Zombie Book Club

Hyperventilating in the Basement: A Guide to Coping Under Fascism | Zombie Book Club Ep 85

• Zombie Book Club • Season 3 • Episode 85

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In this episode of Zombie Book Club, we explore the eerie parallels between zombie fiction and the realities of navigating life under growing fascism. Join Dan and Leah as they discuss practical coping strategies, the power of storytelling, and the importance of community-building in turbulent times. From grassroots activism to creative resilience, this episode blends humor, heart, and actionable insights to help you find strength in the face of uncertainty.

Tune in for a mix of personal stories, survival tips, and a deep dive into how fiction can help us process existential threats. Plus, we’ll share updates on Living Dead Weekend, Kickstarter projects (Zombie Date Night by Steve Urena), and ways to stay engaged with the zombie-loving community. Whether you’re here for the laughs, the insights, or the undead, this episode is your survival guide for the chaos ahead.


Relevant Links

Zombie Date Night by Steve Urena: Kickstarter Link

Living Dead Weekend: https://www.thelivingdeadweekend.com/



Speaker 1:

Welcome to the Zombie Book Club, the only book club where the book is a coping mechanism during an age of growing fascism, and sometimes it doesn't work so well. I'm Dan and when I'm not coping, as best as I know how, by hyperventilating in the basement eating Fritos. I'm writing a book about a future where fascism controls our entire governing body and rampant corruption and corporate authoritarian interests completely hobbles every social safety net, just in time for a zombie outbreak to wipe us all out. I do want to point out that I've been writing this book for like more than a decade, so I'll see you in court, gop uh, I'm leah and I'm here.

Speaker 2:

I'm alive. I play way too much katan lately. That is my main coping mechanism oh yeah, the katans yeah, uh, and today's a casual dead. Thank god I love our interviews, but sometimes I just need to rant at you. Oh yeah, from across our podcast table in our zombie bunker yeah, I feel like.

Speaker 1:

Uh, we used to have casual deads, as like every episode, for like the beginning yeah, we were just talking to each other. Yeah, and whoever was listening um, but yeah, I also. I also much, much love the casuals yeah, it's a nice.

Speaker 2:

It's a nice change and also, I think, especially in this time, like it, it does feel weird to go about business as usual and be like get this zombie book, but we do actually still want you to get the zombie books. It's just strange to have these like expansive periods of time, or two whole weeks, which just feels very like a lot happens right now in two weeks. Two weeks or two years, yeah, two weeks, sometimes three weeks if we've got lots of interviews. You want to make sure we get out where we just like not talking to you about the real shit, the real apocalypse, um, that we're living through. So that's what we're doing today. But we also have some fun things to chat about, like vending a living dead weekend this summer, and some not so fun things to chat about, like resistance strategies under fascism. Oh yeah.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

And, on another high note, an elevator pitch from a fellow zombie creator, Steven Urena Zombie Date Night.

Speaker 1:

We'll be talking about that in a little bit. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, that'll be in there.

Speaker 2:

It'll be in here somewhere. It'll be coming shortly. Yes, and it's really great. It's interesting. We had a bit of a quiet period, with elevator pitches, and then January came and all of a sudden we've got a bunch. Yeah.

Speaker 1:

What is it about?

Speaker 2:

January. People are no longer drinking and eating and being merry. They're trying to do stuff, I guess I guess so that must be it.

Speaker 1:

eating and being married, they're trying to do stuff, I guess I guess, so that must be it. Uh, we release episodes every sunday, so sub scuba dive yeah, I wrote that.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I think it's because I'm trying to um tell you something about what I might like for my birthday you want to go scuba diving for your birthday?

Speaker 1:

I do. I thought you wanted an art cart.

Speaker 2:

At this point I want another hundred pounds of food supplies or like a bunch of stuff for our garden, yeah, but I would love to learn how to scuba dive. Life updates Leah, yeah, we're also calling this segment how we're coping. How are we coping? How are you all coping out there Eating Fritos?

Speaker 1:

in the basement.

Speaker 2:

That's a lie. Dan is not eating.

Speaker 1:

Well, have you eaten?

Speaker 2:

Actually, you know what Maybe you have? Do I need to see?

Speaker 1:

where the Fritos are in the bunker. Here's the thing. You know, all that emergency food that we bought yeah, I actually ate it, and I've been hiding Fritos inside of the buckets that I don't tell you about.

Speaker 2:

Wow, I mean Fritos would probably stick around for a long time. We could start saving them.

Speaker 1:

They don't, though, because I've been eating them Wow.

Speaker 2:

Is there a secret stash of Fritos in this house? No, Darn it. I was about to be like let's have some Fritos. Nobody tell me about the Fritos. Although who makes Fritos? Because I have a feeling it's about to be on our band list fritos makes it well, no frito lays. Okay, well, who owns? Who owns? Frito lays? This is like my part-time job. Pepsi co. Of course. Well, yeah, we shouldn't. We shouldn't be consuming anymore. We shouldn't be consuming anything.

Speaker 2:

It's true um only only water yeah, because Cause the Pepsi supports the Israel war. Yeah, israel war with Hamas. And quotation marks AKA genocide. And yes, there's a ceasefire right now. Maybe there isn't when you're listening to this. I don't, don't hold me, I'm not.

Speaker 1:

This is not the news. The Israel versus innocent civilians war.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, um, but yeah, pepsi's is on our list of of no-goes, but uh, he's on our list of no-goes, but uh, how, how are we coping? Um, I don't think I am coping. I think you're doing better. I think, since you went to that protest, which was, I think, our last casual dead, you're doing a little bit better. You're writing again yeah, um, but otherwise I don't know. You're making me really tasty food every day that's how, that's the.

Speaker 1:

Is that coping?

Speaker 2:

um, you're turning to me in the middle of the night and saying, Leah, we need a handgun immediately. And I had to be like I love you and I understand that urge, but I don't think that that is the actual thing we need right at this moment. I think we need other things.

Speaker 1:

I heard you say yes.

Speaker 2:

I said yes. Eventually I said let's get our garden set up and let's work more on the community building stuff we want to do, because it's not the time for the gun um, agree to disagree.

Speaker 1:

Uh yeah, writing has been a little bit better. I haven't. I haven't been writing anything new. That's the thing.

