#2 This Caregiver's Watchlist: 'Salt-of-the-earth Folk' and 'What Talent!'

The January-February list. 'Feel the feels', escape reality or be transported by music.

Hello, dear Readers. I’m Victoria (She/her/hers). I cared for my Dad through to his passing (the hellish dark days with grains of joy), and now I look after Mum (calmer waters, with moments of joy and several giggles). You can read more about why I’m publishing Carer Mentor here: Who Started Carer Mentor and Why?’

The first Watchlist (December 2024) had TV, film, and streaming recommendations. You’ll find it in the Carer Mentor ‘ComfortZone.’

The first article shares some insights about my watchlist criteria.

Films

Two films, ‘The Bank of Dave’ and ‘The Bank of Dave 2: The Loan Ranger’ (Netflix UK)

Anyone who’s watched The Diplomat with Kerri Russell may recognise the lead actor in the Bank of Dave—Rory Kinnear. He plays the Prime Minister in the Diplomat.

I light-bulbed a few minutes into the first Bank of Dave film, which I only saw recently despite its release in 2023. In a way, this added another layer to the Bank of Dave story.

In my mind, I’d kept him tagged as the upper-class, egotistical, shouty Prime Minister character, and here he was as a humble Lancashire, a salt-of-the-earth character who generously ‘looks out for the ordinary folk of Burnley’.

The first series of The Diplomat was also released in 2023. I have no idea about production dates, but I appreciate this actor's agility in inhabiting polar opposite characters.

So perhaps it’s best to watch the two seasons of ‘The Diplomat’ and then the two ‘Bank of Dave’ films. Then, like me, you’ll get an added ‘hero journey’ kick out of the films.

By the way, Rory Kinnear is the son of Roy Kinnear, who played Henry Salt, father of the spoilt Veruca Salt, in the 1971 version of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

Podcasts

The Wise Unknown. Host Courtney E Martin. Producer Golda Arthur.

There are seven interviews, an intro-episode and a wrap up episode.

This is my favourite episode so far, not just because it’s Ai jen Poo¹ but also because Joyce Johnson is the personification of grace and wisdom.

Some of the country’s most revered actors, activists, authors, and spiritual guides introduce listeners to the “wisest person no one has ever heard of” who they credit with being critical to their success in life. Host Courtney E. Martin–think Krista Tippett meets Studs Terkel–then elicits the life lessons, palpable delights, and funny stories of these refreshingly unrefined, unknown gurus.

Shankar Vedantam’s Podcast My Unsung Hero (<3 minutes each)

This is part of the Hidden Brain show²

The daily news can fill us with despair. My Unsung Hero is an antidote to that despair. Each episode reveals what the news ignores: everyday acts of kindness and courage that transformed someone’s life. Listen — and renew your faith in humanity.

Playlists/Albums I’m listening to

1. A Tranquil World by Spotify

2. Indian Chill by Spotify

3. Japanese Garden by Spotify

YouTube Videos

Mahogany Sessions: A music distribution channel that amplifies the work of talented artists. I highly recommend exploring their videos. Just listen to these artists! Wow.

Jan 9, 2025 #mahoganysessions #irishmusic #mahogany

“Annika Kilkenny delivers a stunning performance of "It's Shaped You", captured in the serene woodlands of Ireland. Growing up in County Kilkenny in a musical family, Annika has always been surrounded by the beauty of sound and storytelling. Inspired by artists like Lizzy McAlpine and Laufey, her songs weave tales of self-acceptance and personal growth, creating a warm and resonant atmosphere that feels like home. This session is a glimpse into her artistry and a reminder of why she’s one to watch.” - Mahogany Sessions.

Jan 16, 2025 #mahoganysessions #soulfulmusic #singersongwriter

Billianne shares a heartfelt performance of her original song “Crush,” filmed on a crisp autumn day in Shoreditch among the falling leaves. A 21-year-old singer-songwriter from Milton, Ontario, Billianne first captivated audiences with her viral cover of Tina Turner’s “The Best,” which swept across TikTok and amassed millions of streams. Since then, she’s carved out her own space in the industry with her authentic, timeless voice and intelligent songwriting, earning over 65 million global streams, a loyal following, and praise from legends like Taylor Swift and The Lumineers. With a voice that feels both timeless and intimate, Billianne’s songs reflect her search for authenticity and connection and explore themes of nostalgia, family, and home. - Mahogany Sessions.

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1. Ai-jen Poo is a next-generation labor leader, award-winning organizer, author, and a leading voice in the women’s movement. She is the President of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, Director of Caring Across Generations, Co-Founder of SuperMajority and Trustee of the Ford Foundation. Ai-jen is a nationally recognized expert on elder and family care, the future of work, gender equality, immigration, narrative change, and grassroots organizing. She is the author of the celebrated book, The Age of Dignity: Preparing for the Elder Boom in a Changing America. Together with Alicia Garza, Ai-jen co-hosts the podcast, Sunstorm.

She has been recognized among Fortune’s 50 World’s Greatest Leaders and Time’s 100 Most Influential People in the World, and she has been the recipient of countless awards, including a 2014 MacArthur “Genius” Award.

2. Hidden Brain Hidden Brain Media is an independent production company that aims to help curious people understand the world, and themselves.

Our host and Executive Editor Shankar Vedantam has been reporting on human behavior and social science research for more than 25 years. In 2010, he published a book further exploring these topics and introducing the idea of “the hidden brain.”

What, exactly, is the “hidden brain”? This is a term Shankar created to describe a range of influences that manipulate us without our awareness. Some aspects of the hidden brain have to do with mental shortcuts or heuristics; others are related to errors in the way memory and attention work. Some deal with social dynamics and relationships. The “hidden brain,” in other words, is a metaphor, much like the “selfish gene.” Just as there are no strands of DNA that shout, “Me first!” no part of the human brain is disguised under sunglasses and fedora. By drawing a simple line between mental activities we are aware of and mental activities we are not aware of, the “hidden brain” subsumes many concepts in wide circulation: the unconscious, the subconscious, the implicit.

Our exploration of these ideas can be heard every week on the Hidden Brain podcast and radio show. Shankar and NPR launched the podcast in 2015, and it now receives millions of downloads per week, and is regularly listed as one of the top 20 podcasts in the world. Our radio show, which debuted in 2017, is heard on more than 400 public radio stations across the country.

In 2019, we launched Hidden Brain Media to allow us to connect more deeply with our audience and to experiment with new ways of telling Hidden Brain stories across a range of different platforms.