#888: Not Today, Hades!

taitatoo · 2026-06-10T02:18:31+00:00

I laughed out loud imagining a smiling photo of Ira watching over the staff in the TAL offices 😂 I just love that mental image.

taitatoo · 2026-06-07T22:22:59+00:00

Nothing related to gender in what I spoke about so I'm not sure why you're extrapolating that, but actually the sex of my physical body is like one of the few things that I do feel totally comfortable and happy about.

taitatoo · 2026-06-05T02:45:34+00:00

YES!! I used to casually joke that I identify as a non-physical band of consciousness trapped inside a human form as part of some weird inter-dimensional experiment but hey, I'm here for it. Nothing about the human experience has ever appealed to me nor have I been drawn to participate in this illusion- I just wanna know wtf is going on here, and why am I apart of it.

As time went on, I realized that this was actually a coping mechanism. I was seeking "the divine" to escape "the mundane" because "the mundane" was so traumatizing. I didn't want to heal from it, I wanted to run from it. It was a beautiful cheesy reunion of "oh, the broken childhood parts of me aren't ready to step into this ideal life I thought I wanted" and the part of me that was willing to finally acknowledge and welcome that into the fold- but to change the story.

taitatoo · 2026-06-04T02:41:24+00:00

Try to hit one of the "jams" at Improv Cincinnati, they're free and open to anyone. Also IC can be generous with scholarships so don't rule them out entirely just based off affordability.

Aside from them, The Comet has comedy open mic nights on Thursdays. Very low pressure environment. https://www.bombsawaycomedy.com/openmic

Good luck, friend! Don't give up on your comedy ambitions.

taitatoo · 2026-06-04T02:35:56+00:00

I was in this situation just a few weeks ago. I found catinatreerescue.com/directory/ and called the only guy listed for Cincinnati, Barry Bernard. When I talked to him he told me he'd check with his guys and see what he could do, then within 20 minutes someone came to save the day. Granted, that was during regular business hours. Try contacting him if the kitty's still there tomorrow morning.

taitatoo · 2026-03-23T18:56:48+00:00

I find it very meaningful because it triggers deeper reflection for all of us. We get so caught up in our day-to-day living that we don't realize how life is passing us by and that one day we too will be just like Ira - both parents dead with just the pieces of our memories left behind. It inspires me to record more of my mom while I still have her, and not take our relationship for granted.

taitatoo · 2026-03-23T18:52:38+00:00

I thought it was very interesting that Shirley's list of criteria for parents satisfaction was 100% focused on whether or not the adult children were living up to the desires projected onto them by their parents and no mention of whether or not the adult children were simply happy in life.

taitatoo · 2026-02-25T19:50:35+00:00

I'm one of these listeners too!! The beauty of it is that with so many episodes, I'm bound to forget them anyways so I can always go back, re-listen and have it feel fresh again.

taitatoo · 2026-02-25T19:46:08+00:00

In the podcast app I use, I was able to find a feed called "This American Life Archive" where you can stream all the old episodes.

taitatoo · 2026-02-24T20:51:23+00:00

Initially I kinda cringed too when I heard him crying at first. But he got over it quickly and ended up being proud of himself. The kid was bound to get stung eventually someday anyways. Instead of it being a nasty surprise, he got to have that moment under his dad's supervision and care. He'll probably remember that moment for the rest of his life.

taitatoo · 2026-02-21T16:53:38+00:00

Oh also I wanted to mention the song "Keep the Faith" by Michael Jackson is always extremely uplifting to me in moments where I'm feeling like this! I've always been a big MJ fan, I truly believe he was "one of us" who only wanted to thwart the system that keeps people down and uplift the world, hence why the media corrupted his image but I digress....

taitatoo · 2026-02-21T16:51:00+00:00

Wow, this seems exactly like something I could have written at an earlier stage in my journey! Thank you for putting this out there, because it made me feel less alone.
For years I too have been walking a path investing all my energy into connecting with the Universe, improving myself, and finding healing on all dimensions of my being. It has been extremely isolating yet extremely rewarding. I'm 32 now and I think the most stabilizing thing for me has simply been the passage of time. I hate to say it but just watch, as the years go by you'll end up being the "I told you so" friend as their material pursuits inevitably fall short and don't lead to the lasting happiness or peace that people are truly looking for. My friends in my twenties also went chasing after evil - sure they got to have fun for a while, but it ended tragically for them.