Speaker 2:

Um, I've been going through all of my old stuff which needs to happen this is all the stuff you you mouth wrote this summer while you were driving yeah, last summer.

Speaker 1:

Well, it's also everything I've written before that. So everything, um and yeah, like getting all of that sorted and like make, make the beginning make sense, that's, that's priority number one, because I cannot write anymore until I get things. Uh. So what I have now, after the past couple weeks of just like re-editing old stuff, is I now have like five chapters that I would feel comfortable sending to an editor.

Speaker 2:

This is a live update, because last I checked it was four, so that's great.

Speaker 1:

I miscounted.

Speaker 2:

Oh, okay, I was going to say that was like two days ago. You told me that, yeah, but that's very exciting.

Speaker 1:

I'm going chapter by chapter whenever I get a chance and I will get a chance later today because we're going to be doing Naila's write-in.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, naila King, who we had on the show a couple weeks ago, a zombie bestie of ours has a Discord called Naila's Ghost Carnival, I believe, and every weekend almost, we have had to miss a couple because of a snowstorm in my family. Um, or no, you did participate last week with my family here, didn't you? I don't know, I think you did and I remember you trash talking my mom to naila maybe.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, you know what now it's coming, it's coming back to me.

Speaker 2:

This is why I tell my mother to never listen to the podcast anyways. Um yeah, she has weekly write-ins. They're really fun. Dan and I both do it. I usually write Zombie Book Club podcast emails and Dan writes.

Speaker 1:

Some other things I've done to cope is trying to take control of our destiny a little bit in this very uncertain time. One of those things is we ordered a bunch of shelf-stable food, not an unlimited supply, but 100 pounds, so that's something.

Speaker 2:

It would last the three of us about 30 days.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, that's a really good start actually, and that could mean the difference between life and death.

Speaker 2:

sometimes it could mean the difference between keeping our house or getting it taken.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, true, and also-.

Speaker 2:

To be clear, sorry, I'm just going to say we are not at risk of losing our house right now, but these are things we think about in these times.

Speaker 1:

They can have it over my cold dead body.

Speaker 2:

Okay, this is why he wants a handgun, yeah.

Speaker 1:

Also, I've been using my 3D printer brand new 3D printer. I've been printing a lot of things and I'm printing pieces for, like, a vertical garden, which we'll probably talk about later. Yeah, we'll talk about this stuff in more detail.

Speaker 2:

That's our whole Fashions and Apocalypse Survival Update segment.

Speaker 1:

I bring it up because it's how I'm coping. I think it's important to name that because taking control of little, tiny things in your life will make you feel like you're doing something to you know, stave off the all the horrible news. Well, it is going to the protest, felt like it felt like I did something yeah, it is really important to feel like you have that internal.

Speaker 2:

It's called the internal locus of control according to psychotherapy, and right now we're being barraged so violently and part of the psychological effort of that is to feel like you have no control, so you'll just concede. So anything you can do right now that feels like you are doing something towards a better world, a safer world for yourself and for others, is going to make, is going to help.

Speaker 1:

Yeah yeah, um, how have you been coping, leah?

Speaker 2:

well, um, I remember when the election happened and I said oh, you know, I'm like really into my chanting right now. I've been meditating a lot. My yoga practice is like on lock. None of that's happening right now.

Speaker 1:

Oh, seems like a drastic shift.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, hard, hard pendulum swing yeah, I mean I'm still doing yoga a little bit. Lenswing yeah, I mean I'm still doing yoga a little bit. I sometimes chant a little bit in my head if I'm like waiting in line somewhere or something, but I've definitely fully just like fallen out of all of my practices that are healthy coping mechanisms and I have dove really deep into a game called Catan. Let me know if you're also a player of Catan, because then you can come play it with me on Catan Universe online, which is where I'm spending most of my time.

Speaker 2:

In fact, it's an obsession that is so intense that I have to actively choose to work instead of play it. Uh, dan has listened to me. Just wander around the house like in between meetings, being like I cannot play katan right now. I need to work. I have to finish this document. So that's been very serious dissociation. I've also watched like four different international seasons of love is blind, a bunch of 90 day fiance and all the spinoffs um, oh, and I've been going to get acupuncture and I've discovered melatonin is really great.

Speaker 1:

So that's where I'm at yeah, the, the acupuncture I've been very happy hearing about from you yeah, it's made a difference so far.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, it makes me really sleepy after, which I guess is normal. And also, the person that I'm going to is not just an acupuncturist, but also I forget what their degree is, but they have some degree in like what. Is it Not a kinesiology? I think is what it is. It's like sports medicine oh so like a physical therapist.

Speaker 2:

They're not a physical therapist, but, for the first time ever, no one has ever explained to me the mechanics of how plantar fasciitis happens in the way that he has. So he has me doing some things that I'm hopeful, for the first time in a long time, could continue to put me on my recovery journey, which is very up and down all over the place. So that's nice yeah.

Speaker 1:

And you also had a really bad issue with your leg where it was going numb. Yeah, and how long did that take to clear up after going to acupuncture?

Speaker 2:

It was two sessions I went on a Wednesday and a Friday and it was basically gone. Then I had a slight relapse when I sat on a very hard chair all day playing games with my mom when she was visiting. But it was very slight and I haven't really had issues since.

Speaker 1:

So that's good. Yeah, I, I always, I always thought that like acupuncture was just one of those things, that it's like um placebo, yeah, like a placebo a thing. But like you know, we've we've gotten it for our dog who has a back problem. And now you've, you've had it and you can report on like how effective that was, and I think it's really amazing it's a lot gentler than a lot of the other things that I've done.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, you know, um, but I like. I think why I like this in particular is because I'm doing exercises and stretches, uh, that are different from ones I've been told to do before, which is kind of wild. Sometimes, because you have a chronic illness, you get so many different perspectives and expert opinions, so this is a different expert opinion I'm trying out, so I like that. He does both and who knows, maybe it's placebo, maybe it's not, but I have seen it help our dog and I have seen it help our horse before he passed away Years ago. He had some back issues and he got acupuncture made a big difference for him.

Speaker 1:

I'd like to see an acupuncturist in a zombie apocalypse story.

