Roundtable: NBA Playoffs, Magnifica Humanitas, and The Mandalorian and Grogu

Roundtable: NBA Playoffs, Magnifica Humanitas, and The Mandalorian and Grogu

Three Big Conversations: 1. The OKC Thunder have become the NBA's favorite villain [https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/why-shai-gilgeous-alexander-falls-a-lot-because-it-works-153611079.html] - 10:00 2. Pope Leo publishes an AI manifesto [https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/speeches/2026/may/documents/20260525-presentazione-enciclica.html] - 20:14 3. The Mandalorian and Grogu had a disappointing first weekend. [https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/may/25/the-mandalorian-and-grogu-has-lowest-box-office-opening-for-a-star-wars-film-in-disney-era] - 35:50 → Help us improve our podcast! Click here to fill out this three-minute survey. [https://forms.gle/LGhzMg5WUmJHMLqK9] Song of the Week - "the cure" by Olivia Rodrigo [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbbrZTfjkdk] - 3:16 → Click here [https://genius.com/Olivia-rodrigo-the-cure-lyrics] to read the lyrics → Click here [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbbrZTfjkdk] to listen to the song (language) In Other News: - 42:40 1. Small "dot cakes," baked in cups, and covered in frosting and rainbow nonpareil sprinkles, are going viral [https://people.com/what-are-dot-cakes-viral-sprinkle-topped-cake-cups-explained-11983286]. The colorful aesthetic of these cakes is just half of the appeal, with the other part being the satisfying scrape [https://www.tiktok.com/@.jackcook/video/7644226697201470750?q=dot%20cake&t=1779905796394] of a spoon being dragged across the top. 2. A new YPulse report [https://www.ypulse.com/article/2026/05/19/how-deep-gaming-runs-for-gen-z-guys-in-3-stats/] found that 87% of 13- to 24-year-old guys agree with the statement, "I am a gamer," suggesting that online gaming continues to be one of the fastest-growing social spaces for boys and young men. 3. A newly published report from the American Bible Society found that 38% of parents are regularly engaged with the Bible, as opposed to 23% of nonparents. A ton of other interesting statistics are included in the latest chapter of their State of the Bible report, linked here [https://sotb.americanbible.org/report/state-of-the-bible-usa-2026/?redirect_to=%2Freport%2Fstate-of-the-bible-usa-2026%2F&login=invalid_email&login-error=true®istered=katew@axis.org]. 4. DIY "cyberdecks" are the latest tech trend [https://www.teenvogue.com/story/diy-cyberdecks-newest-analog-trend-taking-social-media] on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@sagecadence_/video/7627603713930038558?q=cyber%20deck%20builds&t=1779905979967]. Creators are using Raspberry Pi mini computers to build whimsical homemade devices inside of retro purses, Game Boys, or briefcases. 5. Off Campus [https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/off-campus-ratings-amazon-prime-video-1236759095/] has become Gen Z's latest #BookTok-adapted TV obsession, landing as Prime Video's biggest debut ever among viewers aged 18-34. Common Sense Media [https://www.commonsensemedia.org/tv-reviews/off-campus] flagged the series for extreme explicit sexual content. 🎧 Listen / Follow / Connect → Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. [https://axis.org/thetable] → Check out the podcast now on our YouTube Channel! [https://www.youtube.com/@axisconversations/podcasts] → Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org [ask@axis.org]. → For more Axis resources, go to axis.org [http://axis.org/].

