Podcasts about Realization

Originally aired June 30, 2022. In this episode, Eckhart addresses concerns about using conscious manifestation for both practical as well as spiritual purposes. Eckhart cautions listeners that awakening should not be something we put on our to-do list. He says it is not another goal that we attain. He believes when we define enlightenment in those terms it becomes an obstacle. Eckhart says awakening is not an achievement, it's a realization which really means it's already here. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Powerful Repentance and a Rich Man - Luke 19:1-10; Psalm 51:1-12 "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me."  Psalm 51:10"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." Luke 19:10 I.   Luke 19: 1-5; Psalm 51:1-2 - Recognition by the Savior II.  Luke 19: 6-8; Psalm 51:3-9 - Realization of SinIII. Luke 19: 9-10; Psalm 51:10-19 - Reversal and Salvation

1. Intro / SetupHosts introduce the weekly “Launa Drama” segment.Recap the original story:Launa's husband Paul inherited a 1929 Model A from his dad.Concern because a previously inherited BMW sat unused and got destroyed by hurricanes.Launa didn't want another unused car cluttering the yard.2. The Backyard ProjectThe Model A arrives and gets placed behind the fence in the backyard.Paul begins tinkering with the car in his spare time.Challenge: parts are hard to find for a 1929 vehicle.Paul accidentally breaks a key component and worries the project is over.3. The eBay MiraclePaul finds the exact replacement part on eBay.Busy week with SWAT training and work keeps him from installing it immediately.Finally gets home, still in uniform, and goes straight to work on the car.4. The Big MomentAfter installing the part, the car won't start at first.Realization: the gas needs to be manually turned on.The engine finally starts up — huge excitement.Paul takes the Model A for its first drive around the block.5. First Ride AdventuresLauna joins him for a ride.Classic car quirks:No power steeringHard shiftingManual steering struggles during a cul-de-sac U-turnThey keep the drive short and close to home.6. Paul Fully CommitsAfter the ride, Paul leans fully into the 1920s vibe:Puts on a Peaky Blinders-style capGrabs a cigarStarts talking about wearing a three-piece suit and pocket watchSuggests Launa get a flapper dress for rides in the car.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

11. Professor Paul Thomas Chamberlain describes the Casablanca and Tehran conferences, where Allied leaders grappled with the realization that the Soviet Union would emerge as a dominant European power. He highlights Roosevelt's anti-colonial vision, which sought to replace imperial systems with a liberal capitalist order based on free trade and self-determination. Roosevelt's outreach to Chiang Kai-shek in Cairo reflected his recognition of China as a future pillar of this new international framework, often managed in private and out of earshot of Winston Churchill. (11)1942 STALINGRAD

12. Professor Paul Thomas Chamberlain details Allied contingency plans like Operation Rank, designed to rush airborne troops into Berlin to prevent the Red Army from occupying all of Europe if Germany collapsed suddenly. He explains that by 1944, Churchill was deeply concerned about Soviet dominance and sought to redirect Western forces into the Balkans or Mediterranean to protect Britishinterests. Despite these internal tensions, the U.S. demonstrated unprecedented superpower capability by launching simultaneous major offensives across both the Pacific and Europe. (12)1942 TORCH AT CASABLANCA

After awakening, a natural question often arises: how does realization live itself out in ordinary life? In this bonus episode, Amoda Maa explores the integration of awakening not as effort or self-improvement, but as the natural permeation of realization into work, relationships, money, and everyday living. There is nothing to manage and no spiritual identity to construct. As awareness stabilizes, the old patterns of seeking approval, distraction, or fulfillment from outside gradually lose their hold. Embodied awakening is not withdrawal from life, nor indulgence in it. It is realization quietly lived through form — a freedom that expresses itself in the midst of ordinary life.  

