Shows
Nieman StoryboardThe Black List's Franklin Leonard on the power of 'Based on a true story' in HollywoodThe Black List founder and CEO Franklin Leonard joins Storyboard Editor Mark Armstrong for a conversation about the state of storytelling in Hollywood, and how true stories intersect with entertainment. Leonard was working as a development executive for Leonardo DiCaprio's production company when he started The Black List 20 years ago, first as a survey of the best unproduced screenplays. The list became an immediate sensation, getting passed around Hollywood, and it has since grown into a company and online community for people to upload and review unproduced screenplays and unpublished novels. Hundreds of scripts from th...
2025-06-1954 min
Brian Lehrer: A Daily Politics PodcastDonald Trump Plus Leonard Leo Equals… What We Have. Leonard Who?A look at a man who has played a key role in the conservative takeover of America's courts: Leonard Leo.
On Today's Show:Ilya Marritz, fellow at the Nieman Foundation at Harvard, and Andrea Bernstein, author of American Oligarchs: The Kushners, The Trumps and the Marriage of Money and Power (W. W. Norton & Company, 2020), share the original reporting they did for their podcast We Don't Talk About Leonard from ProPublica and On The Media.
2023-10-2619 min
Understand Life50: Suntan or Sunburn?In this episode, we talk about what a suntan is and what a sunburn is. We then go into all of the genetic differences that people have which cause their skin to react differently than others when it comes to UV radiation and the sun.
Enjoy the show!
Show notes are located at www.leonardnieman.com/podcast/50.
Support us at Patreon.com/UnderstandLife
2021-10-0135 minUnderstand Life49: Credit Gas PricesIn this episode, we talk about credit and debit cards. We cover some history and especially what merchants, such as gas stations, are allowed to charge when it comes to having different prices based on how you pay. Near the end, we cover what this means for consumers and how they should act.
Enjoy the show!
Show notes are located at leonardnieman.com/podcast/49.
Support us at Patreon.com/UnderstandLife
2021-09-0124 minUnderstand Life48.5: July ApologySorry for not having a normal episode this month; it was deemed too controversial for the general public. If you would like to become our patron at Patreon, it is available there. Go to www.patreon.com/understandlife.
Sorry again. We'll be back next month.
2021-07-3100 min
Understand Life48: How to start a businessIn this episode, we talk about what it takes to start a business. We start with some of the basic legal aspects but spend most of the episode talking about all of the expenses that businesses have and how to manage the biggest one well: payroll. We don't go super deep into what takes a business from good to great, but we do cover the basics.
Enjoy the show!
Show notes are located at leonardnieman.com/podcast/48.
Support us at Patreon.com/UnderstandLife.
2021-06-1828 minUnderstand Life47: Why Do People Have Kids?In this episode, we talk about why people do anything and then move on to why people have kids specifically. On why people do anything, we talk about the results pyramid from episode 15 and then discuss what beliefs people have that lead to their actions of trying to have kids. We also relate why different quadrant theory personality types do different things, both in general and in relationship to having kids. (Quadrant Theory personality types is discussed in episode 18.)
Enjoy the show!
Show notes are located at leonardnieman.com/podcast/47.
Support us at P...
2021-05-1534 minUnderstand Life46: What's an Average American?In this episode, we talk about the different meanings of the word "Average" and then what an "Average American" looks like for each of those types of averages for multiple different qualities, such as income, land ownership, age, college education, etc.
Enjoy the show!
Show notes are located at leonardnieman.com/podcast/46.
Support us at Patreon.com/UnderstandLife.
2021-04-0633 min
Science VsImmune Boosting: Is It a Bust?Internet influencers have been pushing “immune boosters” during the pandemic — claiming they’ve got just the pill, berry or brew to rev up our body’s defenses. But is there really a way to boost our immune system? We’re finding out whether these vitamins and supplements truly work as a shield against colds and viruses. We speak to public health Prof. Tim Caulfield, nutrition Prof. Carol Johnston, immunologist Shiv Pillai, and immune aging researcher Niharika Duggal. UPDATE 3/12/21: An earlier version of this episode overstated the evidence that starting to exercise leads to fewer colds and flus. While we do h...
2021-03-0535 minUnderstand Life45: What Caused the Great Depression (Part 2)In this episode, we finish talking about the causes of the Great Depression. We review the basics of what people believe the cause was (i.e. the stock market crash) and then move on to some more nuances.
Enjoy the show!
Show notes are located at leonardnieman.com/podcast/45.
Support us at Patreon.com/UnderstandLife.
2020-06-1023 minUnderstand LifeAnnouncement: Monthly PodcastsThis is an announcement that we are going to be moving away from weekly podcasts to monthly podcasts.
