The Curious Krewe Podcast

Just Love - Greater New Orleans

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Society & Culture

Curious Krewe invites real people into thoughtful, listening-first conversations that turn curiosity into connection.

8h ago

Growing Down: Clowns, Grits, and Squeezeboxes

You can leave a voicemail for us HERE What did you love doing as a kid... and have you let yourself do it again? This month the Curious Krewe gets honest about play, and why grownups make it so complicated. It starts with our most controversial food opinions. Sam declares dinner bread an “obstacle food.” David says New Orleans seafood isn’t seasoned enough (bold, in this town). And Colette respects the history of the grit but refuses to eat one. Then the real question lands. David traces his career in architecture back to one seat on his middle school bus, and wonders out loud why play now has to produce something. Colette is teaching themself Cajun accordion for a clown act about seducing a squeezebox, and makes the case for play as a discipline worth putting on the calendar. Rhys laces up pink rollerblades, cues up the 80s, and admits the longest relationship of his life has been with his dreams. Mo paints ceramics, goes to concerts solo, and still hasn’t forgiven the night she had to leave before Korn. And Sam, self-appointed “guy who has no fun,” realizes mid-conversation that he never actually stopped doing what he loved most as a kid. Somewhere between an escape room squirrel and a conversation about witnessing each other’s humanity, a quieter question surfaces: what if you’re already playing and just haven’t noticed? At the table: co-hosts Sam, Colette, and Rhys, with guests David and Mo (Maureen). Chapters 00:00 Welcome to the Curious Krewe 01:16 Curious Quickie: your most controversial food opinion 13:53 The Curious Code and this month’s question 15:46 David: architecture, graffiti, and play with a purpose 27:36 What is art for, anyway? 31:18 Craft vs. art, and who decides 33:32 Colette: clowns, Cajun accordion, and a squeezebox seduction 43:26 What would your kid self think of you now? 51:15 Scheduling play (yes, really) 1:05:25 The escape room squirrel 1:07:15 Rhys: pink rollerblades and a lifelong love affair with dreams 1:20:18 Who plans the fun? 1:23:48 Mo: painting ceramics and leaving before the headliner 1:46:39 Sam: Pete the Pencil and witnessing humanity 1:58:56 Gathering the Good 2:06:52 Stay curious Gathering the Good... Things Worth Carrying Home Strange World, the animated film Colette recommendsThe Magic School BusJack Black’s toy saxophone bit on The Tonight ShowTig Notaro’s piano storyMarie Kondo’s “sparks joy” testStar words for EpiphanyCandlelight concerts here in New OrleansRhys’s rollerblading soundtrack: Fleetwood Mac, 4 Non Blondes’ “What’s Up,” and A Flock of Seagulls’ “I Ran (So Far Away)”Your turn. What did you love doing as a kid? Text us or leave a voicemail right from these show notes... that’s your version of Gathering the Good. One link gets you to all of it: the monthly gathering, next month’s question vote, and the community. Stay curious, friends! If this sparked something for you, we wanna hear it!!! Leave us a voicemail us HERE. Want to meet the Curious Krewe in person? Here is your formal INVITATION. Curious about all-things Curious Krewe? All roads converge HERE. Want to learn how to start a gathering in your city? You can email us HERE. Until then, Stay Curious!
Sep 25

Second Thoughts: Loving, Hurting, and Rebuilding

You can leave a voicemail for us HERE A note before you listen: This episode includes a personal and emotional conversation about grief, the loss of a sibling, and surviving a near-death experience. We're grateful for the vulnerability our friends brought to this table. If you're struggling right now, please reach out. 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 (free, 24/7) Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 You don't have to carry it alone. Changing your mind sounds simple until you price out the real cost: relationships, identity, belonging, safety, and the stories you used to survive. We sit down as the Curious Crew to answer one question with many voices: What have we changed our minds about, and what did it cost us or give us? Rhys opens with a raw look at being transmasc and how shifting gender presentation can change everything from social acceptance to feeling desirable. From there, we dig into masculinity, validation, and why so many of us were trained to measure our worth by what we produce instead of who we are. The conversation gets practical too, with a healthier model of connection that does not demand one partner or one friend fill every need. Morgan shares the decision to be childfree, the grief and guilt that followed, and the freedom that comes with choosing the truth anyway. We talk about the cultural pressure to defend not having kids, what legacy can look like beyond biology, and how therapy and honest self-inquiry can keep you from living someone else’s plan. Then Colette brings the room to a hush with an honest story about grief, moral injury, and slowly believing their brother’s death was not their fault. If you are carrying something heavy, please take care of yourself. You can call or text 988 anytime, and we include more resources in the show notes. What’s something you’ve changed your mind about, and what did it give and/or cost you? You can text us HERE to share! If this sparked something for you, we wanna hear it!!! Leave us a voicemail us HERE. Want to meet the Curious Krewe in person? Here is your formal INVITATION. Curious about all-things Curious Krewe? All roads converge HERE. Want to learn how to start a gathering in your city? You can email us HERE. Until then, Stay Curious!
Aug 26

