http://zenisstupid.com Each week Gwen and Patrick discuss a different aspect of being young, hip, and zen in the modern world. (Hey, that sentence makes it sound like we know what we're doing!) Fri, 19 Mar 2010 08:24:02 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Hey, how'd you end up here!?  All the actions over at THE MINDFULIST now! http://zenisstupid.com/?p=225 This episode marks three years of Zen is Stupid, and that seems like as good a place as any to have our curtain call.  Everything must end! We'll keep the episodes up here as a bumbling testimony to the power of friendship and zen. (And if you want to give us a ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=221 Thinking about the end of the world will teach you a lot about yourself. Links mentioned: Svalbard Seed bank. Idiocracy, one of our favorites. 2012 The Road (By the way, don't mixup two movies, it's very confusing for the person you're talking to) Gwen writes more about death and dying here. http://zenisstupid.com/?p=220 This podcast is about having affairs.  And having an affair is about craving.  We hash it out.  Plus, Patrick gets preachy! Links mentioned: "Life is short, have an affair!" Commercial.  For those of you playing along at home An interview with the founder of the infidelty match-up site. The Vanity Fair article about ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=218 Patrick's had evolution on the brain ever since he started writing his new book about the modern humans odd position of sitting in front of screens all day.  One thing leads to another and soon enough Gwen's teaching him how to pitch it better.  Zany! Links mentioned: Ooh look bugs ate ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=216 We all dream of a life of leisure.  But what happens when you actually get it? Links mentioned: Gwen's post on Costa Rican life. http://zenisstupid.com/?p=214 It's a new year, and we think about all the ways people try to improve themselves with the latest gadgetry.  Plus, optometrist shop lady storytime! Links mentioned: Find out why Chinese restaurant buddhas are all fat. http://zenisstupid.com/?p=212 A meandering stroll through what it means to give something a name and the possibilities of changing that name.    Links mentioned: A list of celebrities' real names. Find out the history of your name. What the Buck! Tibetan Names.  The tag line for this site is "Tibetan names for your dog, horse, cat, pet or ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=210 The end of the year brings about a torrent of "best of lists."   We think about the yearly ritual of choosing what was best and worst in a given orbit of the sun. Links mentioned: Gwen's Best 09 Challenge.  Here's the help page.  Start today!  If it's not December when you're reading ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=207 Getting down in the gritty details of some of the novel issues brought up by new media.  Your grandparents can't give you any advice on this stuff, these problems have only been around for a couple of years! Links mentioned: Yo yo check out Patrick Reynolds's star turn as the freakin Mandroid ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=205 Gwen is such a terrible cook that Patrick won't even let her step foot in his kitchen. We try to get to the bottom of this phenomenon and question what makes a person believe they are inherently good or bad at anything. Links mentioned: Rick Astley Rick Rolls the Macy's Thanksgiving ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=203 Are all these sites and lists about making your life simpler actually making anyone's lives simpler? Links mentioned: How your digestive system works.  This will take some time to read. The episode of South Park which destroys Family Guy Dave Bruno's 100 Things Challenge 365 days of the same dress Merlin Mann brings the ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=201 Living abroad can do strange things to a person, here's what to look out for and how it applies even to people who never leave their hometown.  And some wicked travel/expat hacks.   Links mentioned: Learn Japanese on your DS!  (Note that this will not actually help you speak Japanese.  But it'll make ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=198 Commercial flight has only been around for 80 years, and we're still figuring out how to handle life thousands of feet off the ground.  Some stories and tips from the friendly skies. http://zenisstupid.com/?p=196 Buddhism goes on and on about not clinging, but our culture goes on and on about achieving your pre-set goals.  Discuss. Links mentioned: The post that got us talking about this, a piece by John Scalzi about a New York Times article by Tim Krieder. Forbes 100 most powerful women for 2009. Maureen ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=194 Gwen gets some bad news from the dentist and it sparks a conversation about staying healthy, in a big picture kind of way.   Links mentioned: Galactic cosmic rays! The 50,000 foot view, according to David Allen. Mountains and Rivers Order of Zen Books mentioned: Minding the Body, Mending the Mind Full Catastrophe Living http://zenisstupid.com/?p=191 What's the Zen way out of a vicious rumor?  