RandO Facts for Taft O. Derby
A collection of audio episodes where Dr. Mel Brown (Mom) tells Taft weird, true stories about things that don't make it into textbooks. Each episode picks a theme—strange jobs, wars over stupid reasons, animals that broke science—and unpacks 4-5 stories that sound fake but aren't.
Started because of that two-hour car ride back from Logan where we went from discriminant AI to Michelin stars to the Korean War with no map between them. This is that conversation, extended. Some episodes will drop daily. Some weekly. Some whenever there's a good theme worth chasing.
No fluff. No listicles. Just: here's what happened, here's why it matters, here's what it says about how people work.
The audio is AI-narrated after the intro. The intro is Mom. The rest is built so you can listen at 1.5x if you want, or save them for later, or ignore them entirely. They'll be here when you want them.
Named after you. Made for you. Kept going because... why not! I love you, Rooney!
RandO Facts for Taft O. Derby
Shielding Yourself From Failure : Guaranteeing the Pain That Never Heals
A high school senior keeps his biggest dream locked away, never letting himself fully want it. If he doesn't care too much, rejection won't hurt as much—right? Wrong. A parable about why protecting yourself from disappointment guarantees a different kind of pain: the permanent ache of never really trying.
Content Notice
This episode explores emotional vulnerability, fear of disappointment, and self-protective behaviors. Discusses the psychology of wanting versus half-wanting. Gentle and affirming while addressing difficult emotional truths.
Let's see what the world's been hiding.