CT: NBA Playoffs, Magnifica Humanitas, and The Mandalorian and Grogu

The OKC Thunder have become the NBA's favorite villain [https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/why-shai-gilgeous-alexander-falls-a-lot-because-it-works-153611079.html], Pope Leo publishes an AI manifesto [https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/speeches/2026/may/documents/20260525-presentazione-enciclica.html], and The Mandalorian and Grogu had a disappointing first weekend. [https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/may/25/the-mandalorian-and-grogu-has-lowest-box-office-opening-for-a-star-wars-film-in-disney-era] → Help us improve our podcast! Click here to fill out this three-minute survey. [https://forms.gle/LGhzMg5WUmJHMLqK9] Song of the Week - "the cure" by Olivia Rodrigo [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbbrZTfjkdk] → Click here [https://genius.com/Olivia-rodrigo-the-cure-lyrics] to read the lyrics → Click here [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbbrZTfjkdk] to listen to the song (language) In Other News: 1. Small "dot cakes," baked in cups, and covered in frosting and rainbow nonpareil sprinkles, are going viral [https://people.com/what-are-dot-cakes-viral-sprinkle-topped-cake-cups-explained-11983286]. The colorful aesthetic of these cakes is just half of the appeal, with the other part being the satisfying scrape [https://www.tiktok.com/@.jackcook/video/7644226697201470750?q=dot%20cake&t=1779905796394] of a spoon being dragged across the top. 2. A new YPulse report [https://www.ypulse.com/article/2026/05/19/how-deep-gaming-runs-for-gen-z-guys-in-3-stats/] found that 87% of 13- to 24-year-old guys agree with the statement, "I am a gamer," suggesting that online gaming continues to be one of the fastest-growing social spaces for boys and young men. 3. A newly published report from the American Bible Society found that 38% of parents are regularly engaged with the Bible, as opposed to 23% of nonparents. A ton of other interesting statistics are included in the latest chapter of their State of the Bible report, linked here [https://sotb.americanbible.org/report/state-of-the-bible-usa-2026/?redirect_to=%2Freport%2Fstate-of-the-bible-usa-2026%2F&login=invalid_email&login-error=true®istered=katew@axis.org]. 4. DIY "cyberdecks" are the latest tech trend [https://www.teenvogue.com/story/diy-cyberdecks-newest-analog-trend-taking-social-media] on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@sagecadence_/video/7627603713930038558?q=cyber%20deck%20builds&t=1779905979967]. Creators are using Raspberry Pi mini computers to build whimsical homemade devices inside of retro purses, Game Boys, or briefcases. 5. Off Campus [https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/off-campus-ratings-amazon-prime-video-1236759095/] has become Gen Z's latest #BookTok-adapted TV obsession, landing as Prime Video's biggest debut ever among viewers aged 18-34. Common Sense Media [https://www.commonsensemedia.org/tv-reviews/off-campus] flagged the series for extreme explicit sexual content. 🎧 Listen / Follow / Connect → Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. [https://axis.org/thetable] → Check out the podcast now on our YouTube Channel! [https://www.youtube.com/@axisconversations/podcasts] → Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org [ask@axis.org]. → For more Axis resources, go to axis.org [http://axis.org/].

Motherhood and Building Intentional Community with Ashlee Gadd and Katie Blackburn