Plus, Patrick's rash, sleeping with students, buddhism and the internet, and more plugs than a hair replacement clinic. Links mentioned: Brad and his monkey. The Buddhist Precepts.  Everyone has slightly different versions but these are a good representation. The XX Factor video on "the ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=189 When you screw up bad and are deeply embarrassed, how do you move on and not dwell on, while learning something from it all?  And maybe not be such an idiot next time? Links mentioned: SNL does Jeopardy!  Sorry only US residents get to watch Hulu.  Nyah nyah. POTUS weighs in on Kanye. Don't ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=187 There are people spending hours and hours a day trying to figure out how to make you crave and buy stuff to fill the void inside yourself.  How does a thoughtful person deal with that? Links mentioned: The climax of The Endless Summer.  Watch when you need to chill. Mad Men.  We likey!  ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=185 Want to know how hardcore we are?  A generic pop-song sends us into deep introspection of the futility of existence.  Then Gwen tries to pull the old fuddy-duddy card on Patrick but ends up playing it on herself.  Mozoltov! Links mentioned : The song and video in question. http://zenisstupid.com/?p=183 We know we should do the right thing, but the tough part is figuring out what the right thing to do is. Add to the mix that as you grow up "the right thing" takes on different shades of meaning, and you've got yourself a lot of sticky questions. Links mentioned: You ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=181 At a recent conference, Gwen witnesses people cheat, beg, and steal swag.  What is it about free stuff that makes us lose our perspective? http://zenisstupid.com/?p=179 Gwen is up all night waiting to be murdered, despite knowing this is a crazy thing to worry about.  The question arises, why are our minds and imaginations so damn unruly?   Links mentioned: Parappa the Rappa training stage. Books mentioned: Peter Ralston : Zen Body Being.  This link goes to a sample text on ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=177 ...coming soon!  Busy summer, plus Gwen just moved.  Dissatisfied listeners as always will be given a 300% rebate on the price of the podcast. http://zenisstupid.com/?p=174 We're aware of the problem with the Itunes not downloading correctly.  It's something happening server side and we're trying to figure out what to do about it.  In the meantime, all the episodes are available for streaming on this site. -the managment **Update** everything's working again after some email exchanges with the ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=173 A few people have asked us to talk about what to do when your partner doesn't practice.  Here's our amateurish and mottled take on it. Continue the discussion below.  How have you dealt with this situation? Links mentioned: The all girl AC/DC cover band Hells Belles. Authors mentioned: Charlotte Joko Beck Pema Chodron Sharon Salzberg http://zenisstupid.com/?p=171 How to balance eating well, fitness, career, and the people who want to drag you down as you try to have it all. Links mentioned: **Here's the magical secret link!  Look at me!** Our other podcasts on eating well.  This one, this one, and who could forget this one. Food Inc. could have ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=169 Patrick borrows Gwen's social skills to deal with some chromosone challenged wallflowers.  A good time is had by all. Links mentioned: An article about how being able to read faces is key for social interaction. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly trailer.  Skip the movie read the book! Books mentioned: If you don't want ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=167 Hey did you hear about that terrible thing happening in that far-away place that you know nothing about and can have no impact on!?  You gotta get INVOLVED man! Links mentioned:  Jim Davis, creator of Garfield, has no kokoro. But we like this song Cucurrucucu a lot. Gwen's scathing post on the concept ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=164 To make up for the long absence due to Gwen's technical difficulties, we went storytime bananas this episode.  Still working out the audio so the Elton John in Patrick is NOT satisfied with this quality.  But hey, it's not like you paid for it... yet.  Also Patrick never gets around ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=162 Patrick tries to get that happy-go-lucky feeling back that he never really had in the first place.  Plus,  funbrows, factoids, flow, and fabulous dancing. Links mentioned:  Gwen's adventure in ThemePark Land World. The original classic, Jizz In My Pants The inferior knock-off that tries to sell you crap, Puke In My Mouth. Books mentioned: An excerpt ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=161 Making friends with death so that you'll be better at life. Links mentioned:  The Guardian's moving photo series of people before and just after they've died. http://zenisstupid.com/?p=159 Who are all these people trolling the internet searching for things to label as "fail?" Why are we so afraid of screwing up? Plus, cool beans. Links mentioned: The NY Times article, Earplugs to Lasers article on concentration. A post from Merlin Mann about embracing "Courageous Sucking". Gwen's post on burning grilled ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=157 Dealing with that bewildering species of fauna, the Dudicus Radicalus. Links mentioned: Autotune! In our detailed research for this podcast, we came across this excellent resource for more information on rad dudes, http://www.rad-dudes.com.  