The realization phase of a breakup is when we start to accept that the relationship wasn't as good as we may have thought and/or that we are going to be better off now that the breakup has taken place. This stage is normal and today I am helping to normalize it by explaining some of the things you may go through when you arrive. Remember, I want to be your breakup buddy. Schedule your free first session here. In this episode I cover: -The definition of the realization phase-The thoughts we think during this phase-The things we might find ourselves doing during the realization stage-How to navigate the realization stageYou don't have to navigate your breakup alone. Download my free guide, Breakup Brain here: https://janiceformichella.com/resources/#BreakupBrainWant to learn about my breakup or secure attachment coaching? Head over to my website: ⁠JaniceFormichella.com⁠ and my IG: ⁠@janiceformichella⁠⁠Download The Broken Heart Repair Kit: The 3-step Method to Beating Your Breakup ⁠ _______________________________________________________________Breakups, Broken Hearts, and Moving On with Janice Formichella is an inclusive space for all adults who are looking to heal their hearts and have happy relationships. I believe that love is love and that there are a wide variety of different types of relationships and that all are valid. I recognize each individual's right to self-identify. As a podcast host, I am dedicated to making this a safe space for all and strive to portray that in my content. I welcome feedback on my efforts and thank you for being a part of the community.

Realization came as she helped set up and chaperone a dance at her kids school!

Scripture for today: Mark 15:3 ---- Discover fundamental truths and the power of Scripture with Pastor David E. Sumrall on Daily Devotions. Pastor Sumrall serves as the Undershepherd of the Cathedral of Praise, a Christian church dedicated to Jesus and His Word, with campuses across Metro Manila and branches around the world.   Don't forget to like, subscribe to Cathedral of Praise TV https://www.youtube.com/c/cathedralofpraiseTV/?sub_confirmation=1,and hit the bell icon 

About The Show:   The Life in Transition, hosted by Art Blanchford focuses on making the most of the changes we're given every week. Art has been through hundreds of transitions in his life. Many have been difficult, but all have led to a depth and richness he could never have imagined. On the podcast Art explores how to create more love and joy in life, no matter what transitions we go through. Art is married to his lifelong partner, a proud father of three and a long-time adventurer and global business executive. He is the founder and leader of the Midlife Transition Mastery Community. Learn more about the MLTM Community here: www.lifeintransition.online.   00:00 The Biggest Thing I Realized Was Everything 00:38 Introducing Chip Scholz 01:07 Chip Scholz's Background 03:23 Chip Scholz's Sales Career 09:15 The Realization of Mortality 15:53 Emotionality After the Stroke 26:46 The 5x5 System for Networking 29:22 Chip Scholz's Big Break 36:33 Seer Gumby: Always Flexible 41:00 People Who Have Purpose Thrive 54:42 The Five C's   Resources: Company Website: https://langoliving.com Instagram:   / lango_living   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?... Six-Step Transformation System: Available at langoliving.com Tools: Journal entries and resources available at langoliving.com mailto:art@artblanchford.com Life in Transition Website https://lifeintransitionpodcast.com/ Life in Transition on IG   / lifeintransitionpodcast   Life in Transition on FB   / life-in-transition-100095280279752   Join Our Community: https://www.lifeintransition.online/ My new book PURPOSEFUL LIVING is out now. Order it now: https://www.amazon.com/PURPOSEFUL-LIV...   Explore our website https://lifeintransitionpodcast.com/ for more in-depth information and resources, and to download the 8-step guide to mastering mid-life transitions.   The views and opinions expressed on the Life In Transition podcast are solely those of the author and guests and should not be attributed to any other individual or entity. This podcast is an independent production of Life In Transition Podcast, and the podcast production is an original work of the author. All rights of ownership and reproduction are retained—copyright 2025.   #LifeInTransition #MidlifeGrowth #SecondHalfOfLife #PurposeDriven #MeaningfulWork #PersonalGrowth #SelfLeadership #Resilience #MindsetShift #GrowthMindset

Salvation built the bridge, but the relationship walks it. Every day you're choosing fear or faith, distance or drawing near.

In this Alpha Male 2.0 episode, Caleb Jones shares a personal story from his early 20s that marked the first time he consciously realized he was operating as a "beta male," and how that moment exposed destructive patterns in his dating behavior. He reflects on why awareness alone wasn't enough to create change—and challenges listeners to confront what it will take for them to decisively shift their mindset and actions sooner rather than later.