Ashlee has spent years helping moms navigate the tension between modern motherhood and creativity. She's a writer, editor, and the founder of Coffee + Crumbs [https://www.coffeeandcrumbs.net/], the home of essays that have resonated across the internet, meeting millennial moms where they are. She's also the writer of Create Anyway, [https://www.amazon.com/Create-Anyway-Pursuing-Creativity-Motherhood/dp/0764240048] a book about nurturing creativity in the margins. The Coffee and Crumbs writers' collective has created two beautiful books, The Magic of Motherhood [https://www.coffeeandcrumbs.net/book-old]. You're In Good Company [https://www.amazon.com/Youre-Good-Company-Friendship-Motherhood/dp/B0FMTGBN2J/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1IQN6NEL1UW71&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Mhr56FbFlhgnP2y9mG7NkIZhqFuUeybVOutOKwUxtOwF6up_25Fv3lS1aNSOrUW0yDg8EtAHy89YyDV3fTNPAmV0K6nEHnRrp8R8h5uKPQkm_OWPRQstkGsHTaeJ9I3aFNuwvxOg5cijpd-rDvdq8nKq8SPGN3nt8A9-heSp8v3TQQnWlV8nZ16y3PXe3VRfLnwLt4QUSlnJwEU7m0hO9v4MYiV4a88mYYdmiIY5eQs.An6ZNfPl3kCAYCBZkCWn5ntiljM-PbnxWmCLUHs-s0A&dib_tag=se&keywords=you%27re+in+good+company&qid=1779771093&s=books&sprefix=youre+in+good+company%2Cstripbooks%2C180&sr=1-1], their latest collection of essays about how community shapes motherhood, was just released last month. We are also joined by author and speaker Katie Blackburn, whose writing has encouraged so many readers through its honesty about motherhood, disability, faith, and how to keep creating when life takes an unexpected turn. Katie has this rare ability to write about difficult things with both depth and warmth, and her story touches on everything from foster care and adoption to resilience and the everyday grace that carries families through impossible seasons. Katie is also a mom of six, a devoted cyclist, and the writer of three books: an essay collection called Gluing the Cracks [https://www.amazon.com/Gluing-Cracks-Reflections-Motherhood-Disability/dp/B0BC59LZSY/ref=sr_1_1?crid=GN4VL4YX4O9M&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.7eKl-tet3CfgYVE4L3B8DtSuf0iduz4HSaheFbXeztPVg4HjVBurWoCvBkZnfGhKncJu1Hgi7LIymzOIPG6WTq_CDqKLAFG_fsglo1bwXhEtg7TCDZNFIIwB2LAJy5mOrLkgWAJnbWTwL2OA1ICkTZqLxOqQX7Y-I0WYzuJ9UyzqApiM6jYAjd0oaPiHCZXtLp7mVS4vOtyhKwq8BJFqGnUrZu88oOhjq_SlMAnkyao.US8DoCMF0D9vqQzeWJoNDzVV2B3578tbBnVA0lOO1cc&dib_tag=se&keywords=Gluing+the+Cracks&qid=1779771183&s=audible&sprefix=gluing+the+cracks%2Caudible%2C203&sr=1-1], a children's book about adaptive sports called The Very Best Baseball Game [https://www.amazon.com/Very-Best-Baseball-Game-Disability/dp/1430097337], and the forthcoming essay collection, Grace Will Be There. [https://www.amazon.com/Grace-Will-Be-There-Finding/dp/0802434045] → Click here to check out the Coffee and Crumbs Podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coffee-crumbs-podcast/id1093725475] 🎧 Listen / Follow / Connect → Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. [https://axis.org/thetable] → Check out the podcast now on our YouTube Channel! [https://www.youtube.com/@axisconversations/podcasts] → Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org [ask@axis.org]. → For more Axis resources, go to axis.org [http://axis.org/].