That's where we pulled the above picture from. (Music from  Mr. Macleod at Incompetech) http://zenisstupid.com/?p=155 How did Gwen naturally come out with a healthy relationship with food?  Why does Patrick inhale brownies like there's no tomorrow? Links mentioned: You heard that right, Gwen went and signed herself up for Patrick's Peak Condition Project!  Follow her progress here. Get up close and personal with freaky Abraham Lincoln with ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=143 If you spend hours a day in front of a screen, a swift punch to the gut might be more grounding than an hour of meditation. Move people! Links mentioned: George Packer's blog about the NYC roofer and yuppie buffers. Parody video of Microsoft's "PCs for Poor People" campaign. The future of Nanoblogging, ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=112 Behold the decaf Patrick!  A meandering conversation that touches on transferring your practice to real life, skillful teaching, and dealing with people who want your attention.  Plus Gwen reveals her new company's name and asks for feedback, so people, feed us back yo! Links mentioned: The new Sacha Baron Cohen movie ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=111 Do we really manifest our thoughts, or is that a vanity of Westerners at the top of the economic food chain?  Plus, Patrick reveals his next big idea. Links mentioned: Wikipedia has a nice critique of The Law of Attraction. The NYT piece about how we are all reading "The Daily Me." Books ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=108 We get back to basics in this episode.  Enjoy and thanks for listening. http://zenisstupid.com/?p=106 With Gwen in Mexico and me Intercontinental we couldn't get an episode out this week.  As usual you will be refunded the full price of the podcast! -Patrick http://zenisstupid.com/?p=105 If you're trying to live well and be mindful, why must you wear loose flowing linens?  Why can't you look cool like us?  Storytime break halfway through. http://zenisstupid.com/?p=103 This is a very special storytime that we caught on tape but weren't sure what to do with.  Our ode to the wintry north.  Plus some other stuff.  Thanks to everyone who made this possible. http://zenisstupid.com/?p=96 We sit around the fireside and swap stories about how we got into Zen and how it got into us.  Plus some tips for beginners based on our vast armory of past mistakes. Links mentioned: Patrick's Video Guide for Zazen Beginners.  Books mentioned:  Dinty W. Moore's The Accidental Buddhist. http://zenisstupid.com/?p=101 A B-List reality program lifts the veil on the ugly truth of class consciousness in America.  We discuss between Gwen's mouthfuls of curry. http://zenisstupid.com/?p=99 One of the ZIS duo is tying the knot, and it's not the girly one.  Congratulations Gwen!  But how do you stay cool when everyone around you is cheezing out? Links mentioned: Gwen and Joel dot com. Books mentioned: Ariel Stallings' The Offbeat Bride. 7 Principles for Making Marriage Work by John Gottman. http://zenisstupid.com/?p=97 Yes, Patrick has caved and joined Facebook, discussion ensues and there might be something to be learned from all of this connectivity, but the truth is you'll probably just waste 28 minutes of your precious human rebirth.Links mentioned: The Slate article that broke Patrick's back. Grethin Rubin's Happiness Project.  Like Zen is ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=94 Every week hundreds of these things come out, promising to bring health and happiness to the masses.  They're so much a part of our modern wallpaper that we don't think about them much, but they do have an impact on our psyches.  Discuss! Links mentioned: Kroger supermarkets, old skool baby! Tricyle Magazine Shambala ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=92 Patrick is appalled at Gwen's living conditions and tries to do something about it. Links mentioned: One of our favorites, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. Gwen got herself organized using the Itso interlocking system. Books mentioned: Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui, by Karen Kingston.  Lots of new age mumbo jumbo but some ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=90 Working with stress constructively and without a bunch of new agey nonsense. Links mentioned:  Tetris for the next generation: Lumines! A cool little tutorial on how to draw anime eyes. A very thourough site on stress management. http://zenisstupid.com/?p=88 25 minutes chock-full of tips, tricks, and life-hacks to get your New Year started right.  Plus, one of our favorite sports, life-coach bashing! Links mentioned: Want to quit smoking? Pull out your DS and pop in My Stop Smoking Coach with Allen Carr A much finer podcast, WNYC's Radiolab Zen Habits 43 Things Omnifocus for ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=87 A yoga class prompts some introspection about how to keep your beginner's mind when  you're the mack-daddy.  