Borrowed Blueprints: Two Wolves, One Unitard, & Life Plans

You can leave a voicemail for us HERE If your “dream life” feels more like a checklist you’re trying to pass, we’ve been there and we’re not letting that script run the show unchecked. We sit down with the Crew to ask a deceptively simple question: "How much of your idea for a'perfect life is actually yours? How much is just a script you inherited? How much of your idea of a perfect life is actually yours, and how much is an inherited script from family, religion, heteronormativity, and the Western success machine? From coming out experiences and family grief to the quiet power of representation, we talk through what changes when the list of “cants” gets shorter, and what still stays hard even when you’re supported. We also get real about gender expression, the relief of being seen as normal, and the complicated emotions that show up when the next generation has it easier and you’re still mourning what you didn’t get. Then we follow the script into work and caregiving. We unpack performance culture, workaholism, burnout, and the brutal question that can land in the silence: do I even matter without the job, the praise, or the productivity? We trade practical self-care ideas that actually work on hard days, and we challenge the myth that caregivers and healers must suffer. We close with disability, chronic illness, and a grounding reframe we keep coming back to: capacity vs capability. If this conversation sparks something in you, subscribe, share it with a friend, leave a review, and tell us what script you’re rewriting right now? If this sparked something for you, we wanna hear it!!! Leave us a voicemail us HERE. Want to meet the Curious Krewe in person? Here is your formal INVITATION. Curious about all-things Curious Krewe? All roads converge HERE. Want to learn how to start a gathering in your city? You can email us HERE. Until then, Stay Curious!
Jul 23

Big Ask: Questions, Peace, and Oreos

You can leave a voicemail for us HERE We handed the table a deceptively simple prompt this month... if you could ask the whole world one question to help people grow, what would it be? Turns out that's a bit like asking someone to pick one food to eat for the rest of their life, which, yes, we also did, and yes, someone did try to switch their answer from leafy greens to Oreos mid sentence. Sam kicks it off with a question a mentor once ambushed him with... what's it like to be on the other side of me? The table promptly puts it on trial. Too pointed? A setup? A journal prompt in disguise? Somewhere in the friendly cross examination, something honest shakes loose about how we come across versus how we hope to. Then Rhys asks what brings you peace, not happiness, and the whole conversation tilts. Are peace and happiness two different things, or two sides of the same coin? Is peace the boulder in the river or the reed that bends with it? Khadeja offers a line that stopped us cold... peace is static, happiness is dynamic... and then admitted she'd figured that out about four seconds earlier, live, at the table. And Khadeja closes with a question that has teeth... can you even measure kindness, and are you sure you want to know what it says about you if you try? It is warm, it is a little nosy in the best way, and it wanders exactly where good conversations wander. Come for the almond butter evangelism, stay for a genuinely moving turn on speech, teasing, and learning to be kind to people who were not kind to you first. Grab a pen. You'll want to gather some good of your own. Press play... and stay curious. If this sparked something for you, we wanna hear it!!! Leave us a voicemail us HERE. Want to meet the Curious Krewe in person? Here is your formal INVITATION. Curious about all-things Curious Krewe? All roads converge HERE. Want to learn how to start a gathering in your city? You can email us HERE. Until then, Stay Curious!
Jul 10

