Don’t Feed The Animals

Don't Feed The Animals #93 Is it meaning... or just noise?

James reflects on how a morning run sparked a realization about discernment—why so many people chase trends without intention, and how rare it is to choose things for real reasons. From Starbucks cup mania to everyday decision-making, this episode breaks down the difference between impulse and meaning. Quick, honest, and grounded, with Mac’s squeaks keeping things real.

Don't Feed The Animals #92 The Boring Episode (On Purpose)

I’ve been filling every in-between moment with noise—music, podcasts, clips—and I’m starting to wonder what that’s costing me. So I’m trying boredom on purpose: one silent commute, one headphone-free dog walk, and ten minutes in a chair with no goal—then seeing what the quiet says back. Along the way: 90s-kid imagination, why “relaxing” isn’t the same as rest, and how hot takes age when we finally sit with nothing.

Don't Feed The Animals #91 Why We Love the Dark

On Halloween morning, James talks honestly about why the dark isn’t a mood but a tool. He makes the case that darkness resets the body, gives the mind contrast, and offers the heart a safe room to feel. With Brooklyn shop-run memories, a grounded Donnie Darko setup, a single line from The Crow, and a simple plan for Wicked Manors, he keeps it conversational and a little sarcastic while inviting listeners to mark the night with one small, real ritual.

Don't Feed The Animals #90 Momentum vs. Meaning

James reflects on the fine line between movement and fulfillment. From early morning shifts to creative streaks, he examines the difference between being driven and being alive. This episode dives into the loops we fall into when we confuse progress for purpose, and the quiet clarity that comes from realigning with our “why.” Through honest introspection and grounded storytelling, James explores what it means to keep showing up with intention, to chase more than motion, and to let meaning guide the pace.

Don't Feed The Animals #89 The Toxic Avenger: From Tromaville to Today

James and his brother Chris dive headfirst into the radioactive chaos of The Toxic Avenger — revisiting the 1984 cult classic before comparing it to the 2023 remake. The episode opens in the sleazy, sweat-soaked world of Tromaville, where gym rats, toxic waste, and unhinged villains collide in a symphony of bad taste and glorious gore.
Through sharp commentary and ridiculous trivia — from exploding melon heads to the film’s bizarre production stories — James guides listeners through each twisted moment of the original while Chris reacts, riffs, and debates whether the mayhem holds up today.
The brothers then fast-forward forty years to unpack the modern reimagining: a cleaner, star-studded version starring Peter Dinklage, Elijah Wood, and Kevin Bacon. Without giving away spoilers, they discuss how the new film updates the grime, humor, and heart of the original, balancing nostalgia with modern sensibilities.
Funny, fast-paced, and packed with behind-the-scenes nuggets, this episode celebrates everything that makes The Toxic Avenger timeless — proving that no matter the decade, there’s always room for a hero who smells like garbage.

Don't Feed The Animals #88 The Roads Not Taken

What if your brain had a whole library of alternate lives? The person you almost married, the one who almost stayed, the future you thought was locked in but never happened. In this episode I talk about getting stuck in that “what if” loop, the patterns I’ve noticed in relationships, and what it’s like to love without an off switch. It’s vulnerable, raw, a little funny in places, and it’s about sitting in that in-between space where you’re not heartbroken, not healed, just floating. More than anything it’s about protecting your heart without making yourself smaller.

Don't Feed The Animals #87 Warning Labels for Modern Life

Everywhere you look, life feels like a miracle. Phones connect us instantly, apps never end, entertainment is right there when we want it. But without limits, all that convenience pulls us into places we never planned on going. In this episode I talk about how to build little guardrails for yourself. Turning off the useless notifications, breaking the autoplay trance, putting boundaries on swipes and scrolls. Not to punish yourself, but to get the good parts back. Because freedom isn’t about zero rules. It’s about the right ones.

Don't Feed The Animals #86 Lost Rituals: What Blockbuster Taught Us About Living

We didn’t just lose VHS tapes and late fees—we lost rituals that shaped us. From Blockbuster aisles to arcade quarters to Saturday morning cartoons, the “harder way” taught us patience, compromise, courage, and commitment. Today, everything is convenient, instant, endless. But what happens when convenience erases the very friction that built our character? In this episode, I dig into the small rituals we left behind—and how we can bring them back. Because nostalgia sells tacos, but growth comes from the bumps.