All the same type of content that you love, with cool interesting tidbits of information, but now on a monthly basis.
I hope you continue to tune in to every episode.
2020-05-1001 minUnderstand Life44: What Caused the Great Depression (Part 1)In this episode, we start talking about the causes of the Great Depression. We cover the basics of what people believe the cause was (i.e. the stock market crash) and then move on to some more nuances, such as whether another crash is coming today. Next week we will finish our discussion on this topic.
Enjoy the show!
Show notes are located at leonardnieman.com/podcast/44.
Support us at Patreon.com/UnderstandLife.
2020-05-0320 minUnderstand Life43: Why Are Diamonds So ExpensiveIn this episode, we talk about why diamond prices are what they are. We utilize some of the lessons about supply and demand from the previous episode combined with some history of the diamond market. We end with a look to the future of the diamond market.
Enjoy the show!
Show notes are located at leonardnieman.com/podcast/43.
Support us at Patreon.com/UnderstandLife.
2020-04-2624 minUnderstand Life42: How Are Prices Made?In this episode, we start talking about how prices are able to be set by different companies based on their power in the market. We mostly talk about the law of supply and demand by explaining the basic principle and graph.
Enjoy the show!
Show notes are located at leonardnieman.com/podcast/42.
Support us at Patreon.com/UnderstandLife.
2020-04-1914 minUnderstand Life41: When Did Throwing Flowers at Performers Start? (Part 2 of 2)In this episode, we finish talking about how flowers started being thrown at people. We begin by going over last week's insights around why throwing things at people at all started. Then, we move on to flowers specifically, including the faunogrophy of the Victorian era.
Enjoy the show!
Show notes are located at leonardnieman.com/podcast/41.
Support us at Patreon.com/UnderstandLife.
2020-04-1216 minUnderstand Life40: When Did Throwing Flowers at Performers Start? (Part 1 of 2)In this episode, we are talking about how performers of old would be treated. We start the episode with an overview of our previous episodes about how different cheeses are made. Then, we we move on to discussing that performers of old would want people to throw money at them, but if they were bad would get rotten food instead. This was a form of feedback to indicate if the performers were doing a good job.
Next week we will finish discussing the question: covering when flowers started being thrown.
Enjoy the show.
...
2020-04-0518 minUnderstand Life39: How are Different Cheeses Made? (Part 3 of 3)In this episode, we are continuing our discussion on how different cheeses are made. We start with a re-cap of the last two episode where we went over all 7 steps in the cheese making process and then went in-depth into the first 3 steps, discussing some of the different options in those steps and the changes that has to the finished cheese. This week we will do the same thing for the final four steps in the process.
Enjoy the show.
Show notes are located at leonardnieman.com/podcast/39.
Support us at Patreon.com...
2020-03-2919 minUnderstand Life38: How are Different Cheeses Made? (Part 2 of 3)In this episode, we are continuing our discussion on how different cheeses are made. We start with a re-cap of the last episode where we went over all 7 steps in the cheese making process. This time, we really dig into the first 3 steps, discussing some of the different options in those steps and the changes that has to the finished cheese.
Enjoy the show.
Show notes are located at leonardnieman.com/podcast/38.
Support us at Patreon.com/UnderstandLife.
2020-03-2216 minUnderstand Life37: How is Cheese Made?In this episode, we are talking about how cheese is made. We break it down into 7 main steps that most types of cheeses go through...in one way or another. From preparing the milk to aging the cheese.
Join us next week as we continue the cheese topic and start to talk about the differences between different types of cheeses.
Enjoy the show.
Also, please note that we are trying a new format: combining the mini-podcast concept with shorter full podcasts. Let us know what you think!
Show notes are located...
2020-03-1518 minUnderstand Life36: Why is That Car Only $157?In this episode, we are talking about the cost of car ownership. We consider four different options: buying a new car, leasing a new car, buying a used car with a low number of miles and buying a used car with a high number of miles. We go over the monetary costs of each of those and touch on the fact that there are ancillary benefits which can influence which choice is right for you.
Enjoy the show.
Show notes are located at leonardnieman.com/podcast/36.
Support us at Patreon.com/UnderstandLife.
2020-03-0729 minUnderstand Life35.5: Come on Baby, Drive My EVThis is a short episode which goes over the highlights of last week and touches on what we are going to talk about next week.
Last week: We talked about Expected Value: how you can calculate out whether you are making a good decision or not (or at least attempt to). We cover the basic concept and then some sticky points, like guestimating, likely values, and that sometimes you may be willing to pay for enjoyment.
Next week: We will be discussing the cost of automobile ownership.