Mattering Most: Values, Meaning, and Legacy

You can leave a voicemail for us HERE What do you want people to say about you when you’re gone and what are you doing today that backs it up? We sit down with the Curious Krewe to answer a question that sounds simple but gets personal fast: what do you most want to be remembered for, and how are you living toward that right now. We talk about legacy through the lens of grief, love, and real relationships, including the difference between kindness vs niceness. For us, kindness is not people-pleasing or fake politeness. It’s boundaries, responsibility, and sometimes saying the hard thing while staying invested in the person across from you. We also get honest about the shadow side: cruelty as self-protection, resentment when giving becomes transactional, and what it takes to stay soft in a world that rewards armor. The conversation stretches into self-awareness, calling, and meaning. We share stories from chaplaincy, crisis response, and healthcare about how safety and support can change trauma outcomes, plus what post-traumatic growth might look like for an entire society after events like COVID. We also explore big-picture responsibility, including a long-horizon “500-year vision,” questions about AI and creativity, and why values can be a steadier compass than goals. If something in you sparks while listening, subscribe, share the episode with a friend who loves deep questions, and leave a review so more curious humans can find the crew. What do you want to be remembered for? If this sparked something for you, we wanna hear it!!! Leave us a voicemail us HERE. Want to meet the Curious Krewe in person? Here is your formal INVITATION. Curious about all-things Curious Krewe? All roads converge HERE. Want to learn how to start a gathering in your city? You can email us HERE. Until then, Stay Curious!
Jun 10

Learning Lately: Candy, Portfolios, and Grief Glitter

You can leave a voicemail for us HERE You can feel the moment a conversation stops performing and starts telling the truth. This one starts where they all do... at the table, laughing about childhood candy. And then the question lands: what are you learning right now about life, people, or yourself? What follows is the kind of talk most of us only wish we had access to. Nic on building a life with room for all of who you are, so no single job or person has to carry everything. Rhys on grieving the version of yourself that needed everyone's approval. Sarah on deciding, young, what safety would look like... and then becoming it. Colette on the long road from surviving to actually living. And somewhere in there, a question about grief opens a door nobody expected to walk through. We go to some tender places in this one, including mental health and thoughts of suicide. We went there because the table felt safe enough to. If you're carrying something heavy, you don't have to carry it alone... call or text 988 anytime, and you'll find more in the show notes. We close with the newest part of our Curious Code... Gathering the Good, where each of us names what curiosity gave us. Perspective. Permission. Love. More people in our corner than we knew we had. If this one stirred something in you, we want to hear it. There's a link in the show notes to share it, to send us the question you want the Krewe to sit with next, and to pull up a chair in person. Come be curious with us. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Gathering the Good... Things Worth Carrying Home The good stuff doesn't have to stay at the table. A few of the books, ideas, and practices that came up, in case you want to wander into any of them yourself... Reading Gullstruck Island (published as The Lost Conspiracy in the US) by Frances HardingeFly by Night by Frances Hardinge... yes, the one with the gooseMore about the author: franceshardinge.comIdeas and frameworks worth a search Moral injuryForeboding joy (a concept explored by Brené Brown)The "grief glitter" metaphor... how grief never fully disappears, but you find less of it over timeSaturn returnQueer theory as a way of being in the worldFreud's "death drive"Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in schoolsPractices and therapies EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)Somatic therapy... noticing what the body holdsInner child and reparenting workThe Marie Kondo practice of offering gratitude before letting something goAlso referenced Viola Davis, on the long road to "becoming somebody"If today's conversation brought up something heavy 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline... call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.orgCrisis Text Line... text HOME to 741741You are not alone. If this sparked something for you, we wanna hear it!!! Leave us a voicemail us HERE. Want to meet the Curious Krewe in person? Here is your formal INVITATION. Curious about all-things Curious Krewe? All roads converge HERE. Want to learn how to start a gathering in your city? You can email us HERE. Until then, Stay Curious!
Apr 29

