In the Stacks with Barry & LaToya

LaToya and Barry discuss various personal and professional matters, including their recording schedule, sports interests, and technical issues. They share updates on their respective work commitments, including teaching schedules and educational standards, and discuss the impact of AI tools in their lives. The conversation covers personal challenges, including LaToya's family’s experiences with Hurricane Melissa. They discuss their shared interests in reading and sports before concluding with topics such as upcoming events and traditions.

It’s back-to-school time, and Barry’s classes are overcrowded. There are not enough desks for every student. And there are already classes that he could do without. LaToya has been up for more than 24 hours since having her first boba tea, and so she deliriously rambles and hijacks the first part of the show. She suggests implementing specific runtimes for the show, as they can vary widely. Guess we’ll have to see if that happens.

Conversation flows casually enough. Barry’s barbaric dentist is ruining his mouth, and instead of seeing another dentist, he doubles down on the one he is in literal debt to. Also, for all you Blackpink fans, a new single is out, and an album release is just around the corner. Robbie Williams may (and should) be knighted. And LaToya is now a Costco regular. But the show takes an unexpected veer off the highway when Barry discusses the Book of Mormon and his interest in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. LaToya reacts with no filter, being deliriously tired from the excessive Georgia heat and general long-term lack of sleep.

This episode is a mix of this and that. T’Challa hangs out with the hosts for a bit. He’s all grown up after having attended his college orientation. Father’s Day is this weekend, but with sixty-six cents in his bank account, Barry and T’Challa will be celebrating at home. Barry teaches summer school and discusses what it’s like, as well as the preparations for the new school year. LaToya is emerging from under her “no news” rock just in time for talk about immigration, deportation, and the Gold Cup with a flavor of no more kings.

Barry has rushed home from his duties at this year’s high school graduation. Mind you, the show is two weeks past due. Talk soon turns to holiday plans and dental work. Barry introduces LaToya to #blackfatigue, you know, since she lives under a rock. He also reminds listeners that LaToya is a crappy BFF, and she’s only interested in reality television, so she doesn’t have to think.

Barry and LaToya have both recently gone down the reality TV rabbit hole, but one is more consumed by it than the other. This is LaToya’s first episode since her cancer surgery. She also outs her husband’s weird new birthday tradition. Barry provides more detail about having complete control over his intellectual property. T’Challa will graduate from high school in one month (student loans are the devil). Lastly, both gentlemen are excited about an upcoming Ghost ritual.

Guess who finally read To Kill a Mockingbird? It’s not who you think. Casey Anthony is back in the zeitgeist. Barry talks about his inner black self and the transgender community. LaToya admits that she isn’t black enough and that her Panama Canal cruise was a bit of a bust. What is this country coming to? Is no news good news? And, is Love Blind? Find out this and more on this episode.

Barry is rip-roaringly ready to dive into the show. He has the Super Bowl on his mind and is prepared to make predictions. Before that, LaToya blathers about her trip to the Lego Store, reading, and upcoming cruises. She also buries the lead when it comes to her recent cancer diagnosis. Inevitably, all roads lead to talking about Trump. He’s been in office for less than a month, and we’re all unnerved.

Welcome to 2025. Barry is ready and prepped for the show. LaToya, not so much. She’s already running late in the New Year. Discussion on the first episode of the season varies from horror flicks to Robbie Williams, to Star Trek’s lost episode, and AP versus IB. The discussion takes a very sharp turn when they discuss a special anniversary that happened this week. More than a decade later, the hosts deep dive into why they left Georgia public libraries for good.

This extra-long episode concludes season 14 of the show. It’s a cornucopia episode that meanders through various topics. Barry and LaToya talk about, among other things,  their financial debt, plans for Christmas, and resolutions for the New Year. T’Challa makes a cameo. LaToya teases that the start of season 15 may bring a new way to enjoy the show.

Barry and LaToya decide to do a “quick” show before the Tyson v. Paul fight. At least, that was the plan. Talk turns to the fight, the disappointing US presidential election, and the new Robbie Williams upcoming biopic, “Better Man.” After completing his 7th book in the unpublished series, Dark Society, Barry considers what it would be like to have AI write a novel in his writing style. Also, LaToya’s brother and his best friend have a brand new podcast on YouTube called “Doors Open Podcast.” Did we inspire them? Most definitely.

Barry is frustrated. So much so that he will have to get an ice cream cone from the new ice cream shop in town. That’s what happens when you don’t watch Netflix and chill. T’Challa makes a cameo before heading off to do teenage things. The old comic shop the hosts patronized is about to be gone with the wind. The election is right around the corner, and the hosts share who they will vote for. No shockers there. We have a new Tumblr account, and this two-year season will conclude in December. Plus, AI has become a major topic of discussion.

Barry has more mouths to feed. No, he doesn’t have more children but now has two new cats besides his OG. LaToya’s guilty pleasure is Love Island (not the US version because what’s exotic about American accents?!). She also has 20 email accounts, more than any five people may need. Barry has a new book out, is looking forward to his upcoming semester break, and shares his thoughts on RDJ’s new role in the MCU. Plus, our website has been refreshed.

Barry thinks that LaToya is bailing on doing the show. She’s not. With no T’Challa, will the hosts behave themselves? This fun-filled episode includes talk of pussy… cats, get your minds out of the gutter. They discuss LaToya’s hectic past two days, and of course, now that Barry is back in school, he spills the tea on what it’s really like as a high school teacher this year. Is he too old for this? According to him, he’s got another twenty years of living and then death.

Barry says he doesn’t want a political conversation, but he does. LaToya, who has an injured back, laments about getting old. This episode includes talk about movies, guilty pleasure TV shows, and more. There are plans to keep recording monthly, even if no one listens. T’Challa makes a cameo appearance and zips away for more exciting things to do.

And they’re back. Or are they? After an unplanned 17-month absence the gang is back together. The three amigos have quite a bit to catch up on. There’ve been surgeries and near-death experiences over the break. Barry is excited at the prospect of resuming the show while LaToya, well, she’s not yet sold on the idea. Plus, T’Challa asks a headscratcher of a final question to close out the show.

It’s two weeks into the New Year, and the hosts feel 2023 will be a good year. LaToya does a lot of talking in this episode, as she’s had a lot happen between recordings. Barry is also in good spirits. The second quarter of the school year has been very good for him. Students appear actually to want to learn. T’Challa is excited about a new D&D campaign he’s in and questions the hosts about their favorite Sci-Fi trope. And, of course, there is a lot of television to talk about.

After an unplanned one-month absence, they’re back. Barry is excited about the New Year and new students while LaToya is ready to hurl herself across the finish line of 2022. T’Challa, super cool as always, does have a question to ask the hosts, and the answer is not Die Hard. Count how many times the hosts try to wrap up the episode.

What starts as a run-of-the-mill conversation turns into much more. Barry, LaToya, and T’Challa spent their mornings before recording the show watching very different things. True to their style, they share it with their listeners. Talk of entertainment turns to talk about sports, and finally, after T’Challa’s insightful question for the hosts, talk turns to people, culture, and equality.

Television and movies. If you’re wondering what the hosts have been watching and doing, this show is all about it. Barry continues to write and watch plenty of TV, LaToya is oblivious and distracted, and T’Challa, at sixteen years of age, remains super cool and aloof. With no final question prepared, T’Challa scrambles to find one. Learn about everyone’s favorite movies as well as the movie that they walked out on.