Rome spend the majority of their time tackling in this important episode.

Listen to "Love/Pride"

Listen to "Hope/Despair"

Listen to "Faith/Doubt"

Visit Catholic Stuff You Should Know

{Duolingo trumpet sound},
Kelvin

Podcast of the Week: The 5 Big Questions Everyone Asks in Life

On last week's WOF Show, Bishop Robert Barron tackles quite literally the biggest questions about life and our place in it. He gives a very concise one-sentence answer to each at the end that I think represents well the height, breath and depth one can expect in listening to this discussion:

• Does God exist?
• Yes, because the world does not explain itself.
• Who am I?
• I am a hybrid of both body and soul.
• What is the meaning of life?
• The meaning of life is to return to God, from whom we came.
• What is right and wrong?
• What is right is what is in line with the teleology of my humanity.
• What happens after death?
• We are raised to a higher pitch of transfigured existence that Paul would call the "spiritual body".

All this before masterfully handling a listener question on where the omnipotence and providence of God ends and our free will begins, citing Luis de Molina and St. Thomas Aquinas in his response.

Listen to "The 5 Big Questions Everyone Asks in Life"

Visit Word on Fire Show

We've given you the easiest questions today,
Kelvin

Podcast of the Week: Orchestral Music From Latin America

Another week, another Alt.Latino pick. This time Felix Contreras sits down with Tom Huizenga as they embark on a journey following the influence and evolution of classical music in Latin America. Part music lesson and part history lesson, this podcast offers a great introduction to a genre that is as diverse as the countries that produce it.

Listen to "Alt.Latino Goes Classical: Orchestral Music From Latin America"

Visit Alt.Latino

Why not a mariachi opera, right?
Kelvin

Podcast of the Week: It Takes Guts to Be Alive

The latest guest DJ session presented by Alt.Latino is actually a re-run from 2012 and features Dominican author Junot Diaz. Diaz brings with him an eclectic setlist with bachata, merengue and pop-punk, all sounds that reminded me deeply of my formative years (being half-Dominican myself). The trio of Diaz with Felix Contreras and Jasmine Garst also discuss the evolution of musical styles and influences in Latin America, specifically in the Caribbean, and the role music plays in asserting the identity of those with a stake in the name latino.

Listen to "Guest DJ Junot Diaz: 'It Takes Guts To Be Alive'"

Visit Alt.Latino

Breaking the omertà,

Kelvin

Podcast of the Week: How LSD Works

Talk about a random topic. Stuff You Should Know is known for covering subjects that span across all forms of study and experience, and this past week Josh and Chuck decided to expound on the history and effects of the psychedelic drug LSD (a.k.a., acid). Though I did appreciate their debunking of several myths surrounding the drug, I had less regard for their advocacy of therapeutic use of acid and the considerable amount of time they allotted for the whole discussion (nearly 90 minutes, when most shows are under 45).

The episode's saving grace, however, came in a dialogue the pair had with John Hodgman (from The Daily Show) at the end. A pseudo-feud had arisen between the two parties after SYSK released their "Nostalgia" episode at the end of March in direct retaliation of Hodgman's notion that "nostalgia is the most toxic impulse". In this engrossing 20-minute conversation, the three hash out the clarifications of their own stances (in which much common ground was found) and Hodgman adeptly argues how the notion of longing for the "good ol' days" can be destructive when abused by an individual for the purpose of escaping reality or when mechanized by a political entity for the purpose of marginalizing sectors of their own and other societies. Following this, I felt a responsibility to vet his podcast, Judge John Hodgman, and another he suggested, The Dana Gould Hour (at least the episode "Happysad!"), as possible additions to my subscription list.

Listen to "How LSD Works"

Visit Stuff You Should Know

I was not expecting jihad, Donald Trump or Darth Maul to make an appearance,
Kelvin

Podcast of the Week: Reservation Missionary

One podcast that stood out from all the downloads last week came from Catching Foxes where the duo of Luke and Gomer conversed with Kenn Cramer about his work with a unique class of poor America. This was a very enlightening discussion as it brought to mind the continued existence of Native American reservations and the particular challenges the inhabitants of these face in terms of poverty, discrimination, identity, purpose and religion.

