Butt Breathers and Pebbling

Join us as we meander through this expansive journey through the curious ways humans connect—and sometimes miss each other entirely—in our attempts to show appreciation.

We kick things off with tennis talk, breaking down newcomer Jakub Mensik‘s surprising victory over Novak Djokovic before wandering into an unexpected debate about whether our show airs on “Monday at midnight” or “Tuesday at midnight” (a surprisingly philosophical question!). From there, we explore what I’ve dubbed my “pebbling list“—the fascinating ritual of sending friends curated videos through Instagram as a modern form of connection.

Anne’s current Social Media obsessions include dramatic hair transformation videos where men who haven’t cut their hair in years emerge looking like completely different people, a child hilariously claiming they bought makeup at Home Depot, and dogs getting into all sorts of mischief. These digital gifts have become a midnight ritual, a way of maintaining friendships across time and distance.

The heart of our conversation examines the awkward politics of receiving unwanted gifts, particularly food. When someone brings you something made with love that you absolutely won’t eat, what’s the right response? Is honesty better than gracious acceptance? We share stories of my friend’s violin studio where a student’s mother brings weekly homemade goods that immediately hit the trash, and my own memories of Yudi Grabie from New York’s Garment Center, who would present greasy, foil-wrapped delicacies his wife Malka Esther had prepared.

Just when you think the conversation couldn’t get more unexpected, Michael shares the surprising science of animals that can breathe through their rear ends—including turtles, frogs, and even some mammals! It’s exactly the kind of bizarre fact that makes you question everything you thought you knew about the natural world and evidence of our absolute rock-solid educational mission to teach the world everything.

Whether you’re fascinated by cultural traditions, digital connection rituals, or simply enjoy conversations that meander through life’s curious corners, there’s something here that will make you laugh, think, and perhaps reconsider how you navigate your own uncomfortable gift exchanges. Or maybe not, it could be just a bunch of hooey we put together for April Fool’s Day.

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Tagged as: Gift giving, Pebbling List, Pebbling, Butt Breathers, Abie Grabie, Yudi Grabie, Midnight, Jakub Mensik, Miami Open, Social Media, Novax Djokovic, New York City, Instagram, Garment Center, April Fools Day.