Plus, cross-stitching monkeys! More funny action figure yoga can be found at Yogabeans. Links mentioned: The next generation of wholistic healthcare happening now at Duke University. A no-frills web-bio of Dr. Dean Ornish.  He's an interesting ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=85 Our random thoughts on the mixed up feelings this time of year brings on. Links mentioned: If you want more of Gwen's advice for dealing with the holiday season, check out her article on Real Simple. http://zenisstupid.com/?p=83 A trip to the gamestore prompts a conversation about the individual's responsibility within a corporate structure.  Plus, Christmas storytime! Links mentioned: The Flight of the Conchords video in which the eternal question is asked, "Are hermaphrodites into themselves?" And if anyone wants to game with Patrick his gamertag is "deadwoodsweep".  Send a message! http://zenisstupid.com/?p=81 Is it possible to truly give something without expecting anything in return?  And do all relationships have a self-interested angle to them?  We have no idea. Links mentioned: The article about Sugardaddies. Want your own Sugar Daddy?  Here's the site that will hook you up. http://zenisstupid.com/?p=80 A burger chain we don't even want to name lest they get better search results launches an ad campaign that seems to sum up everything that's wrong with the world in one fell, well produced sweep.  We consider giving up. Links mentioned: The abominable ad campaign in question. Worldmapper.org, where the maps are ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=78 One of our biggest problems is getting in over our heads with projects because we can't seem to say no when people ask us to do stuff.  Are we being good helpful buddhists or weak willed losers? Links mentioned: This page will help you not sound like a moron when you ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=77 The spaces we inhabit and how they change our human experience.  Zen is Stupid now comes with twice the random tangents, all at the same low low price. Links mentioned: Shiba Inu Puppy Cam : Beware, the cuteness might make your heart might explode in your chest cavity. Cuddle up with an Ugly ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=75 A sprawling talk on the various ways technology is changing how we live and interact, and how to handle all this change with a dash of zen wisdom.  Or not.  Plus, storytime! Links mentioned: School of Rock, we like! Kung Fu Panda, we like! Books mentioned: Check it out, you can read the first ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=73 Patrick fretitates on his inability to attain elected office, while Gwen is the cool-headed one for once.  Our mics were on the fritz so the audio is back to the bad old days.  Working on it.  Links mentioned : Gwen's ranking among the top 50 most influential women in social media. And Gwen ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=72 The first half of this podcast is a talk about gender issues, the second about dealing with the disappointments of life.  They connect in there somewhere, but we can't tell you how. Links mentioned: For more on Seasonal Affective Disorder click here. A video of The Loreleis that gives you a pretty good ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=71 This show is all over the map but we're really just talking about one thing.  How your life and the choices within it are all the result of thought patterns  that you've built up over the years.  The challenge of Zen is to confront and break up these habitual patterns ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=69 All about the internet and how we use it to run our lives, and how it runs ours.  This ends up just being a fretful meditation, hereon know as a "fretitation" on pop culture in general. Links mentioned: Here's a link to Gwen's Productivity Guru, David Allen.  For the record, he ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=68 A talk about how the world seems to break down into dualities, male/female, liberal/conservative, thinking/feeling, intuitive/scientific and on and on.  Plus, the first ever appearance of a guest on our show!  Very strange! Here's the front door for the racism test.  It's awesome, they make you click a disclaimer that says ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=66 In this podcast we play a few riffs off of a central theme, that what we perceive is almost entirely manufactured within our own minds and then projected onto the world.   Forgetting this fundamental fact is the root off stress and conflict.  Links mentioned: Ito-en... sponsor us...  We drink a lot of ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=65 Hey everyone.  Went to edit our most recent podcast and found Gwen's audio track was stuttery and all over the place, kind of a Max Headroom effect.  