Listen to "Reservation Missionary Kenn Cramer"

Visit Catching Foxes

You can wear a cassock and be a nice guy,

Kelvin

Podcast of the Week: Remembering Prince

In the wake of the death of Prince this past Thursday, two of my pop culture podcasts released separate 15-minute reflections on the legacy of the artist. At All Songs Considered, Bob Boilen, Robin Hilton and Ann Powers conversed about the impact Prince had in their personal lives, especially during critical turning points and coming-of-ages. At Pop Culture Happy Hour, Linda Holmes and Stephen Thompson painted the portrait of the enigmatic figure that Prince embodied and how he shook convention in multiple aspects of culture.

It is this latter podcast especially and this topic of non-conformity in particular that resonated with me because I see that with the passing of other great innovative pop musicians in recent years, like David Bowie and Michael Jackson, the mainstream culture is quick to aggrandize their influence and attribute to their stature social implications that could legitimately be out of their reach. It may just be that the boilerplate eulogy lends itself to canonization, thus making media personalities patronages of the societal progress, but time will tell what super-man may or may not arise from the image of the man that was Prince.

Listen to "Remembering Prince: The Utopian"

Visit All Songs Considered

Listen to "Remembering Prince"

Visit Pop Culture Happy Hour

℣ Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine.
℟ Et lux perpetua luceat eis.

Fidelium animae, per misericordiam Dei, requiescant in pace.
Amen.

Podcast of the Week: Head Fake

Last week's bro-talk between the seminarians and priest of Three Dogs North was chock full of culture and meaning. From sizing up the inspiring cinematic masterpiece of Rocky against the insufficiently identifiable plot of God's Not Dead, to relating the great works of...

• Graham Greene - "The End of the Affair" and "The Heart of the Matter"
• Erik Larson - "Devil in the White City"
• Anthony Doerr - "All the Light We Cannot See" (also discussed in Fountains of Carrots), 
• Georges Bernarnos - "The Diary of a Country Priest"
• René Girard - mimetic desire
• Evelyn Waugh - "Brideshead Revisited"
• and Matthew Quick - "The Silver Linings Playbook" (and film starring Jennifer Lawrence)

...it's difficult not to sing this podcast's praises.

Listen to "Head Fake"

Visit Three Dogs North

You can make a long road trip at nighttime just by seeing what the headlights show you,

Kelvin

P.S. - I finally got to hear my long-awaited shout-out request on this week's episode of CSYSK!

Podcast of the Week: Real Talk about Conversion

Fountains of Carrots has been on a good run lately with regular updates and awesome guests, and this past week the pair of Catholic moms have a friendly conversation with Ginny Sheller and her journey to the faith. The show also delves into frank discussion on what living on twelve acres is like, how to tell your parents you're pregnant with your eighth child and the incongruousness of the setup in a cry room. I know, this all sounds like homeschooling parent central, but I enjoyed the flow of the conversation and it was interesting to catch a glimpse into parenting styles that are not too common in everyday life.

Listen to "Real Talk about Conversion with Ginny Sheller"

Visit Fountains of Carrots

If you think I'm going to help you glue-stick this, you've got another thing coming,
Kelvin

Podcast of the Week: Ryan Adams and Bob Mould

A recording that's making its rounds on music news sites, Bob Mould was invited by Ryan Adams to his PAX-AM Studio and talks about paving the way for punk in America, among other things. The former is better known as the vocalist for the alternative bands Hüsker Dü and Sugar and his latest solo album, Patch the Sky, was released last Friday. The latter, another seminal rock musician and ex-husband of Mandy Moore, may have appeared on your social media feed in the last couple of months for his work in recording a cover album of Taylor Swift's 1989.

The pair have an extremely enlightening conversation that brings up Mould's history of playing alongside other underground acts and the way musicians and technology have an ebb and flow influence on the direction of the music industry. I definitely have my work cut out for me in checking out all the obscure 80's hardcore bands mentioned in this interview, alongside Mould's and Adams' respective discographies.