Speaker 2:

That's interesting. I will have to bring that up to my acupuncturist. What would you do in a zombie apocalypse? That's what I'm going to come in how you in a zombie apocalypse that's what I'm gonna come how would you help people? He's gonna say, how are you doing how's? How's your leg numbness? And I'll be like, uh, I don't want to talk about that.

Speaker 1:

I'm gonna pay you to tell me what you do in the apocalypse? Yeah, because I mean, I don't really know a whole lot about acupuncture, but I know that there's like a wide range of things that you can treat through acupuncture. Um, when I was first going through my VA disability claims, uh, like a year and a half ago the the one that I'm currently waiting on um, one of the first people I talked to, um, she wasn't an acupuncturist anymore, uh, but she used to be a licensed practicing acupuncturist and told me a lot of interesting things. Um, I had, I had, I had no idea, yeah.

Speaker 2:

Well, I mean, it is a medicine tradition that's been around for thousands of years, and I think Western medicine sometimes believes that there's a hierarchy where, like, that's the best way to do things and how I know everything, and I just don't think that that's true. So I'm trying it. We'll see what happens. Worst case scenario after a session, as I'm extremely relaxed, which I think has actually helped me feel a little more centered the last few weeks, but I can't even say a few weeks. It's been like a month since the inauguration, but like the last week has been, it feels like years. Yeah, and I also want to talk about some things that we're grateful for before we get into some of the harder stuff. Yeah, I'm grateful for the write-ins with naela me too, I've something to look forward to every week.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yeah, um, and I, and I hope that we continue this well into my summer work season because, yeah, I get, I get a lot done when I'm.

Speaker 2:

When I do it, it's really great yeah, I'm grateful for this podcast because it gives me something to do, and I remarked to dan recently we started it, I don't know a few months after atlas, our horse died, and I think this podcast podcast takes approximately the exact same amount of time that having a horse did, but and there's still some expenses but much less expensive than a horse. So thanks for being my new hobby. Yeah, um, and I'm mostly really grateful that, like, while things are bad, I keep remembering that we have power, we have a house, we have two sweet dogs that love us, I've got a really wonderful partner and I currently am employed and can feed myself and grocery prices while they have been going up or not out of the park for us to be able to afford right now, and so this is the prime time to like, just look around and be grateful for what you do have, if you do have any of those things, yeah.

Speaker 1:

And you know I I'm grateful that I have a job to go to at the end of the winter. Not that I want to go to it, but you know, while it's like the best case scenario that my, my disability claim goes through without a hitch, you know there's the possibility that it doesn't A strong possibility even as the VA gets fucking gutted.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

By.

Speaker 2:

Fuckfaces.

Speaker 1:

By the space cadet and his fuckboy team, but I don't think that my job is really under threat for the most part. I think there's going to be some things that are going to be challenging. Like any, biden pushed through that gave a lot of money to States to rebuild their infrastructure and we're still doing that, and I don't think that they can take it away, but at the same time, we didn't think that they would do any of the things that they're doing.

Speaker 2:

So I mean that same bill is the same bill that they've frozen all the funds for the things that I do with environmental justice communities around solar and clean energy. So, yes, they can, but they were able to do that specifically with the work that I do and the folks that I work with because, news flashed all of you environmental justice organizations are extremists according to this new government. So that was why and it was part of the DEI diversity, equity and inclusion executive order. So that's why those kinds of things are frozen. But I agree, like road building, maybe not so much. This was supposed to be a list of things we're grateful for See how immediately it just goes down.

Speaker 1:

But you know, I'm grateful that I have what I have, yeah, because it gives some amount of security that a lot of people right now don't have.

Speaker 2:

It's wild Like the number of folks who have lost their jobs at the federal government, the number of folks who have job insecurity now because funding from the federal government that was going to do really amazing projects that are now considered extremist that part's scary to me. I also feel really grateful to have a job because the market is going to be flooded with a lot of professionals who are highly skilled, who hopefully are going to band together with us and kick some ass in other ways.

Speaker 1:

My mom lost her job. Well, she got the resignation request and she took it because she wanted to retire this year anyway. I hope that that works out for her. I have my doubts, but the Department of the Army claimed that it should not affect her ability to retire after the period of time of the resignation. I hope so. Fingers crossed yeah.

Speaker 2:

I hope so. Let's do something happy just for a minute. Yeah, let's talk about the living dead weekend.

Speaker 2:

Okay, yeah that's happy it is because we are going to be vending there. It's our first experience vending in monroville, pennsylvania. June's I want to say june 6th to 9th, but I should probably look at a calendar. Yep, I got it right June 6th to 8th. Okay, yeah, hold on, let me re-say that so you can fix it. It's going to be the weekend of June 6th to 8th, right near Peppa, that place Right near Pittsburgh, so it's a long drive for us. My mom and her partner have agreed to look after the dogs, which is a big thing because they're old and have special needs and we're going to meet so many Zom besties.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I mean, it's kind of overwhelming a little bit. I don't love huge crowds, but I feel like if I have to pick a crowd, I'm going to pick the one that loves zombie stuff crowd.

Speaker 2:

I'm gonna pick the one that loves zombie stuff. Yeah, I think it's gonna be a good crowd of people. A lot of really awesome authors we admire are gonna be their creators. Um, who knows who else we're gonna run into. It's gonna be interesting and we're gonna have a little booth where we basically ask people zombie ween questions and they get to answer them and be on the podcast yeah, that'll be a tough episode to edit. Well, we'll just pick the clips we like yeah.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

That's true, and we're also going to bring Rod zombie, our life size zombie, and he's going to hold a sign that tells people to come and talk to us.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, We'll see how that goes. It's all depending on Rod zombie.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, what if no one talks to?

Speaker 1:

us, then I guess we'll just be lonely.

Speaker 3:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, we'll just have to talk to each other.

Speaker 2:

I guess. So yeah, we can make an episode about how nobody talked to us at Living Dead Weekend.