Enjoy the show!
Support u...
2020-03-0112 minUnderstand Life35: Is This Worth the Risk?In this episode, we are talking about Expected Value and how that can help you to make wise decisions. Roughly calculating out an expected value can quickly show that something is or is not worth doing. We talk about using this information to guard against your intuition, though you still need to be careful in how you calculate because even the calculated EV could be subject in your inherent biases.
Enjoy the show.
Show notes are located at leonardnieman.com/podcast/35.
Support us at Patreon.com/UnderstandLife.
2020-02-2335 minUnderstand Life34.5: Don't Compare Expected American ValuesThis is a short episode which goes over the highlights of last week and touches on what we are going to talk about next week.
Last week: We talked about the fact that Americans are less happy than people in other countries because we spend so much time comparing ourselves to people we don't know very well. We talked about social media, gratitude journals, and other strategies to be happier.
Next week: We will be exploring "Expected Value" of decisions and how this can guide us to make wiser decisions.
Enjoy the show!
2020-02-1610 minUnderstand Life34: Why Aren't People in America Happy?In this episode, we are talking about how the International Happiness Survey ranks Americans relatively low, especially considering our economic status. We talk about some things that Americans specifically do more often that make them less happy and then some things that you can do to make yourself more happy.
Enjoy the show.
Show notes are located at leonardnieman.com/podcast/34.
Support us at Patreon.com/UnderstandLife.
2020-02-0836 min
De SandwichUitzending van 2 februariDE SANDWICH ZONDAG 2 februari 2020
Uur 1
1. Life is nothing without music – Sam Browne
2. Angel of the morning – Chip Taylor
3. Woas ned so – Andre Heller & Ina Regen
4. Waor gaon we naortoe – Daniel Lohues
5. Our day will come – Brenda Lee
6. La corrida – Francis Cabrel
7. Tango van de ziel – Marlous Lazal
8. Mama told me not to come – Randy Newman
9. Evertime it rains – Joe Cocker
10. And it’s still alright – Nathaniel Rateliff
11. 9 To 5 – Alison Krauss
12. Zusjes – Elly Nieman
13. Breezin’ – George Benson
Uur 2
1. Seven island suite – Gordon Lightfoot
2. Riders in the sky – Peggy Lee
3. Beloftes – Senne Guns
4. Mutula moto – Richard Bona & Mandekan Cubano
5. When love breaks down – Prefab Sprout
6. Listen tot he...
2020-02-031h 50Understand Life33.5: The Nail In AmericaThis is a short episode which goes over the highlights of last week and touches on what we are going to talk about next week.
Last week: We talked about the quote: "The nail that sticks up gets pounded down." This originated in communist Russia. We talked about communism, capitalism, and the differences in meanings of the same quote in different contexts.
Next week: We will be exploring why Americans are less happy than people in many other parts of the world, even though they are often objectively better off.
Enjoy the show!
2020-02-0206 minUnderstand Life33: What does this quote mean?In this episode, we are talking about a quote: "the nail that sticks up gets pounded down." This quote originated in the Soviet Union, so we get into the differences between capitalism and communism. Then, we talk about a couple ways to think about the quote and the differences in lessons it can provide.
Enjoy the show.
Show notes are located at leonardnieman.com/podcast/33.
Support us at Patreon.com/UnderstandLife.
2020-01-2636 minUnderstand Life32.5: The light that sticks to electrons...This is a short episode which goes over the highlights of last week and touches on what we are going to talk about next week.
Last week: Solar powered paint. We talked about some early uses of solar power, the discovery of the photovoltaic effect, how solar panels work, and a potential future of solar powered paint
Next week: We will be exploring the meaning of the phrase "The nail that sticks up gets pounded down."
Enjoy the show!
Support us at www.patreon.com/understandlife
2020-01-1909 minUnderstand Life32: What's Solar Powered Paint?In this episode, we are talking about solar power, different types of harnessing energy from the sun, and where we are at technologically. We specifically touch on the ability to "paint" a material in order to obtain a "solar power" effect.
Enjoy the show.
Show notes are located at leonardnieman.com/podcast/32.
Support us at Patreon.com/UnderstandLife.
2020-01-1230 minUnderstand Life31.5: Happy 2020This is a short episode which goes over the highlights of last week and touches on what we are going to talk about next week.
Last week: What we learned about taking care of our teeth
Next week: Solar powered paint?!? We're going to talk all about solar power, including getting solar power from paint.
Enjoy the show!
Support us at www.Patreon.com/understandlife
2020-01-0506 minUnderstand Life31: What am I good at? Clifton Strengths: Part 2 (rebroadcast of #21)We are taking a break for the holidays and re-broadcasting some of our most popular episodes. This is a re-broadcast of Episode #21: What am I good at? Clifton Strengths: Part 2.