Notes I jotted while listening to this podcast

Listen to "Hear Ryan Adams and Bob Mould Play Music And Talk About Everything Under The Sun"

Visit All Songs Considered

Nipper,

Kelvin

Podcast of the Week: Show 319 | San Jose CA

I've been getting a little annoyed with the reruns From the Top would play to fill the space of its weekly broadcasts, though I do understand that it's a costly and time-consuming endeavor to get the programming that it currently does. Thankfully, this week's show was a premier and featured a vibrant mix of classical pieces for violin, clarinet, piano and more. My favorite was a Peruvian waltz, "Mi Lima Antaño", transcribed on classical guitar by the young composer Gianfranco Baltazar (featured in the promotional video below).

Listen to "Show 319 | San Jose CA"

Visit From the Top

♪ ♫,
Kelvin

Podcast of the Week: Breaking Bad and Dealing with Darkness

Now that I live life outside of the realm of academia proper, I find myself with not only more time to watch television but also with more maturity of perspective in approaching this media. But as Uncle Ben says with every Spider-Man reboot, "With great power comes great responsibility." So although I can watch movies like Taxi Driver and series like Peaky Blinders and not feel the urge to beat up random people on the street (or vice versa, fear random people on the street beating me up), it is important to be aware of the sensibilities and temperaments of others when discussing or suggesting things to watch. This podcast was very helpful in reminding me that it's OK for everyone to not be into every show I enjoy and that even if a work of art cannot be commended because of its content (be it the graphic violence in Breaking Bad, the psycho-emotional manipulation in Jessica Jones or the stark sensuality of Game of Thrones) it can be lauded for the creativity of the writers and producers, which ultimately reveal an aspect of the Beauty of the Creator.

Listen to "Breaking Bad and Dealing with Darkness"

Visit Pop Culture Coffee Hour

Logos, yo,
Kelvin

Podcast of the Week: The Science of Cheating

No, this is not a tutorial on how to cheat on your significant other. Instead, this podcast has the exact opposite purpose, namely describing the circumstances that would lead a reasonable and caring person into infidelity and what all parties involved can do to prevent this from happening (in the best case) and make amends to reconcile the relationship if it does happen (in the worst case).

I personally found the release of this episode very timely because it came shortly after a deep discussion I had with a close friend about how we would each react to being cheated on during a dating relationship or a marriage. Like anything in love, the will is the driving force and though one's conscience and intellect may be strong this does not equate to immunity from committing the most heinous offenses to those we care about most. However, there are definitive habits that those in relationships can cultivate, such as openness and transparency, in order for the probability of performing these acts to be at their lowest.

Listen to "The Science of Cheating — How to Prevent and Deal With Infidelity"

Visit The Art of Manliness

To love is to will the good of another,
Kelvin

Podcast of the Week: Peeping Thomist

The hosts of the podcasts I've subscribed to have the nasty habit of referencing or suggesting other podcasts they enjoy and it leads me to accumulate more subscriptions than is reasonable for an average 8-to-5er. As such, I've gotten to the habit of listening to these shows at 2x speed (also a weird and not altogether advisable practice) in order to get through my weekly downloads.

All of this is to say that I encounter a lot of podcasts with good content worth highlighting for those unaware that such information exists. So I'd like to tack on another weekly segment, "Podcasts of the Week", that would help this blog become more than just an avenue for entertainment.

The first episode I'd like to promote comes from Catching Foxes and is titled "Interview with Peeping Thomist Brian Jones". This was one that I had to listen to twice at 1x speed because of all of the heady and philosophical content: St. Thomas Aquinas and Thomism, the Regensburg Lecture, positive psychology and medieval views on Islam. It felt like a fun graduate lecture replete with movie references to the Hail, Caeser!, The Royal Tenenbaums, Groundhog Day and Ghostbusters II.

Link to "Interview with Peeping Thomist Brian Jones".

Link to Catching Foxes.

Houston's best-kept Catholic secret,

Kelvin

P.S. - I would also be remiss if I didn't mention the recent Art of Manliness episode, "C.S. Lewis, J.R.R Tolkien, and the Inklings Mastermind Group", since it was the first spark of inspiration for starting this new segment.