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Jordan, Jesse, Go! is a podcast on the Maximum Fun network, and it’s easily become one of my favorite things to listen to whenever. Hosted by the dapper Jesse Thorn, NPR host and founder of Maximum Fun, and the discerning Jordan Morris, writer for @Midnight and Michael Bay impressionist impresario, Jordan, Jesse, Go! is as free-form as it gets when it comes to podcasts, but contains a vivacious spirit and an endearing charm. Featuring weekly guests from various creative professions, not just comedy, Jordan Jesse, Go! has a tennis volley-like energy that is immediately appealing. It feels like a good time with friends, very funny and talented friends, and the intimacy with their guests is illuminating without getting somber or stilted. If laughing is the best medicine, Jordan, Jesse, Go! will cure any ailments you have whether you are stuck in traffic, doing chores, or trapped in the office. Wherever, whenever. This week, Maximum Fun is hosting their annual Max Fun Drive to raise money for their donation-based funding system and I suggest all of you already listening to chip in a few bucks. I wanted to use this opportunity to share my five favorite Jordan, Jesse, Go! episodes (stick around next week for my five favorite Maximum Fun shows) to inspire any newbies to take the dive in and listen for themselves. Photo by Zac Wolf Listed by @stevenraymorris.

Last year I was lucky to experience a more in-depth adventure at the San Diego Safari Park. The more atmospheric and understated of the two zoos in San Diego, my girlfriend and I took a behind-the-scenes tour where I got to feed a rhino and some somali wild asses, and even hang out with two baby lion cubs. Being up close and personal with these animals is a humbling and life-affirming experience, but none more so than my meeting with the gentle giant of the Congo, the Okapi, the last stop on that tour. Only recently 'discovered' in the 20th century, the Okapi is the only known relative of the giraffe. Yes, the inattentive parents behind you at the zoo will comment thinking it's a zebra (read the damn placard you fools!), but don't listen to them. Dubbed the forest giraffe (the Ituri Rainforest to be specific) or Congolese Unicorn, the Okapi has only recently been placed on the endangered species list due to poaching and deforestation. After meeting two of them on that adventure, they have become my favorite animal. Below I will share a few reasons why, and why the Okapi will soon be your favorite animal too. photo by Steven Ray Morris Listed by @stevenraymorris.

Gender swapping (swapping the genders of characters from their established ones in a fictional work) has a long history in geek culture as an exercise in media consumption. Besides taking delight in flipping the norms or remixing the dynamics of characters, gender swapping is used as a tool to comment on issues and inequalities in the entertainment industry and fiction in general. Acknowledging the complexity of what, how, and why we consume, gender swapping points out potentially problematic points, but still showcases a sense of love for that film, television show, video game or whatever. While original and unique forms of media are always a best case scenario in inspiring the true diversity and wealth of stories out there, gender swapping currently established stories and franchises is a great tool to get the ball rolling. That being said, I wanted to gender swap my favorite movie, Jurassic Park.Still by Blu Blu Caps Listed by @stevenraymorris.

Some people binge watch tv shows like Breaking Bad, Orange Is The New Black, Game Of Thrones, or Gilmore Girls, but what I can’t get enough of is nature and animal documentaries. Blue Planet, David Attenborough’s Mammals and Life Of Birds, the various Wildest series, heck I even threw a Planet Earth-themed New Year’s Eve party this year. PBS also has been doing their own brand of animal documentaries for over twenty years. The series is simply titled Nature, but features plenty of awesome animal action. Currently Netflix hosts about a dozen or so of these fascinating documentaries. Let me share with you my five favorites. photo courtesy of PBS Nature Listed by @stevenraymorris.