Speaker 2:

How everybody treated us like literal zombies. I don't think that's what's going to happen. But the other thing I wanted to announce is we actually have, because of my stupidity, two free tickets to Living Dead weekend. And I was thinking about doing competition but then I was like you know, we're a lovely small community. If you would like a ticket to living dead weekend or two tickets, they're just sitting in my inbox. I don't have any use for them let me know. We would love to be surprised with some additional zombesties. We know it's a long drive for many folks, or a plane ride, which I don't recommend. Yeah, um, that's our paranoia. Some people probably fine with it, but, uh, yeah, if you're interested, let me know. Send us an email zionbookclubpodcasts at gmailcom. The first people to claim it get it. That's my competition.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

First come, first serve. The only thing about it is you're probably going to have to come meet up with me because it's in my name, so hopefully that's not too awkward for you, but I'd like to meet you. They're like oh, like that's how your face moves, leo, and you talk.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, it is. My face doesn't move when I talk at all, so prepare yourself for that.

Speaker 2:

We also got a really nice new review on Apple podcasts. Oh, let me read it to you. Yeah, read me this review. It's from Jacob, hi, jacob. So Jacob very nicely gave us five stars and said we're fun and clear. Clear exclamation mark. Love the podcast. I love when leah goes on a small anthropology lesson. Thank you, jacob. That's a really nice outlet to do that. On the podcast they go on to say they sound, the sound is clear and that goes a long way for me. I love hearing two people that I feel like are on the same wavelength as me. Best of luck for y'all. Exclamation point Thanks, jacob, thanks.

Speaker 1:

Jacob.

Speaker 2:

And Jacob actually gave us a shout out on their podcast, which is called Viva La Festiva I did it like an American which is called Viva La Festiva podcast. I'm sure I put the wrong emphasis on a syllable there, but we will have it in the show notes. You should definitely check it out. They gave us a shout out at their Blobfest episode, which was a few episodes ago, from January 21st. Yeah, I'm going to have to check that out.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, you know, an appreciator of clear audio, I feel like that is a podcast I should listen to, because I also like when podcasts sound clear and audible.

Speaker 2:

It is. It's you know the way it should, be Also well edited. Thank you, dan.

Speaker 1:

Thank you. Thank you, Leah, for acknowledging my great skills.

Speaker 2:

And the other bit of awesome news, before we get into the depressing but important stuff, is a elevator pitch from Steven Urena, who is the creator of Zombie Date Night, a zombie romance comedy, and the sequel to their first comic is coming out, and they've got a Kickstarter going on right now that we just backed, actually, because it's really an awesome story. We've read the first one, or I've read the first one.

Speaker 1:

I still need to read it.

Speaker 2:

And also they have really cool T-shirts and I was like I absolutely have to get this T-shirt as well as the comic. What floor do we want to go?

Speaker 1:

on to listen to this elevator pitch. I feel like it's the 14th floor, the 14th, yeah, okay. Yeah, I'll hit the button, all right. All right, this elevator takes forever. Yeah, any good movies lately I don't remember.

Speaker 2:

Oh, we're here. Okay, are you ready? I'm ready, I'm so ready. Give it a listen, folks.

Speaker 3:

Hey, zombie Book Club. What makes a blind date even more awkward? Zombies, of course. My name is Steve Urena and I'm the author of the critically acclaimed zombie rom-com Zombie Date Night. This comic book series tells the tale of two people who meet up for a blind date that that gets interrupted by a zombie invasion. Will love prevail or is love dead? Right now, I'm currently running a campaign on Kickstarter to help fund the second issue and could use your help. For all the zombie lovers out there. We've got something for everybody All the best zombie shirts, zombie posters, the first issue if you want to get caught up, and even zombie valentines If you're looking for a horror comic that's got some bite. Say yes to Zombie Date Night.

Speaker 2:

Yes, that's got some bites. Say yes to Zombie Date Night. Yes, yes, I would love to go on a date with you on Zombie Date Night.

Speaker 1:

I love the premise of this. What do you love most about it? I've always said that the zombie apocalypse is like a perfect place to tell any story that you want, and the idea of a zombie apocalypse happening during a blind date is hilarious and also has a lot of room to tell a great story yeah, the first issue is really really fun.

Speaker 2:

The art is amazing, which is always like a big one for me. You can look at it and know what's happening without even reading, and it's got a really great unique cast of characters. Some I've like never, just like people I would never have expected to see in a story, but should be. I guess that's how I'm gonna say without spoiling it yeah, um, some very funny characters. I feel like I'm being super vague right now. One of them is storing pee um in jars.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah, before the apocalypse yeah, so you can see how your daydime might be getting ruined if you're running into somebody who stores pee. Yeah, but it's pretty great. Definitely recommend checking it out and we'll have the Kickstarter in the show notes and highly recommend you back it, because we really want to get this next issue and I need the shirt. So, people, please, let's make sure this gets to the goal and beyond please, let's make sure this gets to the goal and beyond yeah, get leah a shirt.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I gotta have this shirtless over here. She's got no shirts. That sounds so scandalous. I am indeed wearing a shirt. Um, what would you do if I wasn't? I'd be cool with it. Good, that's very feminist of you.

Speaker 1:

I'm glad, okay yeah, don't, don't feel like you need to wear a shirt on my account. I'm a feminist.

Speaker 2:

You know it's really funny because it's legal to be topless as a woman in Canada. Well, I actually I don't know the whole country, but definitely Ontario was years ago like probably coming on 20 years ago that this was legalized. But you don't really see it very often still. It just shows you, like, the power of culture and societal norms where folks don't feel comfortable doing that because you're likely still going to get leered at, unfortunately. Yeah, it's like the instagram nipple. Is it a male nipple or a woman nipple?

Speaker 1:

one of them's sexy one of them, apparently, is just fine yeah, you know, if, if, uh, if instagram gets you for having the wrong kind of nipples, just cut and paste somebody else's nipples over your nipples and that's how you get past the terms and conditions of of instagram work every time.

Speaker 2:

I don't know how we got here from zombie date night, but we did it's just that kind of day. It is, it is and we want to make it to naela's write-in. That's happening in 30 minutes, so we, we're going to focus now on a very uninteresting If you have a better segment title for this, which is just Fascism, apocalypse, survival, update Things we're dealing yeah that's, we could make it a thing.

