Passages

We're joined by two returning guests tonight, it's America's birthday, someone got engaged at the top (no, for real, the very top) of the Empire State Building, and we get the low down on a hate triangle in college football. Also, the French hate our AC, and a medical miracle occurred in 1983. And, our passage, the poem "How Alive" by Wade Forester.

In this week's episode, the guys remember Tim, Drew has a book sale, some baby giraffes are rescued, and Nathan gets pranked. Also, the guys discover a very special toilet, some really cool racing, and our passage from Aldous Huxley: “It’s dark because you are trying too hard. Lightly child, lightly. Learn to do everything lightly. Yes, feel lightly even though you’re feeling deeply. Just lightly let things happen and lightly cope with them.”

The boys are back! Well, most of us! This week, Patrick talks (a lot) about his trip to Italy, we take a look at some Elvis impersonators, Nathan gets into a fight, and a viral TikTok Challenge ends in a chemical burn. And, our passage from Charles Bukowski, "And when nobody wakes you up in the morning, and when nobody waits for you at night, and when you can do whatever you want, what do you call it, freedom or loneliness?"

The JV team is back this week with some reserves! The guys discuss Lego drama, movie ratings, some Star Wars and reality TV drama, and Jackson is back with another tiered ranking of which Star Wars characters he could take in a lightsaber battle. There's also a Bad Preacher (singer?) and our passage from CS Lewis: "Remember, he is not, like you, a pure spirit. Never having been a human (Oh that abominable advantage of the Enemy's) you don't realize how enslaved they are to the pressure of the ordinary."

This week on Passages, the boys... well, the boys' boys... the Junior Varsity Passages Crew, dig into some stuff. A black bear breaks into a school, the guys ask what would make you leave a concert, a horse gets stabbed, and Jackson brings his (according to Patrick) very disrespectful food tier. I just can't in good conscience say the Passages Podcast supports anything Jackson says about food in this episode. Just cannot.Also, the guys shake up the passages portion of this episode and add a Bad Preacher at the end, so it's probably best to just dive in!

This week, we have more “fan” mail, a roaming reporter story, Jason has a list of weird federal laws, Tim breaks down the American Music Awards, Drew discusses the music acts invited to America’s 250th Birthday Celebration, and Patrick has the details on the recent Steroid Olympics. Also, an audition, and our passage from Billy Joel: “He says, Son, can you play me a memory? I'm not really sure how it goes, But it's sad, and it's sweet, and I knew it complete, When I wore a younger man's clothes…”

Settle in dearest Passengers, this is our longest episode yet. This week we have some special musical surprises, a story about being trapped inside your own mind, football recruiting scandals, a memorial to the restaurant on cemetery hill, and some weird medical diagnoses. Later, the guys discuss some fan (hate?) mail and our passage from JJ Grey: "All those simple thoughts all those peaceful dreams, Share the space with a hard worked, hard worked day, But it's the little things, the little things not expectation, That make life worth living, worth living..."

Buckle up, everyone, this one is a doozy. Jason has a list of things he finds rude, Tim gets nostalgic, Andrew has a remote report from the ball field, Drew has a PSA, and Patrick brings some airplane news. And, of course, our passage from George Harrison: " Watch out now, Take care, beware of the thoughts that linger, Winding up inside your head, The hopelessness around you, In the dead of night, Beware of sadness, It can hit you, It can hurt you, Make you sore and what is more, That is not what you are here for..."

This week, the guys put some lyrics behind their new name, talk about a rodeo-themed event that wasn't so country, get an update on aliens from the nation's pastors, and talk some more about the AI apocalypse. Also, the Secretary of War confirms the nation's newest weapon, and this weeks passage from Mark Hoppus: "The past is only the future with the lights on."

The Rotisserie Chicken Act passes the Senate, a Lego heist, Tim's review of Jurassic Park, microplastics, and more! And, our passage from Kurt Vonnegut: "As stupid and vicious as men are, this is a lovely day."

The guys talk some Birmingham area food news and animal facts. Tim starts a movie review segment (next week) and Drew debates aliens vs demons with the Vice President. And, as always, our passage from Herman Melville: "An utterly fearless man is a far more dangerous comrade than a coward."(Fun fact: the word "comrade" is grammatically weird because it's from the French word "camarade," which was derived from the Spanish word "camarada," meaning "chamber mate." But, let's be real here... it doesn't need the E in 21st Century English.)

The guys have a substitute-Drew this week, Jason gets superstitous, we learn April 15s of the past aren't the happiest of days, and do a deep dive on Trump's new painting. And, of course, our passage from Fyodor Dostoevsky: "Above all, don't lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love."

This week, the guys get to the bottom of the KitKat heist of the century, hear from Victor Glover on the Artemis II mission to the moon, and VERY scientifically discuss magnetometry. Jason has a list of the things he hopes he'll be remembered for, and our passage from Thích Nhất Hạnh: “People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar.”