Love, Actually: Bread Pudding, Burnt Sugar, & Big Feelings

You can leave a voicemail for us HERE Love gets marketed as a feeling you fall into, but our real lives keep asking for something sturdier. We wrestle with the question “How do you know when you love someone?” and end up talking about the moments that don’t fit on a greeting card: missing someone in the middle of an ordinary day, making space for them in your future, and choosing connection even when it costs time, energy, or pride. If you’ve ever wondered whether what you’re building is love or just attachment, this conversation gives you language that’s practical and honest. We dig into what love looks like in action: respect over being right, boundaries instead of rules, and freedom instead of control. We also talk about the trap of self-sacrifice and hyper-independence, and how learning interdependence can feel scary if you grew up carrying too much. From chronic illness to grief to everyday care, we explore why receiving help is not weakness, and why refusing support can accidentally make you feel unreachable to the people who want to love you well. Then we zoom out with a definition that sticks: love as an act of kindness with full presence. Not automatic giving, not emotional manipulation, not a perfect 50-50 split, but a steady commitment to show up as a whole person and to let other people do the same. We even get into self-love as honesty, journaling, slowing down, and returning to the things that regulate us, like music, after burnout. If you want more conversations about relationships, emotional intimacy, boundaries, and what real love looks like, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more curious people can find the table. What’s one action that makes you feel loved? Special thanks to Rhys Lombardo for the audio engineering and Bruce France for production of the podcast audio. Oh...and be sure to give a listen to the "On Being" episode with Rabbi Shia Held (On Love, and Judaism) Rhys mentioned! If this sparked something for you, we wanna hear it!!! Leave us a voicemail us HERE. Want to meet the Curious Krewe in person? Here is your formal INVITATION. Curious about all-things Curious Krewe? All roads converge HERE. Want to learn how to start a gathering in your city? You can email us HERE. Until then, Stay Curious!
Mar 25

Stress Resets: Hammocks, Growling, and Bins

You can leave a voicemail for us HERE In this episode, we talk about a deceptively simple question: when you’re stressed, what helps you come back to yourself, and how did you learn it? What starts with a few inner-monologue catchphrases quickly turns into a practical, honest conversation about stress relief, anxiety, and the everyday skills nobody really teaches us. We are joined by our usual Curious Co-Hosts, Colette and Sam, and our Curious Guests (and CK vets), Maureen (Mo) and Kevin. (Surprise appearance by Morgan, one of the original CK founders). Audio Wizardry by Bruce France Studios. You can find out more about everyone by checking out our 'Contributors' page We dig into the difference between being consumed by stress and creating distance from it, including how therapy, perspective shifts, and clear boundaries can stop someone else’s panic from becoming your emergency. We also explore how stress shows up in the body: tight jaws, shaky hands, chest tension, and that feeling of getting hijacked by your lizard brain. From walking and workouts to hammocks and standing desks, we keep coming back to one idea: movement and embodiment are not optional for many of us; they’re the fastest path back to clarity. Then we follow the thread into sound and emotion regulation. We talk about playlists that help you cry on purpose, binaural beats, ocean waves, and why singing bowls and sound baths can calm the nervous system so quickly. If you’re looking for grounded coping mechanisms for stress, burnout, ADHD, anxiety, and grief, pull up a chair. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s carrying a lot right now, and leave us a review with the one practice that reliably brings you back to yourself. If this sparked something for you, we wanna hear it!!! Leave us a voicemail us HERE. Want to meet the Curious Krewe in person? Here is your formal INVITATION. Curious about all-things Curious Krewe? All roads converge HERE. Want to learn how to start a gathering in your city? You can email us HERE. Until then, Stay Curious!
Feb 25

Relationship Realities: Learning the Hard Way

You can leave a voicemail for us HERE What makes a relationship healthy...romantic, family, friendship, all of it? And why do so many of us end up learning the most important parts the hard way? In this episode, Sam and Colette are joined by Nic and Craig for a curious conversation that starts with a surprisingly deep warm-up (“one word that describes how you recharge”) and then dives into the real stuff: giving and receiving, speaking your needs, the vulnerability of being seen, and how our family-of-origin habits follow us into grown-up relationships like uninvited guests. Along the way, we talk about hyper-independence (and why it’s not always the flex we think it is), why “communication” is more than just talking, how change feels weird before it feels right, and why healthy relationships require a willingness to risk discomfort...and even pain...if we want real connection. There’s also some honest reflection on anger, boundaries, and what to do when someone’s “real self” includes a side you don’t know how to hold. As always, we follow The Curious Code: respect beats being right, listen up, keep an open mind, respond with curiosity, and make this a safe space for everyone—every time. Pull up a chair. This one’s tender, funny, and very human. If this sparked something for you, we wanna hear it!!! Leave us a voicemail us HERE. Want to meet the Curious Krewe in person? Here is your formal INVITATION. Curious about all-things Curious Krewe? All roads converge HERE. Want to learn how to start a gathering in your city? You can email us HERE. Until then, Stay Curious!
Jan 28

