Love is a powerful thing. Not just emotionally, but physically.  It can lower blood pressure.  It can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and lung disease.  Love can increase financial stability and make us live longer.  Love can override our senses,

You know, science says humanity is lucky to have worrywarts. Thousands of years ago, a few of our more anxious ancestors helped us escape attack from dangerous predators, and thanks to their constant vigilance we had a little more room to evolve.

On this episode, Reading Out Loud ventures into the wilds of corporate America to explore the biome known as The Cubical Jungle. We trace the food chain from the bottom, the Cup o' Noodles, all the way to the top: Zheorge,

Do you ever think a dung beetle looks around and wonders... What am I doing with my life? Maybe that overly self aware little dung beetle needs to take a moment and really appreciate it. Because life is shit, man. Breathe it in. -

Teenagers are the worst, right? With all their feelings all the time and the yelling and the door slamming and the ugh. Just Ugh. But that's all hormones and hyperbole. Nothing more. Right? Right.  - Reading Out Loud on this episode:

Humans are part of the animal kingdom, but we like to consider ourselves special. As if somehow our big ol' brains and dominion over earth, air, sea and, hell man, space, make us special among all other animals. And thinking about it now,

There are times when it's easy to to put words to the things we want. Especially with basic needs. I'm hungry, so I want this cheeseburger. I'm thirsty and tired and it's been a bad week, so I want to drink this beer and take a long nap.

Our pets lives are all too short, so it's up to us to make sure their time with us is filled with belly rubs, snuggles, car chases, assassination attempts... - Performed by Pat Duke, Brandon Paul Eells, Angie Gilbert, Steve Kmetko, Eleni Pappageorge,

"It's Always About the Monkey" by Lance Carbuncle - Reading Out Loud with us this episode: Nobody. It was just Brandon. All by his lonesome. Because he's super good at things. Brandon Paul Eells to keep things official sounding.

"The Party We Gave after Nick Got Back from Barbados" by Ilana Manaster - Reading Out Loud with us this episode: Courtney Bennet Heather Dupree John Isner Scott Minor Paige Reynolds - More information at readingoutloud.org.