This week, we hold a very serious intervention for Jason. We're extremely worried about him. Also, we become armchair rocket scientists, talk some March Madness, and discuss people's final words. And, our passage for this week from James Clear: “It doesn’t make sense to continue wanting something if you’re not willing to do what it takes to get it. If you don’t want to live the lifestyle, then release yourself from the desire. To crave the result but not the process is to guarantee disappointment.”

This week, a special guest joins the guys! Drew and Andrew bring us a remote correspondent segement on PD Fight Club, Kinley celebrates Women's History Month, we say goodbye to Chuck Norris, and we get to the bottom of a murder case. Also this week, a bad preacher, and our passage from Donald Winnicott: "It is in playing and only in playing that the individual child or adult is able to be creative and to use the whole personality, and it is only in being creative that the individual discovers the self."

This week, the Passages Remote Correspondent isn't so remote! The guys talk about the Burger CEO Wars, Andy's new book "I Want to Go to Heaven", March Madness brackets, and Jason and Andrew talk about Peru. And, our passage from Robert Frost: “Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence.”

The guys have a special guest, hear from Passages' "Remote" Correspondent, put Chick-fil-A's mobile thru line on notice, and talk about social media addiction. And, of course, our passage from Billie Jean King: "Pressure is privilege."

Now in 4K, the guys learn about scurvy, take a civics test and discuss the State of the Union, and explore the idea of predestination. And, this week's passage from Galileo Galilei: "The sun, with all those planets revolving around it and dependent on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as if it had nothing else in the universe to do."

Joel has it out for Patrick, NASA is sending cellphones to the ISS, an Olympic update, and Tim Allen reads the Bible. And, of course, our passage from Robert Duvall: "Sometimes the things that may or may not be true are the things that a man needs to believe in the most. That people are basically good. That honor, courage, and virtues mean everything. That power and money, money and power, mean nothing. That Good always triumphs over Evil. And I want you to remember this: That Love, true Love, never dies. Doesn’t matter if any of this is true or not. You see, a man should believe in these things because these are the things worth believing in."Secondhand Lions, written and directed by Tim McCanlies, New Line Cinema

The guys read some fan mail, conduct a live interview for a remote correspondent, talk about baseball, and Jason relives some childhood horrors. And, our passage from Paulo Coelho: "Every blessing ignored becomes a curse."

The guys welcome a special guest, Jason has a list, an Elon Musk prediction, and Taylor drops some knowledge on the kids (seriously, if you're under 20, you need to hear this!). And, of course, our passage from Mary Shelley: "Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow."

The guys are gifted with cookies, talk about weird public bathrooms, things that are now missing from schools, monkeys at the rodeo, and the AI apocalypse. And of course, our passage for this week from Christa McAuliffe, "I touch the future. I teach."

In this episode, the guys navigate a wide range of topics, from a medical miracle, to the most popular hymns, to a serious discussion on the future of democracy, while Jason attempts to satisfy a fan request with a series of winter-themed jokes... Attempts. We're sorry Shiela. And, this week's "quotation" from John Adams: "Democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself".

The Passages crew celebrates their 100th episode with friends! There's live music, a guest Gen Z vocabulary segment, and a walk down memory lane. Plus, this week's special passage to mark the occasion from A.A. Milne: "We didn't realize we were making memories, we just knew we were having fun."Also, check out this episode on Youtube for extra fun!

Back from the holidays, the fellers discuss parachuting mishaps, brain mismatches, and big moments. Plus, this week’s passage by Robin Sharma: “Don’t live the same year 75 times and call it a life.”

The guys talk about a missing satellite, debate the best and worst Christmas movies, a bad preacher, and this week's passage from Charles Dickens: "No space of regret can make amends for one life's opportunity misused."

More fan mail! Also, a discussion about the 411 Boys winning the state championship and awkward Christmas songs. And, this week's passage by Ludwig Wittgenstein: "If people did not sometimes do silly things, nothing intelligent would ever get done."

A special announcement and more fan mail! Also, an update on driverless cars, a list of Christmas gifts for men, the Zamora temple, tales of Michael James, and our passage for this week by William Ernest Henley: “Invictus.”

Happy Thanksgiving! The boys talk about cars of the future, things you shouldn't bring up at Thanksgiving dinner, a Yay Sports! segment, and things falling out of the sky. And, this week's passage from Muhammad Ali: "He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life."

A beauty pageant contestant chooses death metal for her talent, AI apocalypse, turkey talk ahead of Thanksgiving, balding remedies, Trump calls a reporter piggy, a guest caller, and more! Plus this week’s passage by HL Mencken: “The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule it.”

A new sandwich at Chick-fil-A, updates on 3I / ATLAS, duck hazards on roller coasters, miracle myrrh, and a Say What involving charges of heresy. Plus this week’s passage by Leo Tolstoy: “All really great things are happening in slow and inconspicuous ways.”