It couldn't be salvaged, even considering the very low standards of Zen is Stupid. So we'll do another one some time this week if ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=63 A rambling off-topic discussion (us? rambling? off-topic?) about travel, vacations, and what we can learn about our own and other cultures by hopping on a plane every once in a while. (Music from Team America World Police)   http://zenisstupid.com/?p=61 Does having a constant inner PR agent undermine our effort to reduce the ego? Plus, Patrick takes it like a little girl. Links mentioned: The one and only Dooce. The video game podcast Patrick mentions was the July 3, 2007 episode of 1up Yours. You best not mess with Pema Chodron's tea, sucka! http://zenisstupid.com/?p=59 Some new developments in food technology get us asking where exactly our limits and attachments are. Links mentioned: Mmm... shmeat. And a page of placenta recipes! Mouth-watering! And last but not least... Human Flavored Tofu! Hufu... simply delectable! All the great flavor of eating humans without the guilt! (Music from Kevin ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=58 Stuff White People Like pretty much describes us to a "T." We toss around some of the feelings this brings up and follow the usual tangents. Links mentioned: The site that we talk about all episode, Stuff White People Like. A Pali resource if you're crazy enough to study that crusty old ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=56 We respond to a very odd report from 60 Minutes that labels people our age self-interested live-at-home whiners. Hey! We don't live at home! Links mentioned: Here's the piece that prompted the podcast. And the epic, unforgettable, The Website is Down. http://zenisstupid.com/?p=55 Should someone practicing Buddhism stop drinking? Plus, anonymous vomit. (Becasue she's so fine, Gwen's mic was crackling hot out this episode, sorry) Links mentioned: The 5 Mindfulness Trainings of Thich Nhat Hanh http://zenisstupid.com/?p=53 Gwen gets co-opted by Nintendo to indoctrinate a generation of women into playing video games. What percent of this introducing women to an unhealthy habit, and what percent is Gwen turning into a corporate shill, and what percent is eeeevil? 27.3%, that's how much! Links mentioned: The YouTube girl who ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=52 A viewing of Wall-E prompts Gwen and Patrick to think about consumption and the consequences of it. Links mentioned: The Onion article Patrick reads from. ClimateCrisis.net Stuff White People like : Recycling Books mentioned: A decent review of Voluntary Simplicity, by Duane Elgin. http://zenisstupid.com/?p=50 This week we're takin' time off to...erm...meditate or something. Zen is Stupid takes a break once a year. Today's the day. So, no podcast. But if you're bored, try: The Sound of Young America...Colin Marshall reviewed us & I think the best part about the review is the comment ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=48 What's up with all the superhero movies and TV shows? What part of our psyche is getting sated by all this stuff? Plus, Tonglen for brown people. Books mentioned: Cave in the Snow, the story of Tenzin Palmo's years in solitary meditation in a Tibetan cave. Soon ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=47 How should one deal with becoming famous, and why is it so irresistible for us humans? Links mentioned: The episode of Penn & Teller's Bullshit that dishes on the truth behind "Dr." John Gray. http://zenisstupid.com/?p=45 We sit down and have a frank discussion about Christianity, the Bible, and Church culture. If we (i.e. Patrick) offended you, we're sorry and really think you're a nice person.Links mentioned: Richard Dawkins and his adventures with the God Machine. Books mentioned: Who Cooked the Last Supper?, by Rosalind Miles The first ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=44 A rambling discussion about how diversity can help us grow, and why it's so hard to find it in our daily lives. Plus, storytime! Links mentioned: Here is some of the fallout from our podcast entitled "Privilege." The NPR critique of the Peace Corps's current situation. A classic Mr. Rogers clip where he ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=42 Like it or not, we live in a world of high and low, have and have-nots, powerful and weak. How does a Buddhist navigate this swamp and not get screwed? Links mentioned: The 48 Laws of Power, as compiled by Robert Greene and Joost Elfers. http://zenisstupid.com/?p=41 We consume it everyday, we excrete it everyday, and we hardly pay attention to it. Mindfulness in the kitchen, and later, on the toilet. Links mentioned: Patrick's Peak Condition Project, now with 3 new members! The Questions of King Milinda (sometimes called Menander), an old and surprisingly readable Buddhist text. ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=39 We debate whether Gwen should be committed. Wait... that didn't come out right. Links mentioned: Nonviolent Communication (NVC). The NPR story about 22 being the peak reproductive age. The video about getting older. http://zenisstupid.com/?p=38 We scoff at the jerks who blow hundreds of thousands on sports cars and jewelry, but aren't we just as guilty of living large? And perhaps the real problem is the scoffing itself? http://zenisstupid.com/?p=36 Gwen hits a rough patch, and there's only one thing to do... Hug it out bitchez! All about how we need each other to have a complete, fulfilling life. Warm fuzzies! Jazz hands! Links mentioned: Gwen talks a little bit about the classic spectra of personality. Find ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=35 An online stress-test prompts us to think about how Zen helps us with life transitions, especially the biggest transition of all, dum dum dum dum, death!Links Mentioned: The Wiki entry for the Japanese phenomenon of karoshi, "working yourself to death." The photo exhibition of people before and after they have died. Books ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=34 We all think we're pretty cool, and then that one thing from our youth turns us into a saggy nostalgic bag of sighs. Is this healthy, and even less important, is this Zen? Links mentioned: All of your wishes have come true Gwen, NKOTB is back. An interesting article from the ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=32 Sometimes you just don't want to talk about, think about, or do zen. And that may be part of the practice. Also hear Patrick squirm about his coffee addiction. Links mentioned: Scientific American on Orgasms Ethan Nichtern and the ID Project Our buddy Brad Warner And Brad's most favoritest teacher, Genpo Roshi, talking ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=30 It's spring and we both (without consulting the other) started big bodywork projects. A lot of people ask how you can do this kind of goal-oriented stuff and still live in the moment Zen style, so we take a crack at that question and give some tips for people ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=29 Clearing out the inbox, Zen is Stupid style. Links mentioned Elephant Magazine. Carolina Morning zafu company. We really like these guys and think you'll like them too. The Smile Cushion rocks. http://zenisstupid.com/?p=26 Matching Headphones = Dorky   Last week a big scandal broke in New York, and we try to puzzle out why these things keep happening to people in positions of power, and how to deal with our judgmental natures. Links mentioned: Here's an interesting Q & A on the Spitzer scandal from the ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=25 . Now that's hardcore. http://zenisstupid.com/?p=24 Gwen and Patrick both produce a lot of content online. Yet Gwen receives the lion's share of negative comments, despite Patrick's much higher rate of incompetence. What's going on here? Our discussion takes us through realms of technology, identity, gender, sexuality, and maybe a little Zen, but ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=22 Here are your choices: a) Yes! Now I can finally be one of the beautiful people. b) Uh, I guess, if it was like 5 dollars. c) That shirt sucks. Just leave a comment and let us know if this is a good idea or not! http://zenisstupid.com/?p=20 We talk about our favorite subculture species, the Hipster! And, more seriously, how people take on different guises in an attempt to deal with the stuff life throws at us.Links mentioned: Here's the Bowling for Soup song (not Blink 182) that Gwen mentions, 1985. Books mentioned: Full Catastrophe Living, by Jon Kabat ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=19 Gwen knows a dude that steals often and with a purpose... to stick it to the man. We also enjoy sticking it to the man, but how does this fit into a Buddhist lifestyle? Hell if we know... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=18 We take a moment to ask what exactly Buddhism is and how Zen fits within that framework. And get hopelessly tangled up trying to make sure we cover all the bases. A good lesson that we should just stick to talking about celebrities and hedgehogs. Links mentioned: Here's the interview ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=17 We wonder what life would be like if we got paid for any of the stuff we do. Links mentioned: Here's the video of the guy who took a picture of himself everyday for 6 years (and who everyone except Gwen saw 2 years ago) . Here's Tay Zonday's original video. And the ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=16 We have nothing in particular against drugs but they never seemed to be a good answer for us. We lay out our reasoning in this episode, plus an email/comment challenge! Links mentioned: Here's the South Park Episode, Guitar Queero. http://zenisstupid.com/?p=15 In this episode we take on the question of what drives people like Tom Cruise who are so sure that their particular belief trumps all others.Links mentioned: Here's the Tom Cruise video for the three of you who haven't seen it. And Planet Unicorn (Heyyyyy~) More on Nichiren Buddhism from Wikipedia. And probably the ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=7 What's the line between feeling down and being depressed? Should Patrick get on Prozac? Links Mentioned: Here's the Wiki entry on Blue Monday. And here is the Dooce article we talk about. http://zenisstupid.com/?p=8 Wrestling with the choice to have kids or stay young, free, and selfish. Links mentioned: Here's the NYT review of the book that proposed that parents don't have much influence on how their kids turn out. And an interesting breakdown of the data that show childless couples are happier. Gwen talks a bit ... http://zenisstupid.com/?p=9