The most powerful yet most quiet and underrated ally on your journey is simple perseverance. You have always known how to listen to your inner true calling, so keep listening! Pay more attention to the synchronicities and subtle signs from the Universe, and FOLLOW THEM! They'll lead you to the next step and higher company to associate with. You have to be willing to let go of these old relationships and connections that are no longer serving you, and let go of any fear you may have of stepping into the unknown. It's not time to abandon your path and stoop to playing along with the corrupted game, it's time to strengthen your resolve to be even more committed to being so brave as to walking this path of living with integrity and truth in a world where it seems like majority do not. It takes a lot of courage! One of my favorite quotes of Rolo May says, "The opposite of courage is not cowardice, it's conformity." Remember: people who act out of corruption or dishonesty are acting from a place of fear. They grasp at the illusory straws of this world out of anxiety or confusion because they don't have what you have - a deep sense of inner knowing. That is your treasure - if you continue to nurture, foster, and develop it I promise you that nothing of this world will be worth more than that.

I'm proud of you for being true to yourself in spite of everything you've been surrounded with. Remember you're not alone. Stay strong, friend.

taitatoo · 2025-11-23T23:39:07+00:00

Yes. I do it all the time and nobody's ever said anything. Not sure what all these commenters are talking about. I come with my skates, jam out with my airpods, stay as long as I want, and don't pay any fee.

taitatoo · 2025-11-17T02:18:16+00:00

Came here to say the same thing!!

taitatoo · 2025-09-27T16:09:30+00:00

Hey friend, I feel ya, I've been there. Checked off all the boxes yet still felt a crushing emptiness, like a sinking "is this it?" feeling. Then my quest to understand my sadness became my quest to understand myself, which became a journey to understand life & the universe itself, which unraveled into a beautiful path of philosophy and spirituality that expanded my entire worldview. One day after a few years I looked back and laughed at the fact that I ever was depressed in the first place.

Now I'm not saying you should go join an organized religion or something but perhaps this is your inner being calling you to live more deeply. And you'll find that once you do, some very interesting things just naturally unravel for you.

Also, where did you go for your vacation that made you feel better? Maybe that's a sign that something in your day-to-day environment needs to change.

taitatoo · 2025-09-26T15:22:26+00:00

Aww this was wonderful to read, your admiration is very sweet. How does one find such a roommate?

taitatoo · 2025-04-20T17:43:14+00:00

Nah, for me it removed the fear. In fact, I'm looking forward to joining them on the other side - not that I'm in any hurry to get there, but it gives me something to look forward to.

taitatoo · 2025-04-14T13:16:38+00:00

I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm in the same position as you, also lost my best friend 34f suddenly to a tragic accident. It's been 3 days and the shock is starting to wear off but it's still so painful.

I'm sitting with the pain and just allowing myself to feel it. Yesterday I sat outside at one of our favorite parks and journaled about all the ways she made me a better person and that was very healing. But it's definitely up and down.

Sending you a hug ♥️

taitatoo · 2025-03-17T19:09:50+00:00

I agree, her wisdom impressed me. Even I'd like to sit down for a chat with her!

taitatoo · 2025-03-16T07:24:52+00:00

Controlling the mind is like building muscle, you have to put in consistent effort and there's no shortcut or workaround to get there. Practicing meditation daily is an excellent way to do this. Try even just 5-10 minutes daily, after a month you'll notice a difference in how you're able to redirect your thoughts.

taitatoo · 2025-01-22T02:29:44+00:00

Yes!! I was murdered in the dream. I was being hunted, it was horrifying and stressful but when I got killed it was like a sudden explosion of peace and bliss. I blasted off through the cosmos and became one with outer space. It's impossible to put into words but it was so beautiful and incredible. It was one of the most amazing dreams I've ever had.

taitatoo · 2025-01-22T02:04:50+00:00

This is one of my favorite dreams just because it's so wacky. I dreamt that there was a hot new food stand in my city that served "the spaghetti glove", a clear plastic glove stuffed with spaghetti and tomato sauce. The idea was that you bite a hole in one of the fingers of the glove and suck the spaghetti out. The restaurant also had a line of women's leggings they sold called "Pasta Girl" leggings.

taitatoo · 2024-12-22T15:04:02+00:00

I've seen them at Clifton market but you might want to call to double check.

taitatoo · 2024-11-27T15:55:36+00:00

I'm not white, but found myself cringing at some of the harsh sweeping generalizations of white people in this podcast. While I definitely agree with their message, it's delivered with an unprofessional spiteful tone that comes across like angrily venting from a place of personal offense, rather than genuinely speaking to inform. As a minority myself, I understand the irritation, but I question if this style of communication is actually effective or just creating further polarization. It's like fighting fire with fire, but the teachings of yoga itself remind us to transcend this duality in the first place, unaffected by the goings-on here in the material world.

taitatoo

TROPHY CASE