This week, Alyssa, Malachi, and Leonard Nieman are joined by Kelly Nieman-Anderson, Leonard's sister.
This is the conclusion of our podcast on Clifton Strengths (a.k.a. Strengths Finder). There's a lot of meat in this show. We go over all 34 Clifton Strengths, at least a little bit. We dig into a couple of our own strengths. And, we talk about the separation of strengths...
2019-12-2831 minUnderstand Life30: What am I good at? Clifton Strengths: Part 1 (rebroadcast of #20)We are taking a break for the holidays and re-broadcasting some of our most popular episodes. This is a re-broadcast of Episode #20: What am I good at? Clifton Strengths: Part 1.
This week, Alyssa, Malachi, and Leonard Nieman are joined by Kelly Nieman-Anderson, Leonard's sister and talking about Clifton Strengths. This is only Part 1 on strengths because we went into so much cool stuff this time that we didn't actually get to the 34 different strengths. Instead, we gave an overview of Clifton Strengths (a.k.a. Strengths Finder) and talked about Leonard and Kelly's strengths.
Enjoy...
2019-12-2228 minUnderstand Life29: Can a Baby be Born with Pink Hair (rebroadcast of #12)We are taking a break for the holidays and re-broadcasting some of our most popular episodes. This is a re-broadcast of Episode #12: Can a Baby be Born with Pink Hair?
This week we dive into the genetics of hair color. We'll cover the basics of genetics, how our genes impact our melanin production, and how our melanin production impacts our hair color. We'll also answer the question and let you know why.
Enjoy the show.
See the show notes at www.leonardnieman.com/podcast/12
Support us at Patreon.com/understandlife
2019-12-1426 minUnderstand Life28: Can I have a piece of gum (rebroadcast of #8)We are taking a break for the holidays and re-broadcasting some of our most popular episodes. This is a re-broadcast of Episode #8: Can I have a piece of gum
This week we talk about planning ahead. Planning ahead is a key component to making wise decisions, and making wise decisions is a key component to doing well in life. Therefore, planning ahead is extremely important in understanding life. We walk through why it's important to think ahead and use the idea of when it's a good time to have gum and when it isn't as an example...
2019-12-0823 minUnderstand Life27: Why do people lose their teeth (Part 2)?In this episode, we are talking about teeth. This is Part 2 of 2, so if you did not listen to part 1, we recommend you go back and listen to that first. In this episode, we cover what is out there in terms of scientific studies about good oral hygiene. Based on that info, we come to some kind of conclusion of what you should do to take care of your teeth.
Enjoy the show.
Show notes are located at www.leonardnieman.com/podcast/27.
Support us at www.Patreon.com/UnderstandLife.
2019-12-0120 minUnderstand Life26.5: Teeth StudiesThis is a short episode which goes over the highlights of last week and touches on what we are going to talk about next week.
Last week: Why do we lose our teeth part 1. We went over the reasons why we have baby teeth and why adults lose their teeth. We also talk about what it means to be a good study.
Next week: We're going to talk about the study results that are out there about what is good for your mouth and what is currently still just a hypothesis.
Enjoy the s...
2019-11-2408 minUnderstand Life26: Why do people lose teeth?In this episode, we are talking about teeth. We cover how baby teeth help us, when teeth come in, and start the discussion on what good oral hygiene looks like. This is part 1 of 2, so tune in next time to get the rest of it, where we talk about what is most important in taking care of your mouth.
Enjoy the show.
Show notes are located at www.leonardnieman.com/podcast/26.
Support us at www.Patreon.com/UnderstandLife.
2019-11-1726 minUnderstand Life25.5: Roller Coasters With TeethThis is a short episode which goes over the highlights of last week and touches on what we are going to talk about next week.
Last week: We talked about Roller Coasters and Theme Parks. We went over the best roller coasters in the world and the best theme parks that may contain those roller coasters.
Next week: We're talking about teeth: why we lose them and how to either prevent that or not
Enjoy the show!
Support us at www.Patreon.com/understandlife
2019-11-0910 minUnderstand Life25: Is Cedar Point the best roller coaster park?In this episode, we get back to more fun topics (than our personality type series). We are talking about roller coasters: which coasters are the best and why. Then, we talk about which parks are the best for roller coasters and why. Great information to keep in mind when planning your family vacation for next year.
Enjoy the show.
Show notes are located at www.leonardnieman.com/podcast/25.
Support us at www.Patreon.com/UnderstandLife.