Speaker 1:

What do you call them when you make a word out of the letters of a sentence? Anyways, it's Fu. This is our fasu update.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I can never remember the word acronym you know I miss the days when we would have the night of the living misogyny, capitalistic, uh. I don't even remember it all anymore. Yeah, living dead. Homophobic living dead, transphobic living dead. That was fun. Now we're just talking about real things that suck, uh. So we have a list of things we've been up to. I really want to hear what other folks have been up to and, uh, we're just going to get into it. The number one thing I would say is I hope you're doing stuff now. Yeah, what are you out there doing? What are you up to? I'd like to know what you can tell us. Are you preparing?

Speaker 1:

are you? Are you uh filling up your zombie bunkers?

Speaker 2:

yeah, but also, are you like out there helping fix the problems that are already very clearly here? Because something I read recently was really profound for me, which is this part of this shock and awe. Psychology is also to just be distracting you on a million different issues, and there's a whole bunch of things that they're throwing out there that maybe they can do and maybe they can't do, and some of them will stick and some of them won't. Yeah, but the reality is like, right now there are unhoused people who need help. Right now, uh, there are people who need abortions, who can't get them. Like all of this stuff was already happening, and so it's like where can you help right now? Yeah, and then for what you think is most likely to come next, prepare for. So that's what I've been thinking a lot about is like, instead of getting distracted by everything, is like what's the thing I can do right now for people who need help now?

Speaker 1:

Yeah, um people need help everywhere. Yeah, you don't have to go too far to find people who need help. Um greatest country in the world. They said people, you know you. They said people, you know you. You drive. Drive five minutes, you see some person's mansion and then, right down the road, people struggling america.

Speaker 2:

I'm looking for uh, speaking of like things we're doing, I'm looking for a community shared agriculture membership a csa is what they call it, or community supported agriculture depends on the group which s they use in that, in that acronym speaking of acronyms and there's one that's about an hour from us. That was really inspiring. It's too far from us to get our produce from, but what I loved about it was that they have a very clear policy which is basically no one's turned away. They already have very affordable rates, like it's cheaper to buy from them than it is to go to the grocery store, and they have a policy that's just like if you can't afford this, tell us what you can, and if you can't afford anything, we will still give you something to eat.

Speaker 1:

That is great. That's like a food bank.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and that's the kind of community that we need to be building more of. So I'm going to try and find something like that here, and my dream would be that we have a robust enough garden that we share our produce in that way as well.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, you know, building community, you know it sounds like a daunting task but, like, sometimes I can just be joining a CSA, like you don't have to start the CSA, you could just join one and you become part of that CSA community. Yeah, and those communities become really important when things get bad.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, that's where. It's where our food comes from, which is so abstracted from so many of us in the world that we live in. And I want to acknowledge also, we're in a privileged location where there's CSAs all around us. We just get to choose one, and I would pick the one that's an hour away purely for its ethics, except for the fact that logistically it's just not viable for us to do so, you know. And then on the flip side of like, where we want to buy stuff, there's also just been a really concerted effort from us and I know many others to boycott, boycott, boycott.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, all the terrible, terrible people, because corporations are people.

Speaker 2:

Now, I mean, yeah, they have been for a while, for a while. And the people who run them and I don't mean the people who are working for shit wages, yeah, the CEOs. So we're moving away from google, google, wow, like you really disappointed me, google I I could go on a tirade just about that. Like really, really, google, yeah, really, you took away block history month and women's history month and every single other month on your calendars and you got rid of your ai uh promise to not use it for fucking weapons, let alone the gulf of mexico.

Speaker 1:

Change like this is just a couple of examples way to way to just roll right over for fascism, fascism, fascism showed up and rang the doorbell and they just rolled onto their back and they're like come on in.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, because they never gave a shit about people in the first place. That's what this is uh, very enlightening and makes me think about the z word by lindsey king mill, how you know. There's that like corporate pride and this. These are all examples of like they're friendly when they want to be, but they don't actually care about us.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, they're just. They're just there for the money. Yeah, you know one that's not on on this list Target. Yep, target is like a perfect example of that. We're like a year ago, you know you could, you'd go there to get all your pride swag, but now they've completely gotten rid of their dei and there's a lot of information coming out now that uh suggests that target was never really doesn't really make their money from selling goods to people. They make it by spying on you when you go to their store. They sell data of you and they make dossiers on everybody that walks through the front door, everybody who hangs out outside, and they report that to law enforcement and the government. It's messed up. So they are a thinly veiled surveillance company that masquerades as a department store.

Speaker 2:

At this point, most large corporations that we're buying things from are also or just using, like Google, being quote unquote free. They are harvesting from us. We are a factory of information that they use to make money. Amazon we have kicked our Amazon habit. We got rid of Prime, which is heartbreaking because we were in the middle of watching the second season of In the Flesh, which is so good, but our Prime membership that we had canceled officially ran out and we just had to look at each other and be like I guess we're not going to know.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, also, I utilized all of my uh, all of my credits in audible um, because when you cancel your your you know your audible subscription, you don't keep the credits, they disappear, they're jerks um. You keep all the books that you buy with the credits, but those credits disappear.

Speaker 1:

So I had like seven credits so I bought uh, I think I bought like four books from um courtney, constantine, yep, wow, babysitter of the apocalypse so excited to read that one and then one from, uh, her newer series, I think, um, and then I bought some, a couple sarah lyons plumbing books and, uh, maybe something else along the way, I'm not sure, but I used up all those credits. I was like they are not getting my fucking credits.

Speaker 2:

That's good, and it's actually this is a good. I'm glad you said that, because I have seen some interesting stuff around Kindle and indie authors saying, hey, like, boycott everything else, but could you not boycott us? And I think that that's very fair, because this is the main model for indie writers to get their books out there and for us to read them. So that's like the one place I do still have my kindle unlimited. I don't think that's necessary because I want to support indie authors and a lot of those folks are not yet in libraries. But the other place I'm going for books that are, um, widely available is libby, a library app I think I've used libby like once you also can have audiobooks from lib.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I think that's why I got it. I don't remember what I listened to. It was a long time ago, though.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so keep supporting indie authors in the ways that we have available, but they often have websites and you can often buy physical copies.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I use Amazon right now as a search engine, so I search all the things that I want to buy and then I look up all of the companies that are selling the things that I want to buy and I go directly to their website. I did that with a few things, A few of well. Actually, that's what I did when I bought our survival rations.