Masterpiece Podcasts: Collection of Chinese Classic Novels

The Uncharted Conversations series tackles the tough and sometimes controversial questions of the infrastructure industry. This time, Riccardo, David, and Melissa set sail toward benefits realization—why is this seemingly vital component of major programmes so often eclipsed by an overarching focus on time and budget? Shouldn't the real measure of social project success be the benefits to the public, long after the project is over?Projects in transit and other asset classes are becoming more complex and interprovincial. The panel considers the need for benefit realization to stay front and centre—superseding capital budget adherence. It is, after all, the outcome least likely to change over often decade-long planning and execution. They look at public reaction to finished projects and consider how that reaction might change should cost–benefit analysis play a larger role from the beginning. Can delivery teams call a project a “win” simply because it's operational? This episode explores the trade-offs decision makers need to weigh (signal priority, car-centric constraints, political palatability, affordability) and how those choices shape the end user experience and media narrative. Along the way, the panel touches on how better incentive design, clearer decision architecture, and more connected suite-of-projects thinking may be necessary over long build lifecycles, in the face of ever-shifting expectations and populations.Key Takeaways:Aligning bidding and design decisions with cost–benefit outcomes to unlock innovation beyond lowest-capital-cost thinking;The industry's struggle to challenge major social infrastructure operating models;The vital role of the project sponsor in the balance between intended benefits and inevitable trade-offs;The potential for public dissatisfaction regardless of a project's original business case and outcome;How delays, population growth, and rising expectations can erode public tolerance—even if an asset meets its original targets.Quote:“Aligning based on the cost–benefit of the project can allow for a little bit more innovation when it comes to bidding on these projects.” - Melissa Di MarcoThe conversation doesn't stop here—connect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:Listen to Season 3, Episode 32 on project sponsorship: https://navigatingmajorprogrammes.transistor.fm/s3/72  Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/ Read Riccardo's latest at www.riccardocosentino.com  Follow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/ Follow David Ho: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidtho-ontario/Follow Melissa Di Marco: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-di-marco/

Masterpiece Podcasts: Collection of Chinese Classic Novels

TKras talks Mike Evans' future with you, and he comes to a realization.... wow

What if the life you're chasing isn't actually the one you want? In this episode of The Greatness Machine, Darius Mirshahzadeh sits down with New York Times bestselling author and investor Sahil Bloom to challenge traditional definitions of success and wealth. Sahil shares the mindset behind “chop wood, carry water,” why small daily actions matter more than big resolutions, and how he walked away from private equity after realizing he was playing the wrong game. They explore personal sovereignty, aligning values with actions, finding work you genuinely enjoy, and why trust has become the most valuable currency in today's world. Sahil also unpacks the core ideas behind his book “The 5 Types of Wealth” and what it really means to design a life that feels rich beyond money. In this episode, Darius and Sahil will discuss: (00:00) Introduction and New Year's Intentions (06:37) Sahil's Origin Story and Insecurities (12:20) The Realization of Misalignment (18:21) Taking Small Steps Towards Change (23:00) Career Transition and Reflections on Private Equity (24:07) The Power of Passion in Success (27:36) Finding Your 'Hitting the Ball' Moment (30:22) The Courage to Explore New Paths (34:08) Navigating the New World of Work (36:08) The Journey into Content Creation (44:37) Redefining Wealth Beyond Money Sahil Bloom Sahil Bloom is a New York Times bestselling author, entrepreneur, and investor best known for “The 5 Types of Wealth,” a transformative guide to designing a meaningful life. His work reaches millions each week through his writing, social insights, and bi-weekly newsletter, The Curiosity Chronicle. An experienced investor, Sahil is the Managing Partner of SRB Ventures, a $10M venture firm, and the owner of SRB Holdings. He has invested in 40+ startups, including multiple unicorns, following seven years in private equity. A Stanford graduate and former NCAA baseball player, Sahil blends high performance, thoughtful living, and practical wisdom to help people redefine what it truly means to be wealthy. Connect with Sahil: Website: https://www.sahilbloom.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sahilbloom  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sahilbloom/  Book: https://www.the5typesofwealth.com/  Connect with Darius: Website: https://therealdarius.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thegreatnessmachine  Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708 Write a review for The Greatness Machine using this link: https://ratethispodcast.com/spreadinggreatness.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Support the show to get full episodes, full archive, and join the Discord community. The Transmitter is an online publication that aims to deliver useful information, insights and tools to build bridges across neuroscience and advance research. Visit thetransmitter.org to explore the latest neuroscience news and perspectives, written by journalists and scientists. Read more about our partnership. Sign up for Brain Inspired email alerts to be notified every time a new Brain Inspired episode is released. To explore more neuroscience news and perspectives, visit thetransmitter.org. Jaan Aru is a co-principal investigator of the Natural and Artificial Intelligence Lab at the University of Tartu in Estonia, where he is an associate professor. Jaan's name has kept popping up on papers I've read over the last few years, sometimes alongside other guests I've had on the podcast, like Matthew Larkum and Mac Shine. With those people and others, he has co-authored papers exploring how some of the pesky biological details of brains might be important for our subjective conscious experience, details like dendritic integration, and loops between the cortex and the thalamus. Turns out a recurring theme in his work is to connect lower-level nitty gritty biological details with higher level cognitive functioning. And he has some thoughts about what that might mean for the prospects of consciousness in artificial systems. And we also touch on his more recent interest in understanding the brain basis of insight and creativity, connecting some of the more mundane kinds of insights during problem solving, for example, with some of the more profound kinds of insights during mystical and psychedelic experiences, for example. Natural & Artificial Intelligence Lab Social: @jaanaru.bsky.social Related papers The feasibility of artificial consciousness through the lens of neuroscience On biological and artificial consciousness: A case for biological computationalism Cellular mechanisms of conscious processing. Realization experiences: a convergent account of insight and mystical experiences. 0:00 - Intro 4:21 - Jaan's approach 8:51 - Likelihood of machine consciousness 18:58 - Across-levels understanding 30:23 - Intelligence vs consciousness 36:27 - Connecting low-level implementation to cognition 45:42 - Organization and constraints 52:28 - Thalamocortical loops 1:04:18 - Artificial consciousness 1:14:34 - Theories of consciousness 1:23:16 - Creativity and insight 1:37:26 - Science research in Estonia