2019-11-0228 minUnderstand Life24.5: My Personality Finished with the The Big 5 Roller CoastersThis is a short episode which goes over the highlights of last week and touches on what we are going to talk about next week.
Last week: We ended the Personality Types Series that we had spent the whole summer doing. As such, we talked about why we had talked about personality types so much in the first place. We also talked about the Big Five a.k.a. the Five Factor Model that Psychologists use.
Next week: No more series' for a while. This one will be about the best Theme Parks in the wo...
2019-10-2609 minUnderstand Life24: Why are we talking about all this personality stuff?This is the last episode in our personality type series. It's been a great summer, but it's time for some other work (mostly a little more fun and less heavy). This week, we mostly discuss why we did a whole series on personality types: to learn more about yourself and to learn more about others. Also, we cover the Big Five, a.k.a. the Five Factor Model (FFM) that real Psychologists generally use, rather than the pop-psychology that most of the rest of the personality type series has been about.
Enjoy the show.
Show...
2019-10-2029 minUnderstand Life23.5: The 5 Any-uh-GrandmasThis is a short episode which goes over the highlights of last week and touches on what we are going to talk about next week.
Last week: Part 2 of the Enneagram (pronounced ANY-uh-gram) Personality Type. We talk about our types, how all the types are connected within the circle, plus the 3 centers and the 3 instincts.
Next week: The last of the personality type series. It includes why we had a long personality type series and goes into the "big five" a.k.a. the five factors version which psychologists generally use.
Enjoy the s...
2019-10-1212 minUnderstand Life23: Complicated Personality Type = Enneagram (Part 2)This week, Alyssa, Malachi, and Leonard Nieman are joined by Kelly Nieman-Anderson, Leonard's sister.
This is the second of two episodes on the Enneagram Personality Type. The Enneagram is possibly the most complicated personality type out there. Last time, we went over what the 9 types are and a little bit about each of them. This week, we talk a lot about what our types are, what we learned about those, and also some additional details on the Enneagram, such as the centers and instincts.
Enjoy the show.
Show notes are located at www...
2019-10-0629 minUnderstand Life22.5: The 9 Grandma PersonalitiesThis is a short episode which goes over the highlights of last week and touches on what we are going to talk about next week.
Last week: Part 1 of the Enneagram (pronounces ANY-uh-gram) Personality Type. We touch on some basics of the Enneagram, including the 9 grandmas. Then, we go through all of the personality types from a pretty high level.
Next week: We'll be finishing the Enneagram Types. This means we touch on the three instincts, why Alyssa is the best version of Malachi, and more.
Enjoy the show!
Support us at...
2019-09-2811 minUnderstand Life22: Complicated Personality Type = Enneagram (Part 1)This week, Alyssa, Malachi, and Leonard Nieman are joined by Kelly Nieman-Anderson, Leonard's sister.
This is the first of two episodes on the Enneagram Personality Type. The Enneagram is possibly the most complicated personality type out there. This week we go over what the 9 types are and a little bit about each of them. Next week, we'll go into more details on the intricacies of the Enneagram and which types we are.
Enjoy the show.
Show notes are located at www.leonardnieman.com/podcast/22.
Support us at www.Patreon.com/UnderstandLife.
2019-09-2124 minUnderstand Life21.5: It's all about the strengths, any-a-strengths, no weaknessThis is a short episode which goes over the highlights of last week and touches on what we are going to talk about next week.
Last week: The details of Clifton Strengths (a.k.a. Strengths Finder). We at least touch on all 34 strengths. We go into details on a few of them. And, we separate all of the strengths into four different categories. These categories are similar to the four quadrants in quadrant theory, and we talk about how that's true.
Next week: We'll be going over Enneagrams (pronounced ANY-uh-grams). The kids mentioned that t...
2019-09-1409 minUnderstand Life21: What am I good at? Clifton Strengths (Part 2)This week, Alyssa, Malachi, and Leonard Nieman are joined by Kelly Nieman-Anderson, Leonard's sister.
This is the conclusion of our podcast on Clifton Strengths (a.k.a. Strengths Finder). There's a lot of meat in this show. We go over all 34 Clifton Strengths, at least a little bit. We dig into a couple of our own strengths. And, we talk about the separation of strengths into groups that are kinda like Quadrant Theory.
Enjoy the show.
Show notes are located at www.leonardnieman.com/podcast/21.
Support us at www.Patreon.com...
2019-09-0830 minUnderstand Life20.5: Alyssa Hosts Clifton StrengthsAlyssa Hosts this is a short episode which goes over the highlights of last week and touches on what we are going to talk about next week.
Last week: The basics of Clifton Strengths (a.k.a. Strengths Finder) and the philosophy behind it.