Speaker 2:

You looked on Amazon and bought it directly.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I love that. I found Augustine Farms right on Amazon and then I'm like I'm going to your website, click Augustine Farms right on Amazon, and then I'm like I'm going to your website, click, click, click. And I mean it took longer. I couldn't just click on things and check out like I was I would normally do on Amazon, which is a bummer. But also it means that I'm not like impulse buying shit from Amazon and now I just do that from AliExpress. I don't know enough about them, aliexpress.

Speaker 2:

I don't know enough about them. And then the other part about this too is divesting from the search engines, divesting from Google Maps, gmail, google Search. Like I've had to retrain my brain because I've been saying you know, there's even a website, wwwgooglethatcom.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

For people you know, and I'd send my mom to that when she'd ask me how to do something that I would also have to.

Speaker 2:

Google, but I'm now trying to replace that word with search, which is actually what it is. They've branded my brain and I'm trying to use alternative things for search engines, for browser apps and for maps, and it's hard. I've been used to that stuff for a long time, but it's not like end of the world hard. Yeah, it's just a little bit of a reshift and I got to give YK Reborn on Instagram that's their handle Some credit. You should go check them out. They have a whole series about what your other options are.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, like a good example. I use Google Maps all the time at work because, like 90% of the time, I don't know where I'm going. So I have to follow Google Maps to get to where I'm going and that's just been my default. I haven't even thought about any other ways because I mean, I tried a few but they didn't really do the job, especially for truck driving. Some trucks aren't allowed to drive on a lot of roads Not that Google helps a lot with that, but just like it was a better experience than other things. Anyways, my point is um, now I'm gonna have to, like, start using ways instead, um, and hope that ways has come a long way since the last time I tried them so I hate to tell you that ways is also still not on the good list, fuck um.

Speaker 2:

but there are other ones and I don't have them open because I didn't know I would talk about this right now. That's why I'm going to just put a link to YK Reborn on Instagram and you can see everything there. You can also support them on Patreon, which I do too, because they have really amazing information around tech justice specifically, and they provided a lot of really great content around, like what search engines you want to use, what different maps there are. There's so many that I can't like just name off the top of my head right now with certainty. So check that link out.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

Waze is on the no-go list. I forget why. I think it was bought out by somebody.

Speaker 1:

That sounds about right. On the same note, like, it's also important to like, educate yourself about, like about your data security, because there's so many things that'll just kind of leech data from you and all of that information can be used against you. It doesn't matter if you've done anything wrong or not. It will be used against you in some way.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I think also getting a one password kind of an app, something has a more secure passwords is really key in this time, um, having any kind of security around your identity, because all of that available, all that information, is now just like hanging out with some, some incel yeah, I wasn't gonna say that but some, some young people who are enamored with musk yeah probably I mean to be frank the age that they are.

Speaker 2:

I think I was not a fan of einrand by the time I was in my like 20s, but definitely when I was like 16 I thought that objectivism was the shit. And if somebody like musk had come up to me and been like you can help me, atlas, shrug let's all the powerful, smart people who making this world's function. What if we all shrug and take away our power and magic, they'll realize how important we are. Whatever, I don't know if you've read Atlas Shrugged, I'm just. This is basically the argument. It's very stupid. I don't think I need. I'm not going to go on a rant about why it's stupid, but if you want a rant about why I hate Atlas Shrugged and I'm ranned let me know, I'd be happy to supply one.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I'd like to hear it you would.

Speaker 2:

I have not read atlas shrugged. Oh, um, but um, not today. We'll have a future one on atlas shrugged if other people want to hear it. My point is is that I was. I had that same mentality, and so, like I get why they're doing it, I just think it's unfortunate that they never had any other exposure. That which is why I'm not not an objectivist anymore and not an Ayn Rand fan, but I was. I have to be honest.

Speaker 1:

Also important lesson just because it's in a book doesn't mean it's right. No, some people will read something in a book and think that books are like holy.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, there is a tradition of that in this country. There is, yeah, holy books, just one specifically. Um, yeah, there's a tradition of that in this country. There is, yeah, holy books, just one specifically. Must be interpreted very literally, but only some parts. Let's disregard a lot of others.

Speaker 1:

yeah, you know, because, because you know, things like kindness and um and uh, compassion, uh, they're just, they're just so behind the times. You, you know, that's just old news.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, oh. Jesus would roll in his grave if he wasn't resurrected, I guess.

Speaker 1:

Could we harness the energy from Jesus rolling in his grave?

Speaker 2:

But he's not in a grave, he's a zombie, he is a zombie. So this brings me back to who should have been president.

Speaker 1:

Zombie Jesus.

Speaker 2:

No, what's his name? The guy who wears the boot on his hat, on his head?

Speaker 1:

vermin love supreme.

Speaker 2:

We wanted to use zombies for clean energy. That's what we could use zombie Jesus for, yeah he's out there, let's find out they're angry.

Speaker 2:

I think we just offended at least one person listening to this. I also want to have one caveat, which is like, if you don't have any other options, you live in a food apartheid, meaning like you just can't get things near you that you need and your best and cheapest option is one of these things. Then I understand it. Yeah. I also want to be clear that, like all of this shit we're doing now, we should have been doing a long time ago, and I'm embarrassed to say that it took this for me to get there. Yeah, but I'm here now.

Speaker 1:

Sometimes it does take a catastrophe to make you start planning for the catastrophe that just happened.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and I think you know we've been in a position of revelative privilege in a lot of ways, and so these were things like I was boycotting some stuff and not other stuff. But I think this has just made it very starkly clear that we need to get away from these uh systems that they make us think that we need them, and towards more community stuff like a tool library, which is one of the many things I'm going to be pitching at our hoa meeting this year. Yeah, dan, what do you think about signal?

Speaker 1:

signal, um, signal's great. You should. You should use Signal instead of texting. Yes, because you know why? Because everyone can see your text messages. Your phone company, your internet service provider, they can all access that data very easily, and that's just through legal means. People who use less legal means can also access them very easily. Signal is encrypted and encrypted, and the only people who can see that message is you and the person who messaged you.

