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SPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & StorytellingBook Club: Dr. Jekyll & Mr. HydeClare and Hannah take on Jekyll and Hyde in a battle of Victorian proportions. In other words, we slink furtively through darkened doorways, scandalize young housemaids sitting up past their bedtime, and write letters to our lawyers with the tantalizing instruction: "do not open until I have died or disappeared under myserious circumstances." Support the showWe provide these resources to help you find and enjoy the things we talked about on this episode! Note that some of these may include “affiliate” links to books and other products. When you click through and purchase, the price...2025-04-2528 minSPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & StorytellingTragedy vs. EvilThis is a very serious episode. Clare and Hannah tackle a topic that is probably far beyond them, but that's never stopped them before. Today we discuss the difference between tragedy and evil. Hannah brings up vampires because at least she knows something about those.Support the showWe provide these resources to help you find and enjoy the things we talked about on this episode! Note that some of these may include “affiliate” links to books and other products. When you click through and purchase, the price of the item is the same for you...2025-03-2229 minSPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & StorytellingSongs that Rocked Our World: I Can't Help But Wonder About Your Fast CarClare and Hannah each share another song that rocked their worlds. Clare's song is a universal story about the plight of the working poor, just as relevant today as it was forty years ago. Hannah spends most of her allotted time describing what happens if you trespass at a war vet's house and pester his wife (You get shot, that's what). Also, her song made both of us cry a little.Hannah’s song: “I Can’t Help But Wonder” by Jorge Rivera-HerransClare’s song: “Fast Car” written and performed...2025-02-1817 minSPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & Storytelling2024: The Year that Blew Our MindsClare and Hannah look back on 2024 as the year that blew their minds every other day. A few examples:The day that Israel blew the pants off their enemies.The presidential candidate who almost got his head blown off on live television.Amazing health discoveries that will keep you from blowing up the bathroom at your in-laws' house.Links:“Stopping or reducing dietary fiber intake reduces constipation and its associated symptoms” (Sorry if that’s TMI…)The Brilliance of ‘Operation Grim Beeper’Toxins: Toxi...2025-02-0443 minSPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & StorytellingBook Club: The Island of Dr. MoreauClare and Hannah read H.G. Wells' "The Island of Dr. Moreau," and discuss universal themes like the hubris of science, the true nature of humanity, and their uncanny ability to shoehorn a C.S. Lewis shoutout into any discussion. Get your own copy of The Island of Dr. Moreau.Support the showWe provide these resources to help you find and enjoy the things we talked about on this episode! Note that some of these may include “affiliate” links to books and other products. When you click...2024-11-2728 minSPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & StorytellingThe Art of NopeClare and Hannah share their experiences practicing martial arts. By share their experiences, we mean they soared with exquisite grace through a grove of bamboo trees, exchanging blows that shook the surrounding wilderness and awakened a long-dormant volcano. The Karate Kid Collection. Includes the original 1984 Karate Kid and its two sequels, plus the 2010 remake starring Jaden Smith. Crouching Tiger, Hidden DragonLittle boy trying to break a board in tae kwon do—so cute!!Support the showWe p...2024-09-1627 minSPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & StorytellingBook Club: Catch 22Clare and Hannah return with another book club, this time covering Joseph Heller's Catch 22, a satirical commentary on corporate malfeasance, nonsense, incompetence and bureaucracy. A classic war novel that coined a phrase still prominent in the modern zeitgeist, Catch 22 left Clare feeling like a dummy and convinced Hannah that she does indeed have a twisted brain. In other words, a bit of light reading for your summer.Get your own copy of Catch-22 by Joseph HellerSupport the showWe provide these resources to help you find...2024-06-2837 minSPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & StorytellingBreakfast Chat: "Your vet did what?" (weird veterinary stories from Dr. Walker)In this breakfast chat, Clare shares a truly embarrassing story from a fellow veterinarian. Names and locations have been changed to protect those involved from further shame. This episode may be troubling for more squeamish listeners, as it contains terms like: uterine