Next week: We'll go over every one of the 34 Clifton Strengths, separate them into 4 quadrants, and talk about the kid's strengths. It may end up being a little long.
Enjoy the show!
Support us at www.Patreon.com/understandlife
2019-08-3107 minUnderstand Life20: What am I good at? Clifton Strengths (Part 1)**NOTE** There was an issue with the audio sometime between release and now. I re-uploaded the audio and that seems to have fixed it. Sorry for the inconvenience.
This week, Alyssa, Malachi, and Leonard Nieman are joined by Kelly Nieman-Anderson, Leonard's sister.
We are continuing on our series about personality types and talking about Clifton Strengths. This is only Part 1 on strengths because we went into so much cool stuff this time that we didn't actually get to the 34 different strengths. Instead, we gave an overview of Clifton Strengths (a.k.a. Strengths Finder) and...
2019-08-2427 minUnderstand Life19.5: The Strengths of Parts of the BrainThis is a short episode which goes over the highlights of last week and touches on what we are going to talk about next week.
Last week: Top Brain, Bottom Brain is a theory about 4 cognitive modes which line up with using only the top, only the bottom, both, or neither parts of your brain. Using each part of your brain takes energy, so there is an ideal amount to be in each of the cognitive modes. Most people are not in each mode the ideal amount of time, rather they rely too much on primarily one of...
2019-08-1710 minUnderstand Life19: What's Top Brain, Bottom Brain?This week, it's just Alyssa and Leonard: no Malachi.
We are continuing on our series about personality types and talking about some neuroscience research from earlier this decade about how our brains work and are divided into a top and bottom section. We relate the scientist's work on cognitive modes to personality types and then compare it to our last personality type podcast: quadrant theory.
Enjoy the show.
Show notes are located at www.leonardnieman.com/podcast/19.
Support us at www.Patreon.com/UnderstandLife.
2019-08-1126 minUnderstand Life18.6 (No Release...sorry)I had high hopes of getting a podcast out this week, but that did not happen.
Sorry.
On another note, the release date of the podcast is moving to Fridays (instead of Wednesdays). Could be anytime on Friday, so keep your eyes pealed.
Thank you for your patience.
2019-08-0302 minUnderstand Life18.5: Think Up, Think Down, Think a 1, 2, 3, 4! This is a short episode which goes over the highlights of last week and touches on what we are going to talk about next week.
Last week: The Quadrant Theory of Personality Types: Four types (i.e. 1, 2, 3, and 4) are a combination of a bunch of personality systems which all have 4 types and generally all have types that focus on fun, love and belonging, getting things done, and being perfect.
Next week: Forget right brain and left brain, let's be thinking about top brain and bottom brain. What the latest FMRI research shows about how our bra...
2019-07-2610 minUnderstand Life18: Why can't everyone be happy = Personality Types (Part 2)This week we talk more about personality types.
First, we recap Meyer's Briggs (MBTI).
Then, we spend most of the episode discussing what I call "Quadrant Theory" of personalities: essentially breaking personalities down into four high level traits: fun, love, accomplishment, and perfection. We discuss a few specific quadrant theories and how we utilize this at our hosue to discuss how people are different.
Enjoy the Show!
See the show notes at www.leonardnieman.com/podcast/18.
Support us at www.Patreon.com/Understandlife
2019-07-2025 minUnderstand Life17.5: 1, 2, 3, 4? Months of Summer?This is a short episode which goes over the highlights of last week and touches on what we are going to talk about next week.
Last week: The three possible definitions of the starts of seasons, specifically summer.
Next week: Continuing our series on Personality Types (on hiatus for one week), we're talking about "quadrant theory", which is where there are 4 different personality types, everyone has all of them but to a differing degree.
Enjoy the show!
Support us at www.Patreon.com/understandlife
2019-07-1208 minUnderstand Life17: When's the first day of summer?This week we talk about how we mark the seasons. There's actually three different answers to when the first day of summer is: depending on how you define summer. Listen to the episode to understand all three definitions and decide on which one you like the best.
Thanks for listening and enjoy the show.
The show notes page is at www.leonardnieman.com/podcast/17.
Please support us at www.Patreon.com/understandlife.
2019-07-0620 minUnderstand Life16.5 On the first day of summer, MBTI gave to me... This is a short episode which goes over the highlights of last week and touches on what we are going to talk about next week.
Last week: The Meyer's Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) assigns everyone to be more on one side or the other of four different continuums: introverted vs extroverted, intuitive vs sensing, thinking vs feeling, and judging vs perceiving.
Next week: Why is June 21st the first day of summer? Wait, is it the first day of summer? Should it be? Well...that depends on your point of view.
