In this episode of Daydreamin’ Delmarva, Tony and Todd get into the weeds of “social media therapy” and the adventures of independent media life. Tony pulls back the curtain on his niche Substack, On Death Care, where he’s carving out a space as one of the few journalists providing hard news coverage for the funeral industry.

Plus, things get personal as Tony recounts a bizarre email exchange with a “real person” who might just be a dedicated stalker, and Todd shares how a new fisheye lens and collaborative energy are sparking fresh creativity for the upcoming summer season.

Key Takeaways

* Deathcare and Tech: For the first time, consumers can pick and pay for cemetery plots online a “buy now” button that didn’t exist just a year ago.

* Creative Sparks: Todd highlights how new equipment can break creative ruts and help creators stand out from “AI slop”.

* The Perils of Pitching: Tony shares a cautionary tale about aggressive AI-driven marketing pitches and the strange, persistent world of internet “people.”

Timestamps

* [00:55] – Defining “social media therapy” and independent media adventures.

* [01:24] – Inside the funeral industry: Substack, death care news, and the “boring” but fascinating business of cemeteries.

* [02:46] – How funeral insurance actually works (and why New Jersey has its own rules).

* [05:11] – The “Buy Now” button comes to the cemetery.

* [06:20] – Upcoming trips and the limit-pushing comedy of Tig Notaro.

* [10:10] – Equipment as a creative catalyst: The fisheye lens and food shoots.

* [13:27] – Dealing with egregious AI marketing pitches and LinkedIn “stalkers”.

* [17:53] – The perception of Substack: Platform vs. Publication.

* [21:45] – Productivity hacks: Moving on from “Google Paint” to Canva.