Speaker 2:

Unless you leave it on your phone. There's an option to auto delete messages, which I recommend as well, and it's also a nonprofit that's open source, yeah, so that made me feel really good about it, and I've been. That's one of my things is, I've just been telling people like you want to talk to me, you're going to have to come on to Signal because I'm not doing it anywhere else. And these are all things that I still think to myself. Am I being paranoid? And I decided no, nope, no, if someone can get arrested for basically saying saying like what you're doing is not okay, taking away a prior authorization from me and my family I forget what that woman's name was. It was right after luigi mangione. Oh yeah, I shouldn't. Well, you know, it's alleged whatever. Right after the ceo killer incident yeah she.

Speaker 1:

She said, uh, denied offend, depose yes On the phone that you arrested her.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so like if you're sending, like Ooh, Luigi's so hot and his green sweater means I saw one going around that says my favorite murderer, which made me laugh, Cause also there's the podcast and favorite murder. But anyways, if you're doing that and you enough other stuff that you're texting like that could be enough one day to get you in trouble.

Speaker 1:

That's the world we're in, so let's not be doing that. Let's not give them anything to use against us. Yeah, don't give them anything. Also, don't talk to cops ever. No, you know, if they're talking to you, you just shut your fucking mouth.

Speaker 2:

Also border guards. They're basically cops. So you, you tell them the minimum amount of information you need. I've learned that don't ever talk back to them. That's's also a bad time.

Speaker 1:

Don't joke with them. No, don't be nice to them.

Speaker 2:

I mean, that's a privileged position that we can say because we have passports and are white. So some people that might not be the smartest advice. To be me, I don't think any. I don't really think actually it's good advice to be not nice to a border guard you'd be.

Speaker 1:

You'd be polite, I mean more like you don't.

Speaker 2:

You don't have to go out of your way to like help them yeah, or be nice to them, yeah, dan, do you want to tell us why you want to buy a handgun, or do you want to just skip that?

Speaker 1:

um, I mean real brief. First of all, we have guns, but, um, we'd look really weird walking around town toting a 12 gauge under our arm and I just see the direction that things are going and I think it's going to be one day possibly very dangerous just to exist in this country, and I think that's the intention and I think that, especially as much time as I spend away from home, I think I need it to possibly get out of really bad scenarios that I might be put into in the future.

Speaker 2:

This one's a hard one for me, because I don't want more guns and I definitely don't want a world where you need guns. And I also worry about a world where you have one on you and you're on high alert and then you make a choice that you regret later. Um, because that is a that's a real thing, that has happened and can happen, and I I know that you are a veteran, no, you're very skilled with a gun, um, but there's always added risk, in a way, if you're carrying one. So part of me is like, okay, I, I'm okay with you getting, but not using, like not having it on you right now.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, that defeats the purpose.

Speaker 2:

Well, it's available if stuff gets there.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, that would lead into my secondary reasoning is that if things get really bad and we need to escape, it's easier to escape if you can conceal your weapon and not look like a threat.

Speaker 2:

I feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone. It's such a weird conversation.

Speaker 1:

Well, I mean this is not something new that we've considered is the possibility that the United States might be so messed up that we would have to leave. What I'm saying is, if it got that bad, we would probably need to be armed for a little while, and we would have to then do so in a way that didn't look like we were armed.

Speaker 2:

The irony of that is, if we're trying to escape to Canada, they're not going to let us across the border. With your handgun, I'd throw it.

Speaker 1:

I'd toss it out at the border.

Speaker 2:

I wonder if you could just hand it to them and say I don't need this now.

Speaker 1:

I don't think that they have an amnesty policy.

Speaker 2:

I guess we have to look into this A couple miles before the border.

Speaker 1:

We could just toss it in a trash can.

Speaker 2:

So this is what I mean by that locus of control and what things are on the horizon and what things are possibly a little bit further out. I think full lockdown and like complete authoritarian government, where we have no agency and there's full chaos, is a little ways out if it gets there, and so I prefer if we focused on what we can do to be sustaining here and now, like our garden, um, like the community stuff that we keep talking about, like you continuing to protest, like calling your representatives, because I did learn it makes a difference. Even republicans are quietly asking for money to get released, uh, to their state, because people are calling and saying, hey, there's all this money that's supposed to come to us for these things and they're it's not and some of the money is getting released. It's not fair how it's happening, but it is happening and that's because people are making phone calls.

Speaker 2:

So I hear you about the desire for a gun, and I'm sure there's other people listening to this. I think it's like a really contentious topic and it's really confusing, because in a world that I want to live in, we don't need a gun. But the weird thing about living in america is it's like, um, because more and more people have guns, and particularly people who are opposed to the existence of everybody but themselves have a lot of guns, like I see why it becomes necessary, but I'm very uncomfortable with it, especially being, like, the first thing that we do. I'd rather focus on other things personally, like debt repayment. That's also a big thing we're talking about and doing. I realize a lot of stuff I don't need, so I'm not buying it and we're trying to get as debt-free as we can so that if one of us loses our job, we can keep our house.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, In general, it's uncomfortable to talk about why I feel like I need a firearm especially when I already have them. I need a firearm, especially when I already have them. I also don't want to live in a world where I feel like it's necessary to carry one. I just feel like that's where we're heading, and I don't necessarily want to be caught unaware when that time comes. That's my feeling, and that's that.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and I respect that. I just feel scared of a world where we're talking about this to other people who are also going to make decisions that are similar or not similar, and the weight of what either of us have to say about it scares me. Yeah, I think it's also a real conversation, so that's why I wanted to have it on the pod. At the end of the day, I do so many things in the last six months that I've said that I never thought I would say I am in Well, I can barely say it. I am in support of you getting a handgun. I'm not ready for you to be walking around with it. That's where I'm at and I know I don't have control over that because you're your own person, but that's where that's like my personal comfort level at this time. Yeah, and it's just confusing out there.

Speaker 1:

I don't like that. We're even talking about it. Yeah, I get that and you know let's, I've I've tried not to be reactionary about it. So, um, I do, I do hear what you're saying, um, and I think what you're saying is logical, uh, which is why I've kind of uh focused on other things that I have that are a little bit less dangerous and a little bit more in my control, like working on this vertical garden.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, that's really exciting.

