In this solo This Is Everything episode, Zach Randles-Friedman takes on the exhaustion so many people are feeling right now. He talks about doom scrolling and a news cycle that feels like a horror show. He covers a job market where AI-polished applications flood every listing, grocery prices that jumped his weekly Instacart order from $200 to $312, and a McDonald's hot fudge sundae that now costs $6.99 on DoorDash. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, Zach reacts to Senator Tuberville's "furry pilots" claims, to rhetoric targeting trans people, and to calls for violence against queer people. He also explains why he believes the November midterms matter so much. Through it all, he finds signs of hope: strangers being a little kinder, a TikTok plant auction that brings him joy, and the comfort of good friends. He closes with simple ways to feel better, including limiting screen time, volunteering, FaceTiming with a heads-up, sending voice notes, guarding your social battery, and getting help when you need it. It's a candid reminder that if you're in a funk, you're not alone. Intro music by Six Foot Five.

Podcast song by SIXFOOT 5: https://www.sixfoot5prod.com

Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sixfoot-5/1551774977

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rHMzoU0G0fLhaBsrQiOOY?si=laSZ5hiKTYubJJyhrzf2JQ

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