ALS Awareness, First Dates, Allyship, Birdwatching, Tech Talk, Representation in Media

ALS Awareness (0:00:00) As many of you are aware, Lisa’s husband recently passed away from ALS. Also known as “Lou Gehrig’s disease”, ALS has been a part of our conversation on the show for a while now. But with the sudden passing of Chris, or Topher as Lisa likes to call him, we wanted to raise more awareness about this disease, how it impacts families, and discuss how we can contribute to the work being done to combat it.   Joining us today to help answer our questions is Doctor Paul Mehta, an epidemiologist who spearheads the National ALS Registry at the Center for Disease Control. Giving a Good First Date (0:16:04) I think it’s safe to say that first dates are the worst. In preparation you spend hours picking out the right outfit and cleaning your car. Then comes the date. You think too hard about the questions you should ask and spend the last half of the date wondering if you should give your date a hug, a side hug, or a kiss. And what about that post-date text? While the majority of first dates don’t turn into the romantic relationship you’re looking for, there are some things you can do to make your dating life a little more fun and less stressful. Here to give us tips for having a great first date is our favorite relationship expert, Kim Seltzer. Allyship (0:34:23) We want to believe that we’re all created equally, but it’s an unfortunate truth thatwhether because of gender, race or sexuality,sometimes life is easier for some people than it is for others.These differences are important, they’re a part of our identities and we want to celebrate them and it’s unfair and unjust when anyone is held down because of their beautiful differences. So the question is—what can be done about the situation? If we see someone being treated unfairly, especially if they’re being treated so because they’re a minority in some sense, how can people reach out and help? Here to talk to us about some of her thought surrounding this and allyship is poet Ashley Finley.  Birdwatching (0:52:50) One hobby that is gaining po