Helpful Habits: Small Habits, Big Shifts

You can leave a voicemail for us HERE Looking for a habit that actually changes how you feel, think, and create? We take one community-voted question...what small habit has made a big difference...and follow it into surprising places: meditation that doesn’t feel like punishment, an accidental breakup with caffeine, acupuncture that clears the fog, and the underrated power of protecting your creative time like it’s oxygen. If you’re ready to try one shift this week—swap a cup of coffee for water, set a phone curfew, book acupuncture, sketch before breakfast, or sit with that inner light—this conversation offers practical starting points and real stories of change. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs a nudge, and leave a review with the one habit you’re committing to next. What small move will you try tomorrow? Special thanks to Rhys Lombardo and Bruce France for making this sound sooooooo good! If this sparked something for you, we wanna hear it!!! Leave us a voicemail us HERE. Want to meet the Curious Krewe in person? Here is your formal INVITATION. Curious about all-things Curious Krewe? All roads converge HERE. Want to learn how to start a gathering in your city? You can email us HERE. Until then, Stay Curious!
12/27/2025

Curious Origins: Our Curious Beginnings

You can leave a voicemail for us HERE In this origin-story deep dive, we share how a small idea in New Orleans grew into the Curious Krewe: a monthly gathering where one honest question invites many voices, and respect consistently beats being right. We talk through the experiments that didn’t fit, the simple choices that did, and the unexpected momentum that followed. Along the way, we ask bigger questions: Is curiosity a teachable skill? How does it spark empathy? What makes it contagious? We also unpack practical tools for anyone wanting to start their own Krewe, and look ahead to curious future possibilities. If this story stirs something in you, pull up a chair. Subscribe, share this episode with a curious friend, and leave a review telling us the one question you’d put on the table next. If this sparked something for you, we wanna hear it!!! Leave us a voicemail us HERE. Want to meet the Curious Krewe in person? Here is your formal INVITATION. Curious about all-things Curious Krewe? All roads converge HERE. Want to learn how to start a gathering in your city? You can email us HERE. Until then, Stay Curious!
11/18/2025

Open Opposites: Listening Across Differences

You can leave a voicemail for us HERE What does it take to stay open when the stakes are personal and the views across the table feel miles apart? We dive into the messy, human work of understanding people we disagree with, sharing stories from healthcare, EMS, and family life where curiosity isn’t a slogan—it’s a survival skill. Our north star is simple and hard: respect beats being right. From there, we practice listening without interrupting, asking better questions, and building “brave spaces” where safety is supported but never assumed. We talk honestly about boundaries as an act of love, especially when conversations become harmful or dismissive of identity. You’ll hear how we use role clarity and purpose to steer high-stakes interactions: saving a life makes ideology feel smaller. We unpack the hidden variable that powers empathy—security. When basic needs and emotional bandwidth are low, self-preservation takes over; when they’re met, curiosity has room to breathe. That realism threads the episode: sometimes the kindest move is to disengage; sometimes it’s to lean in with a question that reveals the value beneath a viewpoint. Along the way, we trade green flags for trust—regulated nervous systems, shared urgency, the ability to laugh—and admit where we stumble. We examine anger as a transitional emotion, the pain calculus of staying open, and the challenge of being a “student of the person” when family dynamics or workplace norms complicate everything. If you’ve ever wondered how to protect your peace without closing your heart, this conversation offers language, tools, and lived examples you can use today. Special Guests (and first-time CK'ers) Rhys Lombardo and Theo Crane join in on this curious conversation. If this sparked something for you, we wanna hear it!!! Leave us a voicemail us HERE. Want to meet the Curious Krewe in person? Here is your formal INVITATION. Curious about all-things Curious Krewe? All roads converge HERE. Want to learn how to start a gathering in your city? You can email us HERE. Until then, Stay Curious!

12 Episodes

Curious Krewe invites real people into thoughtful, listening-first conversations that turn curiosity into connection.

Creator

Just Love - Greater New Orleans
Years Active

2025 - 2026
Episodes

12
Rating

Explicit
Copyright

© 2026 The Curious Krewe Podcast
Show Website

The Curious Krewe Podcast