Beany Brain: loving our jumping-bean brains!

Welcome to this issue of the Beany Brain! I hope today’s newsletter will bounce us up as we contemplate the upsides and challenges of being neurodivergent, a little beauty, some creativity, and just general yeehawesomeness.

Table of Contents

• Beany Brain: loving our jumping-bean brains!

  • Welcome to this issue of the Beany Brain! I hope t …

• Too Funny

  • Yeehawesome!

  • Quote of the Week

  • Wonderful Wednesday

  • Today’s Beany-full Summary:

Too Funny

What time is it? Time for some laughs, folks! Who’s with me?

Maybe we all just need some levity and some brevity! So here you go, with no further ado.

Now for some videos!

Japanese-American comedian Atsuko talks about the US national anthem:

Teenager texts:

John Lithgow on Saturday Night Live as a professor:

The dog who stole the Olympics show:

This one came highly recommended:

Yeehawesome!

Yeehawesome! is a happy-brain roundup in each issue of Beany Brain. What’s happening that’s good in brain land? What’s bringing me joy?

1. All of my yeehawesome recommendations this week are for podcasts. Starting with Artworks on BBC Sounds from January 6, 2026, all about the poems on the Tube in London. Fantastic! I have the BBC Sounds app, but I’m not sure if you need it or if you could just google the episode. Please do.

2. Have you heard of Tod Maffin, Your Emotional Support Canadian? His new fiction podcast about a (fictionalized) town called Mirror Falls in the north part of Vancouver Island in Canada is fantastic. Try it and let me know if you like it.

3. Sherlock & Co.! A modern retelling of the classic Sherlock and John Watson stories. Kind of meta because in the story, John Watson is recording and narrating a podcast for each mystery.

Quote of the Week

Beany Brownie Points and Extra Bonus Funniness

Wonderful Wednesday

Wonderful Wednesday was a day once a year in college when they would suddenly and surprisingly call off all classes and we’d play all day. The cafeteria provided special fun food and we’d do stuff outside like slip ‘n slides and jello wrestling in sumo suits. This segment of Beany Brain is dedicated to that memory of silliness and fun—no words, just a photo from the week that I’ve taken or found that reminds me to let the joy in. Since Beany Brain is published on Wednesday every week (at least, Wednesday in Japan), I hope you enjoy this Wonderful Wednesday.

Today’s Beany-full Summary:

• There is a time for everything, including laughing!

• Go forth in Beany joy. What will help you feel yeehawesome this week?

Thank you for reading this installment of Beany Brain! You’re very welcome to hop on by any old time.

If you’re enjoying Beany Brain, please share with a friend or seventeen at www.beanybrain.com. Cheers big time!