Life in Parallel with Matt Marr and Kenneth Suarez

At 28, Dr. James Q Simmons walked away from a six-figure job at PepsiCo to become a nurse. His dad's first question was about the pension. Matt's longtime friend grew up in Omaha, survived a hate campaign in college and went viral in 2014 answering the health questions everyone Googles at 2 a.m. Now he's a nurse practitioner. We get into the one free thing that will improve your health tonight. This episode includes discussion of homophobic harassment, suicidal thoughts in childhood, and HIV. If you or someone you love is struggling, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US). LGBTQ+ young people can reach The Trevor Project. Know a do-lover? Someone building an extraordinary life just outside your social media zip code? Nominating yourself counts. Email us at [email protected]. Enjoying the show? Review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. (Thank you, sugars.) Watch on YouTube · Follow us on Instagram · TikTok · Bluesky · lifeinparallelpod.com Find Dr. James: drjamesqsimmons.com · YouTube · Instagram · TikTok Mentioned: Artemis IICDC diabetes resourcesSugarland and The ChicksFor the record: The Sound of Music and Oklahoma!Walkout songs (he couldn't pick one): "Million Dollar Bill" by Whitney Houston"Take Your Time (Do It Right)"Pickleball: "Big Bad Wolf"Breaking the algorithm: Dr. Jonathan P. Higgins, author of Black. Fat. Femme. · Black Fat Femme podcastJocelyn Fuller, James's best friend

Is there one perfect person out there for you? Damona Hoffman has been married for 19 years, hosted a dating podcast for 13, and wrote F the Fairy Tale. Her answer: no. "The one" is a unicorn. (Matt is still processing.) Damona was a Northwestern theater kid who didn't get the callback, then an NBC and Syfy executive. We talk about straightening her curls for TV, and the morning she stopped. Why your dating profile is a headshot and your first date is an audition. Know a do-lover? Someone building an extraordinary life just outside your social media zip code? Nominating yourself counts. Email us at [email protected]. Enjoying the show? Review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. (Thank you, sugars.) Watch on YouTube · Follow us on Instagram · TikTok · Bluesky · lifeinparallelpod.com Find Damona: damonahoffman.com · Instagram · TikTok Mentioned: F the Fairy TaleDates & Mates with Damona HoffmanCake Mixfor colored girls who have considered suicideMan's Search for MeaningThe Gottmans' Four HorsemenVeronica Alweiss, life coachDurand Bernarr: "I don't need to be confident. I'm convinced."Walkout song: "This Is Me" from The Greatest Showman Breaking the algorithm: Rebecca Benenati, yoga teacher, doula and somatic coach. wellbornlifestyles.com · @rebeccabenenati

Austria. Not Australia. (There are no kangaroos. Please look at a map.) Astrid LaMarche grew up in her parents' café, bakery, and grocery store in Upper Austria. Then a stranger said hello on the San Diego harbor. Yep, she married him. Today she runs Austrian Cravings, where hundreds of thousands watch her stretch strudel dough. We talk about: overthinking her first Instagram post for six months (it was a loaf of bread)why American grocery store bread isn't up to her standardwhat happens when retirees see their mother's recipe on their phoneKnow a do-lover? Someone building an extraordinary life just outside your social media zip code? Nominating yourself counts. Email us at [email protected]. Enjoying the show? Review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. (Thank you, sugars.) Watch on YouTube · Follow us on Instagram · TikTok · Bluesky · lifeinparallelpod.com Find Astrid: Austrian Cravings Instagram · Facebook · Book a cooking class with Astrid Mentioned: 1. April 2000, Astrid's must-watch comedyFire in the Belly: On Being a Man by Sam Keen, the book Kenny poorly paraphrasesAltenberg, Bad Leonfelden, Vienna, Bad Ischl and the ZillertalWalkout song: "Der Kommissar" by Falco. The intro counts. Breaking the algorithm: Leni vom Bichlhof, a Zillertal farmer who mows mountain pastures by hand.

We can't wait to share this labor of love with you! Be sure to subscribe. The first three episodes drop TOMORROW, 10/22. And then a new episode every Wednesday. Know a do-lover? Someone building an extraordinary life just outside your social media zip code? Nominating yourself counts. Email us at [email protected]. Enjoying the show? Review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. (Thank you, sugars.) Watch on YouTube · Follow @lifeinparallelpod on Instagram and TikTok · @lifeinparallelpod.bsky.social on Bluesky · lifeinparallelpod.com