Enjoy the show...
2019-06-2713 minUnderstand Life16. Why can't everyone be happy = Personality Types (Part 1)This week we talk primarily about the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. We go over the 8 different letters and what each one means:
introvert vs extrovert, intuitive vs sensing, thinking vs feeling, and perceiving vs judging.
We also recap Maslow's Heirarchy of Needs at the beginning, and of course, talk about what type each of us are.
Enjoy the show.
The show notes page is located at www.leonardnieman.com/podcast/16.html
Support us at www.Patreon.com/understandlife
2019-06-2119 minUnderstand Life15.5: My Personality is Trial and Error, Teaching, and ResearchThis is a short episode which goes over the highlights of last week and touches on what we are going to talk about next week.
Last week: When you don't know how to do something, the options are to give up, get someone else to do it, or figure it out. In order to figure it out, the options are Trial and Error, Teaching, and Research
Next week: Personality Types, including the MBTI (Meyer's Briggs Type Indicator) and Quadrant Theory (fun, love, achievement, and perfection)
Enjoy the show!
Support us at w...
2019-06-1306 minUnderstand Life15. How do you figure stuff out? = Design ThinkingThis week we go through the 5 options you have when you need to get something done and don't know how.
After that, we go into what design thinking is and how businesses are using that to create better products.
It's just Leonard and Malachi this week (no Alyssa).
Enjoy the show.
The show notes page is located at www.leonardnieman.com/podcast/15.html
Support us at www.Patreon.com/understandlife
2019-06-0620 minUnderstand Life14.5: Mini Episode - Investment Choices + Design ThinkingThis is a short episode which goes over the highlights of last week and touches on what we are going to talk about next week.
Last two weeks: Savings, Money Markets, CDs, Stocks, Bonds, and Mutual Funds
Last Week: Alyssa is putting her money in a CD; Malachi is putting his into Bonds
Next week: Design Thinking and the options to get something done when you don't know how to do it.
Enjoy the show!
Support us at www.Patreon.com/understandlife
2019-05-3005 minUnderstand Life14. How do you invest your money (Part 2)This week we finish talking about investment basics. We cover mutual funds and go back over compound interest. Then, the kids make their choice on which investment option they want to take at the moment.
Enjoy the show.
The show notes page is located at www.leonardnieman.com/podcast/14.html
Support us at www.Patreon.com/understandlife
2019-05-2323 minUnderstand Life13.5: Mini Episode - Savings, Inflation, and Bonds. Oh My!This is a short episode which goes over the highlights of last week and touches on what we are going to talk about next week.
Last week: Savings and investment accounts, shuch as money market accounts, CDs, Stocks, and Bonds. We also covered inflation and compound interest.
Next week: Mutual Funds and where the kids are going to put their money.
Enjoy the show!
Support us at www.Patreon.com/understandlife.
2019-05-1607 minUnderstand Life13. How do you invest your money? (Part 1)This week we start talking about different types of savings and investment accounts. The goal is to get the kids to understand the pros and cons of each account type. In this week's part 1 of this question, we will go over savings and money market accounts, CDs, stocks, and bonds. The details are mostly about the amount of risk and expected return. We also cover how inflation affects purchasing power.
Enjoy the show.
See the show notes at www.leonardnieman.com/podcast/13.
Support us at www.Patreon.com/understandlife.
2019-05-0926 minUnderstand Life12. Can a baby be born with pink hair?This week we dive into the genetics of hair color. We'll cover the basics of genetics, how our genes impact our melanin production, and how our melanin production impacts our hair color. We'll also answer the question and let you know why.
Enjoy the show.
See the show notes at www.leonardnieman.com/podcast/12
Support us at Patreon.com/understandlife
2019-04-2524 minUnderstand Life11. Why do different people like different foods? Nature vs. Nurture (Part 2)This week we finish our discussion on the topic of nature vs nurture. We start with a recap of the main points from last week and then actually answer the question regarding how much of taste is based on nature vs nurture. The big takeaway is that parents should feed their kids the same thing 15 times to try to get them to have a taste for it before giving up.
Enjoy the show.
See the show notes at www.leonardnieman.com/podcast/11.
Support us at www.Patreon.com/understandlife.
2019-04-1819 minUnderstand Life10. Why do people like different foods? Nature vs. Nurture (Part 1)This week we start the discussion on the topic of "nature vs. nurture". We start out by discussing what each mean and the history of the beliefs. From there, we discuss how the truth is really in the middle and that the latest research is on how nature and nurture interact. This is just the first of two shows on the same topic.
Enjoy the show
See the show notes at www.leonardnieman.com/podcast/10.
