We watched Project Hail Mary and we’ve been talking about it ever since.

In this episode, we’re sharing our personal take after reading the book and seeing the movie: what worked for us, what felt different, and a few changes we keep coming back to.

We get into:

• The biggest book-to-movie changes (and whether they matter)
• Joe’s take on Grace as a teacher 👀
• Positive male friendships... with an alien, of course
• Whether the world NEEDS end-of-the-world movies like this (vs. cynical ones like Don't Look Up)
• And… what we think aliens might actually look like

This isn’t a definitive review - just how it landed for us!

We’re building a video game. From scratch. About cruises. All aboard!

In this episode, Joe and Hillary kick off a brand new (and slightly unhinged) project: a cruise ship tycoon game. Think Roller Coaster Tycoon, but with exotic itineraries, ocean views, and very strong opinions about deck layouts.

Joe dives into the coding side of things, while Hillary brings the player perspective: what actually makes a game fun enough to keep coming back to. Along the way, they get into minimum viable products, staying motivated and organized through big projects, and whether accountability from the internet is enough to see things through together.

It’s messy, ambitious, and we’re figuring it out as we go.

Music: "Your Love" – Atch (Free Music Archive, CC BY)

Now the real grind begins... Joe and Hillary are both back to work full-time while Nugget settles into daycare. Tune into this episode for the nitty gritty details of working parenthood: changes, routines, guilt, exhaustion, and glimmers of joy.

Follow Us on Social Media:

• Joe: @axisandoak on IG
• Hillary: @hillaryflinn on IG & TikTok

Intro/Outtro Music: Your Love by Atch; Free Music Archive, CC BY license

What time is it? Summertime! Join Joe and Hillary for a stroll down memory lane as they share (and rank) their summers from childhood into the working world - plus a life update on their upcoming travel plans. Let us know in the comments how you'd design your ideal summer!

Follow Us on Social Media:

• Joe: @axisandoak on IG
• Hillary: @hillaryflinn on IG & TikTok

Intro/Outtro Music: Your Love by Atch; Free Music Archive, CC BY license

Between skyrocketing grocery prices and endless to-do lists, feeding yourself and your family can be overwhelming. In this episode, Hillary and Joe discuss their experiences with produce and meal kit subscription services. Whether your top priority is saving money, time, effort, or the Earth (or all of the above), there's probably a grocery box out there with your name on it!

Sign up for Odd Bunch (20% off your first box!): https://go.referralcandy.com/share/LSQFM2Z

Follow Us on Social Media:

• Joe: @axisandoak on IG
• Hillary: @hillaryflinn on IG & TikTok

Intro/Outtro Music: Your Love by Atch; Free Music Archive, CC BY license

It's official: we're urbanites! (City-slickers? Ew.) Hillary and Joe share the ups and downs of their moving process with two cats, a baby, and a whole ton of tiny boxes. Share your best moving tips in the comments!

Follow Us on Social Media:

• Joe: @axisandoak on IG
• Hillary: @hillaryflinn on IG & TikTok

Intro/Outtro Music: Your Love by Atch; Free Music Archive, CC BY license

We're moving on up! As if a new baby wasn't enough excitement, Joe and Hillary are excited to share the story of selling their first home and buying their next one. Whether you're an aspiring first-time buyer or an experienced homeowner, we hope you'll enjoy this insightful conversation into the world of real estate.

Follow Us on Social Media:

• Joe: @axisandoak on IG
• Hillary: @hillaryflinn on IG & TikTok

Intro/Outtro Music: Your Love by Atch; Free Music Archive, CC BY license

Whether it's TikTok, Instagram, Reddit, BlueSky, or even MySpace, it's hard to escape the impact (and the allure) of social media. In this episode, Hillary and Joe discuss the ways they interact with various platforms, and the boundaries they set to keep the voyeuristic and addictive elements of these apps at bay. Let us know in the comments which platform you use the most... intentionally or otherwise!

Follow Us on Social Media:

• Joe: @axisandoak on IG
• Hillary: @hillaryflinn on IG & TikTok

Intro/Outtro Music: Your Love by Atch; Free Music Archive, CC BY license