Hodgepodgecast

Positivity Pop-up! 9.26.2025

Sometimes the world feels a little heavy—so let’s flip the script with a burst of good news! In this Positivity Pop-up episode of HodgePodgeCast, I’m sharing three uplifting stories that remind us there’s still so much joy, creativity, and kindness out there. Stay curious—and come soak up the good vibes with me. Resources and Links Mentioned: * Engineering Student Turns Red Solo Cups into Stylish Sweaters [https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/engineering-student-turns-red-solo-cups-into-stylish-sweaters-that-dont-shed-microplastics/] * There’s a New Baby Boy in Cincinnati Zoo’s Gorilla World [https://cincinnatizoo.org/theres-a-new-baby-boy-in-cincinnati-zoos-gorilla-world/] * Woman Donates Lottery Winnings to Charities [https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/god-is-blessing-me-so-i-can-bless-others-woman-donates-lottery-winnings-to-charities/] * The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration [https://www.theaftd.org/] * Shalom Farms [https://shalomfarms.org/] * Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society [https://www.nmcrs.org/about-us]   Have suggestion? Reach out via my website: www.hodgepodgecast.net  Music provided by: Silly Intro by Alexander Nakarada (CreatorChords) | https://creatorchords.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons / Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

HodgePodgeCast S1 E3: Cleveland BalloonFest 1986

Listen in as Mur tells Jess the story of when 1,400,000 balloons were released in Cleveland's town square. It took a lot of work to pull this off and we'll do our best to fill you in!    Resources: 2023-Qualatex-latex-polymer-Test.pdf. Qulatex Latex Polymer Test. (n.d.). https://pioneerballooncompany.widen.net/s/26ns5sgqcd/2023-qualatex-latex-polymer-test   All-america city award- celebrating the best in Civic Engagement. National Civic League. (2025, January 31). https://www.nationalcivicleague.org/america-city-award/   Cleveland.com. (2024, May 25). BalloonFest 1986: What Really Happened?. YouTube. https://youtu.be/MIM-pJP5A0o?si=CRfXC0O2P2QuBK09   Guerrieri, V. (2023, December 15). Balloonfest made Cleveland a laughingstock. did it deserve it?. Defector. https://defector.com/balloonfest-made-cleveland-a-laughingstock-did-it-deserve-it   Newman, V. (2024, November 18). Rested Guinness World Records titles and why we no longer monitor them. Guinness World Records. https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2024/11/rested-guinness-world-records-titles-and-why-we-no-longer-monitor-them   Quinn, C. (2024, May 31). Where truth ends and fake news begins on Cleveland’s 1986 balloonfest: Letter from the editor. cleveland. https://www.cleveland.com/news/2023/06/where-truth-ends-and-fake-news-begins-on-clevelands-1986-balloonfest-letter-from-the-editor.html   Record policies. Guinness World Records. (n.d.). https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/records/record-policies   Sheridan, T. (n.d.). Thom Sheridan. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/thom.sheridan/posts/pfbid0qVDd6havqPqQvu3QknXfijSjaYcHRV1D2K44pqdKCVjwhLY7MWTQ9qEoTodjnfJ3l   Walker, T. (2021, January 12). YouTube. https://youtu.be/-j1AeV-n8j4?si=tFUCPaLYDMzDq-wC   Wikimedia Foundation. (2024a, November 17). Balloon release. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balloon_release#:~:text=A%20balloon%20release%20in%201986,balloons%20in%20a%20single%20release   Wikimedia Foundation. (2024b, December 17). Timeline of Cleveland. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiiomeline_of_Cleveland   Wikimedia Foundation. (2025, February 1). Hough riots. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hough_riots     Music provided by:   Silly Intro by Alexander Nakarada (CreatorChords) | https://creatorchords.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons / Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

HodgePodgeCast S1, E2: Personality Changes in Organ Donor Recipients

Mur and Sara discuss the incredible story of Claire Sylvia, a heart-lung transplant survivor who felt a deep connection to her donor.    Resources for this episode: 1. G. Jung Institute of New England. (n.d.). C.G. Jung Institute of New England. CG Jung Institute NE. https://cgjungne.com/about-us/c-g-jung-institute-new-england/ Liester, M. B. (2020). Personality changes following heart transplantation: The role of cellular memory. Medical Hypotheses, 135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mehy.2019.109468 Pearsall, P., Schwartz, G. E. R., & Russek, L. G. S. (2000). Changes in heart transplant recipients that parallel the personalities of their donors. Integrative Medicine, 2(2–3), 65–72. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1096-2190(00)00013-5 Sylvia, C., & Novak, W. (1998). A change of heart: A memoir. Warner Books.   Music provided by: Silly Intro by Alexander Nakarada (CreatorChords) | https://creatorchords.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons / Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

HodgePodgeCast Episode 1: I Have a Bridge to Sell You

Mur and Jenny explore the phrase: If you believe that, I have a bridge in Brooklyn for sale!   Resources for this episode: Ancestry®. (n.d.-a). U.S. Immigration in the 1800s. U.S. Immigration in the 1800s | Ancestry® Family History Learning Hub. https://www.ancestry.com/c/family-history-learning-hub/1800-us-immigration#:~:text=In%20the%20years%20between%201880,escape%20increasing%20oppression%20and%20violence. Brooklyn Bridge. NYC DOT - Brooklyn Bridge. (n.d.). https://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/infrastructure/brooklyn-bridge.shtml#:~:text=The%20Brooklyn%20Bridge%20was%20designed,and%20was%20completed%20in%201883. Clancy, C. J. (2024, December 12). The man who “sold” the brooklyn bridge, statue of liberty, and Ulysses Grant’s tomb. IrishCentral.com. https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/man-sold-brooklyn-bridge-statue-of-liberty John a roebling suspension bridge > bridge history. John A Roebling Suspension Bridge. (n.d.). https://roeblingbridge.org/Bridge-History Nelson, T. (2021, July 1). “capt.” George C. Parker (1860-1937) -... Find a Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/229047420/george-c.-parker New World Encyclopedia. (n.d.). Confidence game. New World Encyclopedia. https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Confidence_game Sifakis, C. (1993). Parker, George C. Brooklyn Bridge impressario. In Hoaxes and Scams A Compendium of Deceptions, Ruses and Swindles (pp. 198–199). story, Facts on File.    Music provided by: Silly Intro by Alexander Nakarada (CreatorChords) | https://creatorchords.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons / Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Siren Soapbox Episode 147: Commonly Misused Phrases

Do you think you know what these phrases mean? * The early bird gets the worm! * Blood is thicker than water. * Great minds think alike. * Jack of all trades. Think again, fellow explorers! In this episode, the Sirens explore phrases that are commonly misused. If you love this episode, the conversation continues on Patreon where you’ll get exclusive content, including our conversations after the episode wraps: Siren Soapbox on Patreon [https://patreon.com/SirenSoapbox?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link]   Check out this video of birds flying in perfect sync! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dskCpuxqtI [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dskCpuxqtI]  Support us by buying us a (virtual) coffee and help keep the adventure train running! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sirens [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/sirens]