horn, testicles, castration, cervix, and litter-bearing animals. Also, Hannah ate spaghetti throughout this recording.For more funny vet stories, have you ever read All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot? This is one of Clare’s favorite books. The author was a country veterinarian in the Yorkshire dales of England. His semi-autobiographical boo...2024-02-0308 minSPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & StorytellingThose Nutty Kings and Queens of EnglandIn part 2 of our series on the kings and queens of England, Clare and Hannah talk about two kings who embodied the term, "man-child." Henry II spent his entire wedding reception goofing off with his best friend and ignoring everybody else, including his new queen. Richard II surrounded himself with his favorite sycophants, spent a ridiculous amount of his country's money on clothes, and commissioned a religious icon featuring...himself. Support the showWe provide these resources to help you find and enjoy the things we talked about on this episode! Note that s...2024-02-0334 minSPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & StorytellingThe Life and Times of Henry and HenryHannah takes the "reigns" for part 1 in a series about the kings and queens of England. Because royalty in England just cycled through the same three names over and over, today we learn about two kings named Henry:Henry II: the highlights of his reign were murdering his best friend in a cathedral, getting whipped within an inch of his life in the same cathedral, and giving a gorgeous castle to a six year-old out of spite.We talk about several movies: Becket (1964, starring Peter O'Toole as King Henry II), The Lion in Winter (1968, starring...2023-09-0419 minSPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & StorytellingSongs that Rocked Our World: One Cat's in the CradleClare shares a song that terrifies both her and the man who wrote it. Hannah's song of choice did not so much rock her world as haunt her every waking moment for two weeks straight.Clare's song: "Cat's in the Cradle." Music, lyrics, and performance by Harry Chapin. In December of 1974 it was the Number 1 song on the Billboard Top 100. The link includes a brief interview with Chapin's widow and with his son, followed by a live performance of the song. The comments below the video are both heartwarming and heartbreaking. Hannah's song:"...2023-08-2914 minSPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & StorytellingBook Club: True GritClare and Hannah read Charles Portis' 1968 novel, True Grit, and have not been able to talk normally since. We also analyze two movie adaptations of the book: the 1969 adaptation directed by Henry Hathaway and the 2010 adaptation directed by the Coen Brothers. To get your own copy of this amazing book and/or your own DVD copy of the movies, visit Clare's Bookshop.org store. (It's in the Splanchnics Book Club section). You'll get a discount AND you'll be supporting your favorite podcast! Thanks so much for your support!Support the show...2023-08-2239 minSPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & StorytellingBreakfast Chat: “Snickers is due for his annual exam!” (weird veterinary stories from Dr. Walker)This is a weird one. Not at all what you'd be expecting. The names of locations, individuals, and 4-legged lifeforms have been changed to protect the innocent.If you enjoy funny vet stories, you might enjoy the books of James Herriot, a veterinarian plying his trade in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales of northern England. The stories take place before World War 2, in the days when farmers still used horse-drawn implements on their farms, and every veterinarian had to be knowledgeable about every species of animal. Hilarious, heartwarming, and poignant. Warning: will make you want to become a...2023-08-1511 minSPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & StorytellingOur Favorite Circles of Hell (Dante's Divine Comedy)Clare has been doing some light reading... of Dante's Inferno. The translation Clare's been reading is by Robert Hollander and Jean Hollander. The commentaries are A Beginner's Guide to Dante's Divine Comedy by Jason M. Baxter and Spiritual Direction from Dante: Avoiding the Inferno by Paul Pearson. She's also been referring to the Dorothy Sayers terza rima English translation. These books are all available in our Bookshop.org store, in the "Dante's Divine Comedy" section. If you purchase a book through our storefront, you'll get a discount, you'll be supporting independent book stores, AND you'll be supporting y...2023-07-0117 minSPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & Storytelling"Curse You, Harper-Collins!" (How to Read The Chronicles of Narnia)Today we discuss whether The Chronicles of Narnia should be read in chronological order or in order of publication. Clare has strong opinions about this one. Hannah doesn't care either way, but that may change...You