The Rants And Raves Podcast

Episode 95: Coffee, Lottery and Bean Dip

A wave of messages and a special delivery have Dana and Jessica feeling extra grateful.  A long time listener shares her frustration over peoples unfiltered and unrequested advice and thoughts on pregnancy and what defines being a parent.  Jessica has turned into an ornery old woman during quarantine and is fed up with new young employees and their disregard for customer service.  What The What Corner has Dana wondering why someone would sit in a pool of bean dip all in the name of supporting a small business.  Oh Wow Corner has Jessica more fixated on the name of the store more than the winning 2 million dollar lottery ticket in Missouri last week.  Rave #1 is the new Tiny Home Village recently completed in Los Angeles as a new way to help and rehabilitate the homeless and get them off the streets and on a path to hope.  Rave #2 is Schappy's Pretzels and the organization they are supporting during March for Brain Injury Awareness Month, Holton's Heroes.  

Tiny Home Village - https://www.housebeautiful.com/design-inspiration/a35473349/los-angeles-tiny-home-village-homeless-shelter/

Schappy's Pretzels - https://www.shappypretzel.com/

Holton's Heroes - https://www.holtonsheroes.org/#our-mission-statement 

Episode 94: Madame Mah-Dahm, Garage Sale Sum

When Jessica is addressed in a nod to a fancy Parisian woman, she gains confidence in her "old" age. Dana is trying to keep her weekly plans straight but manages to schedule everything at once.  A concept restaurant with a dated cliche name has Jessica fuming over their weird gimmicks and meals.  Dana's impression of a loud muffler explains why the noise drives her nuts. Animal Instincts Corner explores the fascinating intelligence of cephalopods and how they can be trained to show restraint and reap a larger reward with food based on a test designed for children. Oh Wow Corner is the luckiest find from a garage sale that most people would have passed up due to its price. Rave #1 is the work being done by MMIW USA. Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women USA is an organization that brings awareness to the fact that indigenous women are currently being abducted, abused, or murdered at incredibly high rates. Every year they put together a GoFundMe for the children of missing or murdered indigenous women.  Rave #2 is Neighborhood Housing Services NHS and PATH. NHS helps people purchase, sell or repair their homes. PATH seeks to end homelessness for individuals, families, and communities.

MMIW USA - https://mmiwusa.org/

NHS - https://nhslacounty.org/

PATH - https://epath.org/

Episode 93: Thong Song - Beep Beep Who's Got The Keys To The Jeep

From rescue dogs to virtual Escape Rooms, Jessica had quite the week. Dana discusses the importance of taking care of your own mental health and checking in others.  A listener rant about the perils of Keto has Dana in a tizzy and Jessica is fuming for a listener who is an essential worker and is surrounded by non mask compliant customers.  The Kindness of Strangers Corner is a the story of a boy and his KFC and what he did for the woman that has served him for decades. Weirdo of the Week Corner is a woman who put her thong in the last place you would think as an act of defiance.  Rave #1 is the lovely couple behind Special Books by Special Kids who is normalizing the diversity of the Human Condition, and the money they have raised for those in need during the pandemic.  Rave #2 is the Mid-South Jeep Club, Jeep enthusiasts who are voluntarily providing rides to and from work for health care workers during the current winter conditions across the country.  

SBSK Special Books by Special Kids - https://sbsk.org/

Mid-South Jeep Club - https://dailymemphian.com/section/metrospirit-of-memphis/article/20073/jeepers-creepers-transporting-healthcare-workers

Episode 92: Radical Botanicals - From Gin to Weed

Dana is knee deep in her quest to become a home botanist and Jessica is claiming her baked spaghetti squash tasted just like lasagna.  It is possible that Dana has more rage than Jessica when it comes to Jessica's neighbor leaving certain things on and around the apartment property with no regard for anyone else.  Dana is super annoyed by companies promising a time or delivery confirmation and then not coming through on the promise.  Another Corrections Corner from H-Allen sets the record straight on McDonald's and Lent.  Animal Instincts Corner is a study that is being conducted on bees and cannibis and how they can help each other.  Excuuuuuse Me Corner features a man who stole an engagement ring and wedding band from a girlfriend to propose to a different one. Rave #1 is Grey Whale Gin, a spirit made of botanicals foraged along the migratory path of that majestic creature with ingredients from throughout California.  They give a portion of all proceeds to Oceana and 1% For the Planet.  Rave #2 is the Russell Westbrook Why Not Foundation.  The NBA superstar began this with the mission to inspire the lives of children, empower them to ask "Why Not?" and teach them to never give up.  

Grey Whale Gin - https://www.graywhalegin.com/

Oceana - https://oceana.org/ 

1% For The Planet - https://www.onepercentfortheplanet.org/ 

Russell Westbrook Why Not Foundation - https://whynotfoundation.org/ 

Episode 91: King Cakes, Cookies and Buns

On the eve of Mardi Gras, Jessica and Dana trade Weird Al stories and talk about the magic of New Orleans.  An attempt to make "mug cookies" leaves Dana with a case of the giggles and the realization that she is not meant to be a baker.  Jessica demands teen agers "back off" in a Target check out line and has to hold herself back from an altercation with a woman who walked into traffic while staring at her phone.  She Blinded Me With Science Corner features a young engineer who is turning plastic into sustainable durable bricks that are stronger than concrete.  Are You Gonna Eat That Corner has Jessica and Dana puzzled as to why children in Iceland spank their parents with a stick in order to get pastry treats before the start of Lent. Rave #1 is Joshua's Heart, a non profit 501c started by a 4 year old child dedicated to the fight against global hunger and poverty.  Rave #2 is The Denan Project, an all volunteer non profit 501c providing a long term solution to providing health and development assistance to under served people living in some of the world's poorest places.  

