In this episode, Peter and Aubrey talk candidly about the stresses they’re facing—Aubrey with last-minute wedding planning and Peter with heavy experiences at work. They explore how decision fatigue, social media comparisons, and secondary trauma weigh on them, and share the small but important ways they cope—from Hayden’s grounded advice and wedding perspective shifts, to Taskmaster marathons, D&D nights, and even Donkey Kong therapy. The conversation circles around what really matters—connection, perspective, and finding moments of relief—and wraps with an astronomy tidbit on the Perseids meteor shower.

Show Notes

• Aubrey shares the whirlwind of last-minute wedding planning: decision fatigue, pressure from TikTok wedding “must-dos,” and the relief of remembering the day is about love, not perfection.
• Peter recalls once joking that he’d hand his kids $10k to elope—and realizing maybe it wasn’t a joke after all.
• Discussion on the stress of endless tiny decisions, and how habits can remove decision fatigue.
• Aubrey’s Vegas bachelor/bachelorette trip recap: pool days, Cirque du Soleil, magic shows, and Costco mac & cheese.
• Reflections on long-distance PTSD—her body still feels like Hayden might “leave for school” even though he’s not.
• Peter opens up about dealing with secondary trauma at work, the kind that lingers in unexpected ways.

Coping strategies:

• Aubrey: limiting social media wedding content, leaning on Hayden, remembering it’s about “us, not me.”
• Peter: staying connected to colleagues and family, seeking low-stakes entertainment (Taskmaster, Donkey Kong Bananza on Switch 2), taking breaks from heavy books, playing D&D, and finding catharsis in music.
• Reflection on extravagant weddings vs. long marriages—Emory study shows higher costs often linked to shorter marriages.
• A funny cake panic: Aubrey blurts out “raspberry lemon” flavor on the spot, then spirals until Hayden reminds her they can always renew vows in ten years if she still cares.
• Peter talks about scaling back Imperfect Practice’s 30-day challenge plans due to current emotional load—sometimes you need to simplify.
• Closing discussion about transitions: Peter’s son Alex returning from his mission and the challenge of re-adjusting to home life after such a focused purpose.
• Aubrey’s astro fact: the Perseids meteor shower, up to 70 shooting stars an hour, though cloud cover blocked her view this year.

In this episode of Generations, we explore the power of daily habits—both the ones we've nailed down and the ones we’re still working on. From journaling and meditation to supplement rituals and walking routines, we share what helps anchor our days and set the tone for intentional living. Our conversation blends the practical with the personal, touching on sleep struggles, the quest to ditch screens before bed, and the quirks that make each of our routines uniquely their own.

Episode Notes:

• Peter and Aubrey catch up on life—summer swim meets, visits from friends, and family travel.
• Aubrey introduces the topic: daily habits that improve well-being, productivity, and mood.
• Aubrey shares her challenge of not sleeping the day away and the small but powerful shift of waking up with her partner instead of sleeping in.
• Peter discusses his long-standing habit of morning journaling, inspired by the Theme System and tied to his protein shake routine.
• Both reflect on their meditation practices: Peter’s recent consistency using Daily Calm, and Aubrey’s efforts to integrate both day and night sessions.
• They share supplement routines in hilarious and relatable detail—Peter with his towering stack of capsules and efficiency tactics (baby carrots included), and Aubrey with her “sour patch kid reward system.”
• Aubrey gushes about her love of sleepytime tea, and Peter tells a vivid story of how two years in Guatemala ruined hot drinks for him forever.
• Peter shares plans for his Imperfect Practice project, including an upcoming 30-day challenge: no phone in bed, minimal screens before sleep, and new journaling tools.
• Aubrey discusses her goal to wind down with reading instead of screens, and to get consistent with morning walks or treadmill inclines to kick off her day.
• They reflect on James Clear’s Atomic Habits and how tying habits together (like music cues for workouts) can reduce friction.
• Peter compares habits to enzymes—lowering the activation energy required to do good things—and shares practical examples of habit stacking and friction reduction.
• The episode wraps with encouragement to make small changes that matter, and a peek into what’s coming next for Imperfect Practice.

Links:
Imperfect Practice

In this heartfelt and wide-ranging episode of Generations, Peter unveils his new passion project—“Imperfect Practice,” a blog and YouTube channel exploring self-improvement through honest, iterative growth. He and Aubrey discuss the origin of the idea, the motivation behind it, and what he hopes to offer. Along the way, they reflect on podcast appearances, sleep habits, trivia mishaps, kayaking misadventures, Lego flowers, and the generational shift in taste for sitcoms. The conversation blends personal stories, tech nerd-outs, and mutual support, offering a warm and thoughtful exchange about creativity, legacy, and staying curious at any age.

Episode Notes:

• Peter shares a recent appearance on The Incomparable Game Show playing Random Pursuit, and talks about supporting Uncanny Magazine, which promotes underrepresented voices in sci-fi/fantasy publishing.
• The two discuss the value of exposure to diverse perspectives, both through fiction and life choices, including their family’s intentional educational decisions.
• Aubrey recounts recent adventures in kayaking and trivia nights in Wisconsin, including a moment of trivia triumph (and regret) tied to a Blockheads video game memory.
• They both express a shared disdain for The Office and mutual joy over building Lego floral arrangements.
• A love for low-stakes comfort shows like Taskmaster and Friends leads into a broader conversation about the value of leisure and stress-free entertainment.
• Peter unveils “Imperfect Practice,” his new blog and YouTube channel centered around self-improvement through honest reflection and experimentation.
• The idea was sparked by frustrations with “perfect system” productivity content and a desire to share tools and lessons that might work—not ones that promise to.
• They discuss the gear (a Sony ZV-E10 Mark II with a Sigma lens), learning Final Cut Pro, and batching content in preparation for launch.
• Aubrey reflects on how much Peter has to share—from tech and fitness to life balance and failure—and enthusiastically endorses the project.
• The episode closes with Aubrey updating on her nearly-published astrophysics paper and the satisfying formality of a new professional identity.

Links:

Uncanny Magazine Year 12 Kickstarter
Uncanny Magazine on Patreon
The Incomparable Game Show
Imperfect Practice