already have your own copy of The Chronicles of Narnia, right? Wait...what? You don't?? Let us help you rectify that unacceptable situation right now: head over to our Bookshop.org store, where there are C. S. Lewis books all over the place: in the C.S. Lewis section, the Clare's Favorites section, the Favorite Series section, the Children's section......2023-06-1926 minSPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & StorytellingSongs that Rocked Our Worlds: I See Fire Between the StarsClare and Hannah share some more of the songs that rocked their worlds. Turns out they both really love heavy metal. Who knew?Clare's songs: "I See Fire" -- metal version! Performed by Malinda and Violet Orlandi"Clean Up Your Room" by Akira the Don featuring Jordan Peterson"What Faith Can Do" by KutlessHannah's songs:"A Question" by Bombadil "Hamburg Song" by Keane"Between the Stars" by Canyon City"Rain" by The Seatbelts. Vocals by Tom Conte"Wax and Wane" by Alana Henderson2023-04-2415 minSPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & StorytellingWhat is Your Deal? (Understanding the Four Temperaments)The four temperaments have been around since Hippocrates, who theorized that our human behavior is influenced by the quantities of various fluids present in our bodies. The four temperaments are: Sanguine (blood), Choleric (Yellow bile), Melancholic (black bile), and phlegmatic (phlegm). Clare (a sanguine) and Hannah (a melancholic) plumb the depths of the human psyche in their discussion of the temperaments and their influence on our behavior."The Temperament God Gave You" by Art and Laraine BennettYour purchase of this book at Clare's Bookshop.org store (affiliate link) helps support this amazing podcast! 2022-11-2038 minSPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & StorytellingBreakfast Chat: "Your dog ate what?” (weird veterinary stories from Dr. Walker)Clare shares some of her veterinary exploits. WARNING: This episode is gross. If any of the following words or phrases gross you out, you may wish to forgo listening:PoopVomitBileRectumRectal examRingwormsAnal glandWheel of vomit"Head falling off"MoistIf you enjoy funny vet stories, you might enjoy the books of James Herriot, a veterinarian plying his trade in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales of northern England. The stories take place before World War 2, in the days when farmers...2022-11-0820 minSPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & StorytellingBreakfast Chat: "What makes a good character?"Whether you're writing a book, a movie, or a play, there are three elements you need to think about when creating a character. Clare and Hannah discuss these three things, debate whether James Bond is funny, and discover that they both struggle to say the word "nemesis."Support the showWe provide these resources to help you find and enjoy the things we talked about on this episode! Note that some of these may include “affiliate” links to books and other products. When you click through and purchase, the price of the item is the same...2022-10-0213 minSPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & StorytellingBook Club: Brave New World (Pt. 2)In this episode, Hannah and Clare continue to talk about Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World," through the lens of one of our favorite "Star Trek" episodes. We also manage to mention "Abolition of Man" again. See if you can spot it!Brave New World by Aldous Huxley includes adult themes. Listener discretion is advised.Support the showWe provide these resources to help you find and enjoy the things we talked about on this episode! Note that some of these may include “affiliate” links to books and other products. When you click through and...2022-08-3129 minSPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & StorytellingBook Club: Brave New World (Pt. 1)In this episode, Clare and Hannah come off the reservation and step into a Brave New World where people are made in bottles, Henry Ford is God, and the police are armed with water-pistols. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley includes adult themes. Listener discretion is advised.Please enjoy this hilarious video from The Onion about how Disney grows childhood stars in their advanced genetic engineering laboratory!Support the showWe provide these resources to help you find and enjoy the things we talked about on this episode! Note...2022-08-1939 minSPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & StorytellingWizards and Hunchbacks and Fairies, Oh My!Don't be fooled by the title. We're still talking about Shakespeare. This time Hannah and Clare talk about the elements of tragedy and comedy, why the Lancasters had to look good in the histories, and what kind of play The Tempest is anyway.Support the showWe provide these resources to help you find and enjoy the things we talked about on this episode! Note that some of these may include “affiliate” links