Hey Riddle Riddle Podcast Summary Episode: Patreon Preview #307: Chatterbox 24
Release Date: January 24, 2025
Hosts: Adal Rifai, Erin Keif, John Patrick Coan

Introduction to Chatterbox 24

In this exclusive Patreon preview episode, the hosts of Hey Riddle Riddle—Adal Rifai, Erin Keif (referred to as Mariah), and John Patrick Coan (referred to as Gemma)—dive into a candid discussion centered around their New Year's resolutions and personal growth ambitions. The conversation sets a relatable tone as they explore themes of self-improvement, minimalism, and breaking daily routines.

Embracing New Year's Resolutions

The episode opens with the hosts contemplating the concept of New Year's resolutions. Adal kicks off the conversation with an enthusiastic suggestion:

Adal (00:02): "Why don't we go ahead and do a Chatterbacks adol?"

Mariah expresses her desire to reconnect with the group:

Mariah (00:10): "I feel like I have not caught up with my guys in forever. What the hell is going on, guys?"

Gemma humorously questions the popularity of New Year's resolutions:

Gemma (00:18): "New Year, New us. Nobody here does New Year's resolutions, do they? Not really."

Adal encourages the group to declare a public resolution:

Adal (00:28): "Let's publicly state a resolution right now that we're all absolutely going to adhere to."

Cultivating Reading Habits with the Libby App

Gemma shares her commitment to reading more, leveraging the Libby app to access a plethora of ebooks conveniently:

Gemma (00:42): "I have been reading more books and I'm trying to continue that into the new year... I've been reading a lot of fantasy books."

She elaborates on the flexibility the Libby app provides:

Gemma (01:10): "It's just like the library, but you can do it for ebooks. And then I can read them on my phone... I was reading fantasy books that had a thousand pages... but I was reading."

Adal injects humor into the discussion about carrying extensive book collections:

Adal (01:29): "I think Bruce Banner can hold a thousand page book. I don't think he needs to turn into the Hulk to carry a thousand page book."

Gemma further discusses the nuances of choosing books:

Gemma (01:40): "Sometimes I'll read a book and not really love it, but I wanted to read it anyway... I don't necessarily love all the things that I read."

Navigating Library Resources and Digital Rights

The conversation shifts to the strategic use of multiple library cards to maximize access to digital books. Gemma explains the benefits:

Gemma (02:28): "You can check out books from different libraries if you have access to different cards. People min max this shit so that they can have 13 books checked out at the same time."

Adal reflects on the complexities of digital library systems:

Adal (03:04): "It seems insane that you would run out of digital copies of a book."

Gemma touches on digital rights and library memberships:

Gemma (03:22): "You can buy guest passes, like annual memberships to the library. So you could have better access to both."

Adopting Minimalism and Reducing Consumption

Mariah shares her journey towards minimalist living, emphasizing the reduction of unnecessary purchases:

Mariah (04:10): "I'm trying to live way more minimally. I did a huge purge of my house at the end of December."

She highlights specific areas of focus, such as minimizing food and toiletries:

Mariah (04:45): "I just want empty drawers and I want to buy less food... only having one shampoo at a time."

Gemma expresses her admiration and humorously contemplates applying similar habits:

Gemma (05:17): "Would love to tell my wife about one shampoo at a time."

Enhancing Culinary Practices with Meal Kits

Adal discusses his aim to cook more at home, reducing reliance on takeout:

Adal (05:30): "We're trying to as best we can, like cook at home, make meals versus putting Jimmy John's kids through college."

Mariah adds her experience with meal delivery services:

Mariah (07:38): "We’ve been using the purple carrot meal delivery thing... it's all vegan, which is pretty cool."

Gemma notes the benefits of incorporating more vegetables into their diet:

Gemma (08:44): "It certainly has vegetables in it. You certainly are eating vegetables."

Breaking Routine with Advent Calendar Activities

Adal introduces a creative strategy to disrupt monotonous daily routines using an advent calendar box filled with diverse activities:

Adal (06:06): "We're going to roll a D20 every day... and then we're going to do whatever the box contains."

The proposed activities range from practical tasks like home repairs to engaging pastimes such as playing board games or discovering new restaurants, encouraging spontaneity and variety.

Mariah praises the idea, while Gemma shares the practical challenges of executing such plans in Chicago's harsh winter:

Mariah (06:44): "That's such a good idea."

Gemma (06:46): "It's also so hard to do, especially in Chicago in the wintertime too because it sucks outside."

Reducing Processed Sugar Intake

The hosts delve into their efforts to cut down on processed sugars, addressing the psychological challenges of dietary changes. Gemma explains their gradual approach:

Gemma (08:44): "We were like, we gotta get back into, like, the cooking habit... but we're, like, slowly getting rid of it and not replenishing it."

Mariah humorously remarks on their unintended increase in sugar consumption during the transition:

Mariah (09:28): "You're eating more sugar than ever before."

They recount a relatable incident involving Girl Scout cookies, illustrating the temptations faced during such lifestyle adjustments:

Gemma (09:48): "We have a bunch of girl scout cookies and I think I'm gonna hide these somewhere in the house and then hit myself in the head really hard so I won't know where they are."

Concluding Remarks and Humor

The episode wraps up with light-hearted banter, reinforcing the camaraderie among the hosts. The humorous exchange about hiding cookies serves as an entertaining close to their heartfelt discussions on self-improvement and lifestyle changes.

Mariah (10:09): "Well good luck."

Gemma (10:09): "1234 hey riddle riddles Click Listen to the rest of the episode now by starting your free 7 day trial at patreon.com heyriddle riddle."

This episode of Hey Riddle Riddle offers listeners an intimate glimpse into the hosts' personal goals and the strategies they employ to achieve them. From embracing minimalism and enhancing culinary skills to fostering reading habits and reducing sugar intake, Adal, Mariah, and Gemma provide relatable insights and practical advice. Their authentic conversations, peppered with humor and camaraderie, make this preview episode both engaging and inspiring for fans and newcomers alike.