Woo woo! 🎉 This week marks Episode 50 of A Couple Thinks—50 straight Tuesdays in your ears.
For our “golden episode,” we wanted to share 50 good things from 2025… and while we didn’t quite get to 50, we do have a clear reminder that momentum is real, people are showing up, and good news exists—even when the headlines try to convince you otherwise.
We decided to group our bright spots into a few themes:
1) Resistance and protest that keeps building
One of the most heartening things this year has been watching protest movements stack—each action building on the last.
We also highlight something that matters a lot right now: state-level pushback—coalitions and policies that preserve public health and protect communities even when federal leadership is doing the opposite.
And one of the standout moments: Indiana’s Republican State Senate voting “no” on gerrymandering—despite pressure from Trump-world. When we see principled resistance (even from people we often disagree with), it reminds us what a functioning democracy could look like.
2) Election wins (and signs of a shifting Democratic future)
We’re not pretending elections solve everything. But this year gave us a lot of reasons to stay engaged.
\Democrats flipped a meaningful share of GOP-held state legislative seats—and several high-profile races suggest voters want something different.
We also talk about Zohran Mamdani’s win in NYC and what it might signal—not just as a personality or a single city result, but as a kind of “template” for a newer coalition and a clearer break from politics-as-usual.
3) GOP weirdness (and why we’re cautiously enjoying it)
Is it complicated to feel a little joy when chaos is hurting real people? Yes. We talk about that tension.
But we also name what we’re seeing: dysfunction and infighting can be a sign that the grip is slipping.
We get into the details of why Trump’s power is looking weaker earlier than many expected
4) A few “good news” reminders you might’ve missed
We share a quick “good science / good world” punch list—because a lot of progress doesn’t make the front page.
We talk about encouraging trends like:
* The ozone layer healing faster than expected
* Extreme poverty declining dramatically over the past few decades
* Big leaps in gene therapy
* Renewables getting cheaper and expanding—even in red states
* Child mortality falling since 1990
None of this erases what’s hard. But it does matter. It’s evidence that collective action, policy, science, and persistence can move the needle.
5) What we’re doing this week (and how you can join us)
If you’ve been asking yourself, “Okay, but what do I do with all this?” — we’ve got you.
This week’s actions:
* Postcards to voters: There’s an Iowa State Legislature special election on December 30, and Lisa’s writing postcards to help protect a key seat.
* Shop small & local when you can (especially during the holidays)
* Call your senators: Indivisible is encouraging calls pushing for new Senate leadership (re: Schumer)
* And: tell us what’s on your mind—email us at hello@acouplethinks.com or take the listener survey at survey.acouplethinks.com
Joyful Moments: birthdays, Hanukkah, and crunchy latkes
We close with joy (as always).
This week’s highlights:
* Celebrating Aaron’s mom’s 88th birthday with a family dinner
* Hanukkah begins—latkes are happening (crispy ones… not the soft pancake kind)
* And Aaron’s ongoing project: decluttering the office/studio to make space for more creative work (and yes, it sends a lot of junk downstairs in the process)
Because as we head toward the solstice—the season of bringing light into darkness—we’re trying to do that in small ways that actually count.
🎧 Listen to Episode 50
If you need a little hope-with-receipts (plus a woo woo, plus a latke description), go listen to the full episode now—and then hit reply and tell us: what’s one “good thing” you’re holding onto from this year?
hello@acouplethinks.comsurvey.acouplethinks.com
See you next Tuesday for episode 51. ❤️