Joshua's Heart Foundation - https://joshuasheart.org/

The Denan Project - https://www.thedenanproject.org/  

Episode 90: Close Up Before The Cat's Got Your Tongue

This week Jessica returned to the desert while Dana was cultivating a forest within her home.  Jessica has serious anger towards people not closing or properly sealing something after using it and Dana is riled up over people letting their cats climb all over the very surfaces that we eat on.  Oh Wow Corner proves the power of a message going viral and how it helped get a package to its rightful owner.  Oh Noooooooo Corner is a woman who didn't realize Sugar and Spice aren't always nice when it comes to a DYI face mask.  Rave #1 is the Winter Warriors and Balooja's Foundation, a small dog rescue who is helping dogs and their owners in more ways than just adoption.  Rave #2 is a boy scout who invented ear guards on a 3D printer in order to alleviate pressure from masks worn by Front line workers.

Balooja's Foundation - https://www.baloojasfoundation.com/

Ear Guards 3D template - https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4249113?fbclid=IwAR1LNsS8eNwmJM87PRoZXr5a8rbQJaYgQLf2ehPtNbW8AB-S4GQ2b4REojA 

Episode 89: Cool For Plants, Hot For Teacher

From air plants to Joshua trees, Dana and Jessica have become quite the plantophiles during quarantine.  Dana is convinced people notice the under portion of her arms while on zoom. Jessica is really rubbed the wrong way when she reads a kids menu from the Hard Rock Cafe.  A new Corner with a questionable name (Hot For Teacher) features a high school principal who took a second job at Walmart in order to give the extra earnings to students in need.  What the What Corner is a rare sea creature off the coast of Ibiza that could be one of the answers to successfully treating Covid 19.  Rave #1 is Byrdie's Buddies, a non profit dedicated to bettering and saving the lives of shelter and military animals.  Rave #2 is Summit Ice Apparel, an outwear company founded as a non profit by comedian Nathan Fielder whose proceeds go to fund Holocaust Awareness through the Vancouver Holocaust Education Center.  

Byrdie's Buddies - Facebook and Instagram @byrdiesbuddies 

Summit Ice Apparel - http://www.summiticeapparel.com/  

Episode 88: Weeeeeeee're Baaaaaaaack! Naked and Afraid

After a few weeks of a much needed break, Dana and Jessica were ready to roar when they got back in the studio.  From coin carvings to plastic money from Canada, we have all the unnecessary info you never knew you needed.  Would you drive back to a restaurant if they made a mistake with your order and excluded the thing you craved the most?  Or do you hyper organize to the point where you can no longer find the very thing you put away so you would have no issue finding it?  What the What Corner features a man who hid in one of the busiest airports in the world for 3 months.  Weirdo of the Week is a bloke who lived as a naked fugitive in a crocodile infested area.  Rant #1 is Caring House, a non profit in North Carolina that provides comfortable, supportive and affordable housing to patients undergoing treatment at the Duke Cancer Institute.  Rave #2 is Pandemic of Love, a mutual aid community of care that connects people in need with patrons who can help with that need, that was started in response to the Covid 19 epidemic. 

Caring House - https://caringhouse.org/

Pandemic of Love - https://www.pandemicoflove.com/  

*HOLIDAY ANNOUNCEMENT*

HAPPY HOLIDAYS to all of you!!!

 

We made a small announcement explaining that we just need a little break. Thank you to everyone who has reached out and for all the love we have received. We are going to be okay and we will be back soon!!!

Stay safe, happy, healthy, and well!

 

P.S. Dana wrote this and that's why it's short and bad! : )

Episode 87: Eat, Drink, and be Hairy

While Dana's well planned Thanksgiving dinner kept her husband gone all afternoon, Jessica skated into a last minute meal pick up by cutting in line when spotting a friend.  Dana goes off the rails when introduced to a glitter pooping unicorn thanks to a listener's tip oand it's one of the hottest commodities for kids this year.  Jessica is astonished that no one has taken care of Donald Sutherland's eternal eyebrows that grow faster than kudzu. Weirdo of the Week takes a peek at a Cambodian woman who believes her homemade scarecrows are keeping her safe from Coronavirus by protecting her home. Oh Wow Corner is a plant rediscovered in Norfolk, England after laying dormant for a century.   Rave #1 is Wise Beans Coffee in Oklahoma, a small independent coffee roaster and cafe that is doing what they can to help their community with charitable causes.  Rave #2 is the North Hollywood Interfaith Food Pantry, who has brought together various religious congregations to acquire, assemble and distribute food twice a week, year round to those in need, for over 3 decades. 

Wise Beans Coffee Company - Facebook @WiseBeansCo / IG - @wisebeanscoffee

North Hollywood Interfaith Food Pantry - https://nhifp.org