The art of toilet papering someone’s yard, coaches getting fired in college football, AI Apocalypse, and the three Christs of Ypsilanti. A Vols fan mistakenly calls into the show and this week’s passage by Bob Ross.

The boys talk daylight saving time, escaped monkeys, southernisms, and trash Halloween candy. Also, another bad preacher and this week’s passage by 13th century Persian poet, Rumi: “What you seek is seeking you.”

Airline etiquette, jewel heists, the greatest deal in sports history and a bad preacher. Also this week’s passage by Marianne Williamson: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Drew’s new novel, Out of the Thicket, launches, Drew and Jason discuss the nature of the comet 3I/ATLAS, more fan mail, bad preachers, and a Say What segment. Also, this week’s passage by Marc Brackett: "Be the learner, not the knower... and listen to understand, not to build your own argument."

Fall has arrived, the value of a good name, firefighters versus high school baseball teams, and a bigun on a plane. Plus, a new segment: “Say what?“ And our passage by Seneca: “ The things you run from are inside you.“

Jane Goodall in memoriam, chitchat at the grocery store, a school teacher’s prank “stinks,” new restaurants in Leeds, and a bad preacher. Also, this week’s passage by Hippocrates: “Everyone wants to heal until the medicine shows up in the form of discipline.“

Jason gives everybody an English grammar test to settle a score. Plus, old wives' tales, Jason's odyssey out West, a Gen-Alpha glossary, and another end-time prediction is cast into the dustbin of history. Also, this week's passage by Wendell Berry: "The Peace of Wild Things."

Patrick is at the controls solo, sans Drew, Jason, and Tim for episode 85. Guests Mackenzie and Eli join him in a discussion on AI, future generational events, and Eli picks a bone with Drew’s assessment of youth ministry from a few episodes ago; all while Patrick tries to keep Mackenzie on topic. And of course, our passage from Rainer Maria Rilke, “Let everything happen to you: beauty and terror. Just keep going. No feeling is final.“

The guys discussed the tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk. Then several questions or answered: what’s Tim allergic to? Who is the most traveled host of Passages? What’s easier—getting great abs or becoming a millionaire? And do we ever really forget anything? And, of course, this week’s passage by Haruki Murakami: “There are ways of dying that don't end in funerals. Types of death you can't smell.”

A fire scare at Ashville Road, body language, a miracle drug for the eyes, pharmaceutical ads, a tomato festival in Spain, Patrick’s wedding, and another bad preacher segment. Also, this week’s passage by John Wooden: “It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.”

Drew’s back from Ghana, Patrick points out the bland direction fast food architecture has taken, Tim has a list of things left in Ubers and Jason talks about his very bad day. Also, this week’s passage by Dr. Seuss: “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.”

Things happen. Lives are changed.

Patrick is back from the beach, and he is annoyed. Jason gives us a glimpse into the not too distant future. Tim issues an invitation to help break Guinness world record. And Drew shares some of histories most misquoted statements. Plus, “Thanks” by W.S. Merwin.

The guys talk about the best southern desserts and ten reasons why Drew left youth ministry. Also, Nathan joins the Passages crew to help pay tribute to Hulk Hogan. And of course, this week’s passage by Tom Waits: “ A gentleman is someone who can play the accordion, but doesn’t.“

For the first time, fan mail! Jason read some hot jokes, Drew deals with home repair, Tim reports on drama in the OC, and Patrick reports on Chick-fil-A‘s excellent efficiency. Plus, this week's passage by Vincent van Gogh: “One doesn't expect out of life what one has already learned that it cannot give, but rather one begins to see more and more clearly that life is only a kind of sowing time, and the harvest is not here. Perhaps that's the reason that one sometimes feels indifferent toward the opinion of the world, and if that opinion depresses us all too strongly, one may throw it off.”

The guys try to keep it together without Drew, the MLB All Stars game, insurance from a doctor's perspective, and things Jason hates about the beach. And this week's passage from Donald Miller, "The risk of being known is also the decision to be criticized by some."

Texas, floods, Wimbledon, psychology hacks, and health insurance woes that grind our gears. Another bad preacher, and this weeks’s passage from Ted Lasso.

Game show nostalgia, recording sermons, allergic reactions, and naps. Plus, this week’s passage by Rudyard Kipling: “If.”

Tim comes back from the beach a little wiser, the fellas reminisce about Vacation Bible School, an update on the hanky debate, James Spann apologetics, beavers to the rescue, and a dialogue on Israel, spurred by a recent debate between Ted Cruz and Tucker Carlson. Also this week’s passage by Leo Tolstoy: “A man on a thousand mile walk has to forget his goal and say to himself every morning, 'Today I'm going to cover twenty-five miles and then rest up and sleep.”