Skip to content
PodcastsEducationthe tortoise & the hare

the tortoise & the hare

brooke & ben mcalary
the tortoise & the hare
Latest episode

375 episodes

  • the tortoise & the hare

    rigid & flexible | the tortoise & the hare

    16/09/2026 | 51 mins.
    In today’s episode, Brooke and Ben dive into different ways of thinking — open and closed, fixed and fluid and whatever exists in between. They discuss their different approaches to rule-following, how they deal with opinion chameleons and why finding common ground is one of the most effective ways to have a constructive conversation.
    Ben also explains why he loves playing the devil’s advocate (and why Brooke finds it infuriating!) and finishes with a hard-hitting question: rigid or flexible lollies — which is better?
    They discuss:
    hypersensitivity
    Brooke’s EMDR experience
    dealing with narrow-minded people
    chameleon opinions and why they’re so confusing
    rule-followers vs rebels
    improving cognitive flexibility
    how to engage different opinions without losing your mind
    why hope hurts sometimes
    the great lolly debate: rigid vs flexible
    Thanks for listening!
    Links:
    Find everything mentioned in today’s show at brookemcalary.substack.com
    Become a paying supporter of ttath and get double the episodes! Weekly shows delivered straight to your inbox for just $8AUD/month or $80AUD/yr.
    If video is your jam, subscribe to our YouTube channel @thetortoiseandthehare
    Access the full, human-made transcript here
    Credits:
    the tortoise & the hare is a McAlary Media production.
    Produced and hosted by Brooke McAlary and Ben McAlary
    Edited by Ben McAlary
    Studio equipment supplied by shot.studio
    Theme music is Edgar Allan Poe by Modern Aquatic
    Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
  • the tortoise & the hare

    wrinkles & pimples | the tortoise & the hare

    02/09/2026 | 58 mins.
    When it comes to age and youth, body image takes a beating at both ends. Can we find a gentler way through the years?
    In today’s show, Brooke and Ben discuss the duality of wrinkles & pimples — i.e. the visible elements of youth and aging — and how they are literally in the middle of it right now, with both wrinkles and pimples (and grey hair and stiff backs in the morning).
    They discuss:
    changing body image in their mid-40s
    why gender-affirming care (including hair removal, plastic surgery, make-up and hormone therapy) should be accessible to everyone
    the changing role of body image for boys and men over the past decade
    what our faces and bodies are actually for
    the billionaires who want to live forever and go to great lengths to avoid aging
    Thanks for listening!
    Links:
    Find everything mentioned in today’s show at brookemcalary.substack.com
    Become a paying supporter of ttath and get double the episodes! Weekly shows delivered straight to your inbox for just $5AUD/month for a limited time
    If video is your jam, subscribe to our YouTube channel @thetortoiseandthehare
    Access the full, human-made transcript here
    Credits:
    the tortoise & the hare is a McAlary Media production.
    Produced and hosted by Brooke McAlary and Ben McAlary
    Edited by Ben McAlary
    Studio equipment supplied by shot.studio
    Theme music is Edgar Allan Poe by Modern Aquatic
    Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
  • the tortoise & the hare

    fast & slow | the tortoise & the hare

    19/08/2026 | 54 mins.
    fast & slow | Is there a middle ground between the two? Or are we destined to wrestle our inner-tortoise and inner-hare forever?
    In the first episode of the tortoise & the hare, Brooke and Ben revisit slow living one last time (no, really!) to see where they exist on the spectrum of speed today and why they decided to keep the slow living reference in the new show’s name.
    Initially, slow living was a new way of seeing the world. It provided freedom and community and opportunity. But within a few years, the wellness industry exploded and slow-living voices competed to become a new version of the Joneses — the most slow, the most aesthetic, the most minimalist. What started as a fluid, adaptable idea became consumption-driven and highly aspirational.
    Links:
    Find everything mentioned in today’s show at brookemcalary.substack.com
    Become a paying supporter of ttath and get double the episodes! Weekly shows delivered straight to your inbox for just $5/month for a limited time
    If video is your jam, subscribe to our YouTube channel @thetortoiseandthehare
    Access the full, human-made transcript here
    Thanks for tuning in!
    Credits:
    the tortoise & the hare is a McAlary Media production.
    Produced and hosted by Brooke McAlary and Ben McAlary
    Edited by Ben McAlary
    Studio equipment supplied by shot.studio
    Theme music is Edgar Allan Poe by Modern Aquatic
    Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
  • the tortoise & the hare

    coming soon | the tortoise & the hare

    06/08/2026 | 4 mins.
    Listen to the tortoise & the hare preview now. The first episode drops 20th August 2026!
    Fast and slow. Young and old. Hard and soft. Open and closed. Real and fake. Hide and seek. Pleasure and pain… Life is full of dualities and extremes and pick-a-sides. But most of our days are spent in the messy middle.
    the tortoise & the hare is a weekly show from Brooke and Ben McAlary, creators of the much-loved Slow Home Podcast (RIP). Each episode is a human-made, homegrown, perfectly imperfect conversation about the either/or of life and the vast grey area in between.
    Because we all contain multitudes. So let’s talk about them.
    ***
    Don't forget:
    Subscribe to ttath in your favourite podcast app so you don't miss an episode
    Join us on Substack to become a supporter, access weekly shows and get new episodes direct to your inbox
    Find us on YouTube if you prefer to watch your pods

    Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
  • the tortoise & the hare

    A Fond Farewell: Episode 17

    18/08/2024 | 8 mins.
    Instead of the usual conversation between Brooke and Ben, today's episode is simply a reading of the final ever edition of The Tortoise newsletter. 
    Take a listen, and please know that it has been an absolute pleasure to be heard by you over the years. 
    https://brookemcalary.substack.com/p/sometimes-life-surprises-us 
    Much love and thanks for listening,
    Brooke and Ben xx
    Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
More Education podcasts
About the tortoise & the hare
Fast and slow. Young and old. Hard and soft. Open and closed. Real and fake. Hide and seek. Pleasure and pain… Life is full of dualities and extremes and pick-a-sides. But most of our days are spent in the messy middle. the tortoise and the hare is a weekly show from the crew who brought you The Slow Home Podcast (RIP). Each episode is a human-made, homegrown, perfectly imperfect conversation about the either/or of life and the vast grey area in between. Because we all contain multitudes. So let’s talk about them.
Podcast website

Listen to the tortoise & the hare, 6 Minute English and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app

Get the free radio.net app

  • Stations and podcasts to bookmark
  • Stream via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth
  • Supports Carplay & Android Auto
  • Many other app features