Finlos Lives

Recorded 05.06.2025. On this episode of Rowing with the Homies, I can't shake the image of an AI-generated Pope Trump – it got me thinking about power, influence, and how we see ourselves. Join me as I explore the cultural impact of such grandiose imagery before diving into the dynamics of personality cults, looking at their appeal and potential pitfalls, even drawing lessons from Dune. Then, I'll connect these external fo...

Recorded on 5.2.2025. In this episode I engage in exploration of consciousness, that subjective inner awareness that defines our experience. I dive into the leading scientific theories, Integrated Information Theory and Global Neuronal Workspace Theory, and discuss how new research and phenomena like lucid dreaming are complicating our understanding. I also consider how sleep profoundly impacts our conscious state. Shifting gears, ...

Recorded on 4.28.2025. In this episode I dive into the often-challenging journey of starting and maintaining an exercise routine while navigating the complexities of mental well-being. I begin by unpacking the common hurdles that prevent many of us from embracing regular physical activity. From the ever-present crunch of time and the weight of psychosocial barriers like motivation and self-doubt, to the real-world limitations of so...

Recorded on April 22, 2025. In this episode, I grapple with the Supreme Court case Mahmoud v. Taylor out of Maryland. This case, concerning parents wanting to opt their elementary schoolers out of lessons involving storybooks on gender identity and sexual orientation, has been been on my mind.

I explored the central tension between what some parents see as potential indoctrination and the school board's goal of creating an inclu...

This series is focused on combining a healthy exercise routine with conversation about current events, big ideas, and mental health. In this episode I discuss recent research into misaligned circadian rhythms and sleep schedules and how productivity dominates so much of our time. These intersecting ideas have the consequence of making already problematic issues of low energy, negative feelings, and ultimately depression even ...

The struggle with the rowing machine continues, so this episode will feature a walk rather than a rowing session. But, to be honest, the day was so nice I didn't even mind. In this episode I fust look upward to the moon before looking inward and considering our relationship orbits. It's a change of pace from the politics of the prior episodes, but I think it's fun to change things up. You should be able to hear the even...

This series is focused on combining a healthy exercise routine with thoughts and discussion about current events, big ideas, and mental health. In this episode I connect the recent nationwide "Hands Off" protests with the human need for connection. I wrap up with a discussion of what I call the "shields up" effect, essentially a barrier to connection that is exacerbated by my dysthymia. I also contend with some equi...

In this episode I shift the conversation about media consumption to consider the ways we seek and internalize journalistic information in order to build "factual" stories about the world around us. So much attention gets paid to the word bias, but how often do we consider our own biases or the reality that there is no communication free of bias because our experiences shape the language we use to relate events to one anothe...

In this episode I discuss what it means to engage with the media we consume as well as the artists and creators who make that media. What happens when we love the art, but loath the artist? Media, whether its books, music, films, paintings, comics, or any art form becomes interwoven into our lives and identities, until the things we love feel like living parts of our lives. This creates the need for complex conversations about how ...

I’m happy to welcome back Eva as co-host to which she brings her knowledge and experience for this series about the five love languages. Whether on social media or in pop-culture, it seems as if these 5 methods of giving and receiving love have become a near ubiquitous shorthand for discussing personal tastes in people and determining potential compatibility in relationships. This conversation has been broken into segments. The fir...

I’m happy to welcome back Eva as co-host to which she brings her knowledge and experience for this series about the five love languages. Whether on social media or in pop-culture, it seems as if these 5 methods of giving and receiving love have become a near ubiquitous shorthand for discussing personal tastes in people and determining potential compatibility in relationships. This conversation has been broken into segments. The fir...

I am happy to welcome back Eva who brings her knowledge and experience as co-host for this series about the five love languages. Whether on social media or in pop-culture, it seems as if these 5 methods of giving and receiving love have become a near-ubiquitous shorthand for discussing personal tastes in people and determining potential compatibility in relationships. This is a long and detailed conversation which will be broken in...