The Monthly Mixtape: March 2025
Hey there, music lovers! Welcome to another edition of Word of Mouth's Monthly Mixtape series, where we share the soundtrack that's been fueling our creative engines each month. You know how sometimes a song just perfectly captures your mood or helps you power through that challenging project? That's exactly what these playlists are all about.
These mixtapes are inspired by everything from the shows we've been binging to the coffee shops where we've been camping out with our laptops. You'll find a delightful mix of new discoveries, tracks that are new to us, and those beloved classics that never seem to lose their magic. Consider this our musical journal, a little window into what's been inspiring us lately.
After a month of recovery, I'm nearly back to movement as normal. Being mobile again means I've returned to my kitchen, and not just to cook for myself. My neighbors just welcomed a baby boy into their lives, and I wanted to make sure they came home from the hospital to a fridge stocked with days of home-cooked goodness: savory vegan cottage pie, crispy baked tofu, roasted Japanese sweet potatoes. (Shoutout to Balanced With Becks, who completely transformed my relationship with food last summer and helped me fall head over heels for vegetables!)
I feel nourished, and not just from eating and providing good food. Which got me thinking – how else do we fill our cups?
I've been feeding my soul by reconnecting with friends eager to hear about my surgery and recovery. There's something replenishing about being truly seen. I've also been intentional about following through on plans with new acquaintances. Those early conversations where you're just beginning to unfold each other's stories feel like a special kind of nourishment.
My media consumption has evolved into something more deliberately nourishing too. TV episode analysis podcasts have become a regular part of my diet – House of R and The Prestige TV Podcast are particular favorites. (A 3-hour deep dive into a single episode of Star Wars television? Shut up and take my High Republic credits!)
In our post-monoculture world, these discussions replace the missing watercooler moments – especially valuable when you work solo. I enjoy media so much more when I can study it rather than just mindlessly consume. It's like savoring a thoughtfully crafted tasting menu instead of mechanically munching on stale popcorn. Listening to deep dives following each episode of Severance’s latest season created a richer experience.
Speaking of Severance, Song Exploder interviewed Theodore Shapiro about creating the show's haunting theme. By complete coincidence, I watched Coppola's The Conversation for the first time (honoring Gene Hackman's passing) and noticed similarities to the Severance theme that weren't mentioned in the podcast. Prestige TV pointed me toward Lemon Jelly's "In The Bath" for another Severance musical connection. These layers of discovery feel like finding hidden treasures, like a concealed note behind a breakroom motivational poster. (Hang in there, Innies!)
My long drives to post-surgery check-ups were an opportunity to dive into another podcast favorite: 60 Songs That Explain The 90s: The 2000s. This month's listens gave me fresh context for M.I.A. and confirmed what I've always known: System of a Down's "Chop Suey!" does and will forever slap. Another rediscovery: Bong Joon-Ho’s highly anticipated Mickey 17 had an Elliott Smith needle drop that transported me right back to high school.
When I'm not filling my cup in these various ways, everything feels disconnected. I'm not bringing my whole self to my work or to my relationships with clients and collaborators. Independent consulting work can be isolating enough without cutting yourself off from fresh ideas and perspectives. Without that constant influx of new experiences, creativity withers.
Meaningful connections are the foundation of a fulfilling life, whether those connections are with the media we consume, the relationships we nurture, or even the food we put into our bodies. What does nourishment mean for you?