to books and other products. When you click through and purchase, the price of the item is the same for you. In fact...2022-07-1527 minSPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & StorytellingWhy You Should Watch ShakespeareHannah finally uses her drama degree! In this episode, our mother-daughter duo discuss Shakespeare, its challenges, its beauty, and its relevance to us today.This week's installment of "Splanchnics Math:" According to Clare (3:50), Shakespeare was born in 1864 and died in 1616 at the age of 52. This is, of course, incorrect. He lived to be 248 and lived his life going backwards in time. Support the showWe provide these resources to help you find and enjoy the things we talked about on this episode! Note that some of these may include “affiliate” links...2022-06-2425 minSPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & StorytellingBook Club: A Canticle for LeibowitzSpanning 18 centuries, Walter M. Miller's "A Canticle for Leibowitz" follows a Catholic monastery's attempts to preserve knowledge through several apocalypses.In this episode, Clare and Hannah talk about very serious topics like the cyclical nature of history, mankind's self-destructive nature, buzzards, and a random shark. We also mention C.S. Lewis, but that's a given at this point.If you'd like to pick up a copy of this science fiction classic, head over to Clare's Bookshop.org storefront. This is an affiliate link--if you buy the book, you still get a discount but a small...2022-06-1041 minSPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & StorytellingSongs that Rocked Our World: A Simple Man in Hotel CaliforniaClare and Hannah share some of their favorite songs and explain why music is an essential part of character development. We manage to quote both Plato and Michael Jackson.Hannah's picks:I'm a Funny Dame (Eartha Kitt): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3l1K13naLMBlue Healer (Birdtalker): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL4AP-n091MSimple Man (Jason Manns With Friends cover): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKMbXOwXSdMClare's picks: Thriller (Michael Jackson, album 1982, single 1983): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOnqjkJTMaAHotel California (The...2022-06-0313 minSPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & StorytellingRobots, Humans, and the Potential for Independent Thought“To have a thought, you have to have a thing that can have a thought.”In this episode, Clare and Hannah continue to geek out about robots, but to be honest we spend more time discussing humans. Typical humans, always talking about ourselves. We talk about the nature of beauty, being stewards of the earth, and something called an a priori cognitive structure. I feel smarter already.Check out the episode show notes for links, corrections, and more!Support the showWe provide these resources to help you find...2022-04-0821 minSPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & StorytellingRobots: Automation & Isolation"The humans, who can think, are so afraid of those who cannot think..."In this episode, the first half of a two-part discussion, Clare and Hannah chat about the progress of robotics over the years, laying the groundwork for the second part, where we get super-duper philosophical and stuff. Support the showWe provide these resources to help you find and enjoy the things we talked about on this episode! Note that some of these may include “affiliate” links to books and other products. When you click through and purchase, the price...2022-03-2928 minSPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & StorytellingBook Club: Lord of the Flies (Pt. 2)In our second episode about Lord of the Flies, things go hog wild.For your very own copy of Lord of the Flies, stampede to Clare’s Bookshop.org store. It’s in the Splanchnics Book Club section (across from the in-store cafe…)Special thanks to The Twilight and Donald Kozinski from AnimeRevProductions.Support the showWe provide these resources to help you find and enjoy the things we talked about on this episode! Note that some of these may include “affiliate” links to books and other products. When you click through an...2022-01-3023 minSPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & StorytellingBook Club: Lord of the Flies (Pt. 1)Clare and Hannah discuss William Golding's classic 1954 novel, Lord of the Flies. Like all civilized people, they pass the pig mug, and things get philosophical.Clare is an independent author who would love it if you checked out her books! If you like exciting thrillers featuring normal people overcoming their deepest flaws and confronting their worst fears, you might enjoy The Keys of Death. It's a veterinary medical thriller about a small-town animal doctor who gets tangled up in a whistle-blowing scheme against a big biotech company. Or, if you prefer shorter fiction, try Startling Figures, a c...2022-01-2232 min