Roundtable: Fear of God Hoodies, Freemasonry, and Social Media Gore

→ Help us improve our podcast! Click here to fill out this three-minute survey. [https://forms.gle/LGhzMg5WUmJHMLqK9] Three Big Conversations: 1. The Freemasons are recruiting [https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/new-generation-freemasons-london-social-media-b1281264.html] heavily from Gen Z - 10:22 2. What parents need to know about how gore travels online [https://slate.com/technology/2026/05/teens-gore-violence-internet-cult.html] - 25:26 3. A brand called Fear of God sells must-have hoodies [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOBWM3ZApEk] - 39:12 Song of the Week: "Janice ST*U" by Drake [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOBWM3ZApEk] - 3:04 → Click here to read the lyrics [https://genius.com/Drake-janice-stfu-lyrics] In Other News: - 51:28 The Mandalorian and Grogu, a Star Wars adventure starring Pedro Pascal and his travel-sized "baby Yoda" sidekick, is expected [https://deadline.com/2026/05/box-office-star-wars-mandalorian-and-grogu-preview-1236915788/] to earn $160 million this weekend. A new Instagram feature called "Instants [https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2026/05/14/instagram-instants-reaction/90080295007/]" allows users to send quick, unedited photos through direct messages. Similar to features on Snapchat and BeReal, Instants disappear within 24 hours, or after they're viewed. The American Music Awards (AMAs) will air [https://www.theamas.com/2026/05/more-performers-announced-for-the-52nd-american-music-awards/] on Monday, May 25, and feature performances from KATSEYE, Teddy Swims, and sombr—as well as the Pussycat Dolls and Busta Rhymes. Spotify celebrated its app's twentieth anniversary with a suite of special listening history features, and also temporarily switched its icon to a glowing green mirror ball. But the logo switch was confusing, and users became irate [https://variety.com/2026/digital/news/spotify-backlash-disco-ball-icon-regular-logo-return-1236752594/]. Teen Vogue predicts [https://www.teenvogue.com/story/biggest-fashion-trends] that the wave of preppy, 90s fashion nostalgia will continue to swell into the summer, with bandanas, sweaters tied around the waist, checkered and polka-dotted prints, and loafers with socks all trending. 🎧 Listen / Follow / Connect → Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. [https://axis.org/thetable] → Check out the podcast now on our YouTube Channel! [https://www.youtube.com/@axisconversations/podcasts] → Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org [ask@axis.org]. → For more Axis resources, go to axis.org [http://axis.org/].

CT: Fear of God Hoodies, Freemasonry, and Social Media Gore

A brand called Fear of God sells must-have hoodies [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOBWM3ZApEk], the Freemasons are recruiting [https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/new-generation-freemasons-london-social-media-b1281264.html] heavily from Gen Z, and what parents need to know about how gore travels online [https://slate.com/technology/2026/05/teens-gore-violence-internet-cult.html]. Song of the Week: "Janice ST*U" by Drake [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOBWM3ZApEk] → Click here to read the lyrics [https://genius.com/Drake-janice-stfu-lyrics] → Click here for A Parent's Guide to Loneliness [https://axis.org/resource/a-parent-guide-to-loneliness/] → Help us improve our podcast! Click here to fill out this three-minute survey. [https://forms.gle/LGhzMg5WUmJHMLqK9] In Other News: The Mandalorian and Grogu, a Star Wars adventure starring Pedro Pascal and his travel-sized "baby Yoda" sidekick, is expected [https://deadline.com/2026/05/box-office-star-wars-mandalorian-and-grogu-preview-1236915788/] to earn $160 million this weekend. A new Instagram feature called "Instants [https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2026/05/14/instagram-instants-reaction/90080295007/]" allows users to send quick, unedited photos through direct messages. Similar to features on Snapchat and BeReal, Instants disappear within 24 hours, or after they're viewed. The American Music Awards (AMAs) will air [https://www.theamas.com/2026/05/more-performers-announced-for-the-52nd-american-music-awards/] on Monday, May 25, and feature performances from KATSEYE, Teddy Swims, and sombr—as well as the Pussycat Dolls and Busta Rhymes. Spotify celebrated its app's twentieth anniversary with a suite of special listening history features, and also temporarily switched its icon to a glowing green mirror ball. But the logo switch was confusing, and users became irate [https://variety.com/2026/digital/news/spotify-backlash-disco-ball-icon-regular-logo-return-1236752594/]. Teen Vogue predicts [https://www.teenvogue.com/story/biggest-fashion-trends] that the wave of preppy, 90s fashion nostalgia will continue to swell into the summer, with bandanas, sweaters tied around the waist, checkered and polka-dotted prints, and loafers with socks all trending. 🎧 Listen / Follow / Connect → Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. [https://axis.org/thetable] → Check out the podcast now on our YouTube Channel! [https://www.youtube.com/@axisconversations/podcasts] → Get your question on Ask Axis! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org [ask@axis.org]. → For more Axis resources, go to axis.org [http://axis.org/].