What's up guys, I am Ashley Gavin, and I am your father.

I'm Elena Joy, I am Mommy, and I'm Mackin from your hot teenage brother.

Baby, Mack is baby.

We are your chosen family, because you don't have a gay family, and you need a gay family.

Every week, we bring a topic to the family dinner table from gender dysphoria,

to monogamy, to how to figure out if someone is into you.

Listen to Chosen Family every Wednesday on your favorite podcast app,

or watch full episodes on YouTube to get the full family experience.

Chosen Family is a part of the Forever Dog podcast network.

Just a reminder that big mood, little mood with Daniel M. Lavery happens twice

week. Slate Plus members get an additional mini episode or little big mood every Friday.

Sign up now to listen at slate.com slash mood.

Hello, and welcome back to big mood, little mood.

I am your host, Daniel M. Lavery, and with me in the studio this week is Esther Jaffe,

a marine microbiologist and, quote, blue collar scientist who's work on fishing and research

vessels from the Gulf of Alaska to the Gulf of Mexico has led her to a shellfish hatchery in

Teresia, Florida. They specialize in agile biochemistry and striking off to see for personal

growth and profit. Esther, welcome to the show. Thank you so much for having me here.

I am so delighted to be on the show. Thank you so much for joining us.

And I think the only way that this could be better, especially after reading that bio,

would be if you were recording this from the deck of an actual ship and there were visibly

like barrels rolling around on the deck behind you. That is the dream, isn't it? I actually

...