Support us at www.patreon.com/understandlife.
2019-04-1221 minUnderstand Life9. Why do people like gifts = love languagesThis week we talk about the work of author Gary Chapman in his series of books about "love languages". We go over the 5 different love languages, some basics about each, and how knowing other people's love languages can help you to have a better relationship with them. The kids also discuss what their love languages are. I hope you can use this episode to learn about how to better express your love to those whom you care about.
Enjoy the show.
You can see the show notes at www.leonardnieman.com/podcast/9.
Please su...
2019-04-0523 minUnderstand Life8. Can I have a piece of gum?This week we talk about planning ahead. Planning ahead is a key component to making wise decisions, and making wise decisions is a key component to doing well in life. Therefore, planning ahead is extremely important in understanding life. We walk through why it's important to think ahead and use the idea of when it's a good time to have gum and when it isn't as an example of thinking ahead.
Enjoy the show.
Please visit the show notes page at www.leonardnieman.com/podcast/8.
Please support us at www.Patreon.com/understandlife.
2019-03-2821 minUnderstand Life7. Can we get another pet?This week, we talk all about pets. We cover what people get out of pets, why they get them, and why they should or should not. Also, we talk about being "dog people" or "cat people" and what you should take into consideration when deciding on getting a new pet.
Enjoy the show.
Please visit the show notes page at www.leonardnieman.com/podcast/7.
Please support us at www.Patreon.com/understandlife.
2019-03-2123 minUnderstand Life6. How do I get all this done?This week, we move from talking about budgeting money to budgeting time. We talk a lot about the similarities and differences between those two and then move into discussing ways to do a better job of getting everything done, or especially the most important things done.
Enjoy the Show!
Please visit the show notes page at www.leonardnieman.com/podcast/6.
Please support us at www.Patreon.com/understandlife.
2019-03-1423 minUnderstand Life5. What's our budget?This week, we continue to talk about budgeting by talking about the Alyssa and Malachi's budget that they have for their allowance. We walk through how they have to split their allowance and how they need to manage their "spending" money to buy gifts for people and other things.
Enjoy the show.
Please visit the show notes page at www.leonardnieman.com/podcast/5.
Please support us at www.Patreon.com/understandlife.
2019-03-0718 minUnderstand Life4. Why do you need a budget?This week, we talk about the value of budgeting. We go through our budget, from a high level, and talk about why you want to have a buffer in your checking account for those months when you spend a little more than average.
Enjoy the show.
Please visit the show notes page at www.leonardnieman.com/podcast/4 to download a blank version of my budget.
Please support us at www.Patreon.com/understandlife.
2019-02-2821 minUnderstand Life3. Maslow's Hierarchy (Part 2)This week we finish talking about Maslow's Hierarchy of needs.
The final three layers are "Love and Belonging", "Esteem", and "Self-Actualization". We explain what all three of these are and which of the needs most Americans really need to focus on.
Enjoy the show.
Please visit the show notes page at www.leonardnieman.com/podcast/3 to see the pictures we're talking about.
Please support us at www.Patreon.com/understandlife.
2019-02-2020 minUnderstand Life2. Maslow's Hierarchy (Part 1)This week, we go deeper into the question about what makes people happy by starting to talk about Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. What will make you the most happy depends on what else you already have in your life to make you happy.
Alyssa joins the podcast, so we also give a re-cap of what we covered last week on the spider chart.
Enjoy the show.
Please visit the show notes page at www.leonardnieman.com/podcast/2 to see the pictures we're talking about.
Please support us at www.Patreon.com/und...
2019-02-1322 minUnderstand Life1. What makes people happy? - Spider ChartWelcome to our new podcast: Understand Life. Join Leonard and Malachi Nieman in this episode about "What makes people happy?" We will talk about the latest psychological research on happiness and provide a few suggestions on things to do or ways to think in order to move yourself toward being a little bit happier. Enjoy the show.
Please visit the show notes page at www.leonardnieman.com/podcast/1.
Please support us at www.Patreon.com/understandlife.
2019-02-0621 min
Method To The MadnessMandy AftelHost Lisa Kiefer speaks with Mandy Aftel, author and natural perfume maker, about her new museum in Berkeley dedicated to perfume and the experience of fragrance, The Aftel Archive of Curious Scents.TRANSCRIPTSpeaker 1:Method to the madness is next. You are listening to method to the madness, a public affairs show on k a l x Barkley Celebrating Bay area innovators. I'm your host Lisa Kiefer, and today I'm speaking with Mandy Af [inaudible]. Mandy is one of the most sought after custom perfume makers in the world. Her first book on...
2017-10-1330 min