Speaker 1:

It is and it feels really good. So I just recently got a 3D printer. But I've been a 3D artist for a long, long time, so I have a lot of power when it comes to printing and knowing what to do. So I've just been playing around with it and I printed a couple planters. I'm going to need a lot more, but it's really cool and it makes me feel like I'm doing something.

Speaker 1:

And I also like the plastic that you use in a 3D printer. It's called PLA and it's not actually petroleum-based plastic. It's a plant-based polyethylene. You don't want to eat this stuff but at the same time, it does decompose, given enough time. It's not harmful to you. It doesn't have a lot of toxins that'll seep into your blood and kill you over time. So I like that. I can use this material that's relatively safe comparatively to what is also available out on the market is also available out on the market. And, no matter what, I have these files and as long as I can get my hands on some plastic, I can make these things and have a little bit more control over whether or not we're able to eat in the future. And plus, I've always wanted to try vertical farming. I think it's really cool.

Speaker 2:

You've been talking about it for years. But the systems are so expensive, so are we able to make it ourselves. They are for a couple of parts, like it's going to be a fraction of the cost, yeah. And for folks who sometimes our bodies aren't working so great, to have access to something that can be in the house, even with a grow light, uh, is also really game changing. So I'm really grateful that we have all these options, yeah.

Speaker 1:

And I really love automated stuff too, like I like to automate.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, if you had all the time in the world, I can only imagine the cool things you would have done by now around our property.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I'd like, I'd like to think so yeah.

Speaker 2:

The other thing is I want to say don't panic, but also panic enough to keep doing stuff. I don't know, it's a hard time. I had a really intense conversation with, uh, my co-worker. My internet wasn't working, so we ended up being on the phone and we just started getting into it. They're in texas, um, and it was interesting to realize that we're talking about the same things with our own networks and that we have the opportunity to help each other from many states apart. And, um, for her, the conversation was really validating because she was like okay, I feel like I'm not crazy anymore, like I feel like I, these are things that make sense for you doing.

Speaker 2:

I was like, yeah, in texas especially, yes, you should be doing everything, um that you need to, and she knows I have her back and I think that that like she was like that means a lot because she's like I don't know where I would go if things get bad here. And I was like I know Vermont's far away and I know it's super white. She's a black woman, but we're here. I'm not saying it's necessarily anybody's first choice If you're a person of color up here, like it's got its own issues, but it's close to Canada and it's not Texas. Yeah, so the big thing is it's not texas. Yeah, so the big thing is it's not texas. Yeah, sorry, laurie. Yeah, and james, who we just talked to, all right, james too. Yeah, oh man, it's scruffy there.

Speaker 2:

I you know, I feel like I'm really struggling in this episode to say things because I don't actually know what the right thing is to do yeah and I don't think of us do, and that's why it's like you said, Dan just pick something, do something that makes you feel like you're in a little bit of control.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, feel a little bit in control and for me that was, um, you know, having a little bit of security over our food. You know, buying reserve food. I'm also going to start shopping on Webster on store. I'm also going to start shopping on Webster on store. It's a website where restaurants buy bulk food from at a much lower price.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I'm going to, I'm going to start getting like some really like some staples from there, like a 50 pound bag of of beans or something I don't know, and that should, that should help a lot because, like, if we can not only like to have a reserve of food food but also spend less money and also just having a large amount of food available, we're not like, oh, don't use that, because we need that for Sunday. It's like, if you have a 50-pound bag of it, it's like, yeah, use whatever you want. I guess I'm going on a rant. My point is that, taking a little bit of control over that, something that gives me a lot of anxiety is what happens when all of the US's trading partners are back out and don't want anything to do with us, while we also don't have enough workforce to do farming in America and suddenly there's a huge food shortage yeah um, and you know doing, doing some little things like this that might help it might.

Speaker 2:

I mean, canadians are so pissed at us. Let's just end there. Yeah, my family came to visit and they were like we are not spending one penny in this country. Yeah, and also, let me know that we could live there, which I was like. I know it's already already my backup plan. I'm aware of how lucky I am to have my canadian passport. Still, I am not letting. Actually, I should look up the expiration date. I'm making sure I always have one on hand. Yeah, very lucky to have that option. Hope you're safe out there. Um, if you're feeling confused, let us know. If you've got other ideas of things you're doing, let us know. Like this, this episode is as much for dan and I just talk shit through as it is for anybody listening, and we're certainly not experts. We're just muddling our way along and hoping you're doing okay, yeah, take control of the things that you can. Yeah, and let us know what those are.

Speaker 1:

If you feel like sharing and it's safe to share work on your cyber security, work on your food security, I I don't know Some other things.

Speaker 2:

Talk to your neighbors.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

That's a typical one, but also talk to your coworker. That was a wild conversation I did not expect to have with my coworker and now we're on each other's signal. That's how it happens. Thanks for joining us. Thanks for joining us on the book club.

Speaker 1:

Thanks guys.

Speaker 2:

You can support us by leaving a rating or review. We love reviews and ratings. Yeah, we eat them up.

Speaker 1:

I love them a lot. They really help us out too.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and if you want to talk about what you're doing or how you're feeling at this time, you can send us a voicemail at 614-699 0006 or send us an email at zombiebookclubpodcast at gmailcom uh, you can also find us on instagram.

Speaker 1:

Zombie book club podcast. Uh, on on instagram. I know it's owned by meta, but you know we also built our entire fucking following there. But also I'm on blue sky. You want to look me up, dan, the zombie writer? I'm, uh, I'm posting some stuff on behalf of myself and zombie book club.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and then combined account you can always hang out with us at brain munchers zombie collective.

Speaker 1:

I've also set up an email list. I'm gonna put the link in the description. It's really important, especially right now, as we just mentioned. Instagram's owned by meta and all of our entire thing has been Instagram such thus far. We don't want to be reliant on things like these in the future, like that sway our opinions to like stay on a platform just because that's where people know where to find us. So if you sign up on our newsletter, the email list, we can stay in contact with you even if everything goes to hell yeah, the email list and discord are two great ways to stay connected and a ham radio one day.

Speaker 1:

But for now made of ham.

Speaker 2:

Might sound crazy, but the end is nigh, baby. Bye, bye, bye. Oh my god, don't die, don't die, don't die bye.

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Dan

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Leah

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