In this episode, I'm joined by Mandy Mooney — author, corporate communicator, and performer — for a wide-ranging conversation about mentorship, career growth, and how to show up authentically in both work and life.   We talk about her path from performing arts to corporate communications, and how those early experiences shaped the way she approaches relationships, leadership, and personal authenticity. That foundation carries through to her current role as VP of Internal Communications, where she focuses on building connections and fostering resilience across teams.   We explore the three pillars of career success Mandy highlights in her book Corporating: Three Ways to Win at Work — relationships, reputation, and resilience — and how they guide her approach to scaling mentorship and helping others grow. Mandy shares practical strategies for balancing professional responsibilities with personal passions, and why embracing technology thoughtfully can enhance, not replace, human connection.   The conversation also touches on parenting, building independence in children, and the lessons she's learned about optimism, preparation, and persistence — both in the workplace and at home.   If you're interested in scaling mentorship, developing your career with intention, or navigating work with authenticity, this episode is for you. And if you want to hear more on these topics, catch Mandy speaking at Snafu Conference 2026 on March 5th. 00:00 Start 02:26 Teaching Self-Belief and Independence Robin notes Mandy has young kids and a diverse career (performing arts → VP of a name-brand company → writing books). Robin asks: "What are the skills that you want your children to develop, to stay resilient in the world and the world of work that they're gonna grow up in?" Emphasis on meta-skills. Mandy's response: Core skills She loves the question, didn't expect it, finds it a "thrilling ride." Observes Robin tends to "put things out there before they exist" (e.g., talking about having children before actually having them). Skill 1: Envisioning possibilities "Envision the end, believe that it will happen and it is much more likely to happen." Teaching children to see limitless possibilities if they believe in them. Skill 2: Independence Examples: brushing their own hair, putting on clothes, asking strangers questions. One daughter in Girl Scouts: learning sales skills by approaching strangers to sell cookies. Independence builds confidence and problem-solving abilities for small and big life challenges. Skill 3: Self-belief / Self-worth Tied to independence. Helps children navigate life and career successfully. Robin asks about teaching self-belief Context: Mandy's kids are 6 and 9 years old (two girls). Mandy's approach to teaching self-belief Combination of: Words Mandy uses when speaking to them. Words encouraged for the children to use about themselves. Example of shifting praise from appearance to effort/creativity: Instead of "You look so pretty today" → "Wow, I love the creativity that you put into your outfit." Reason: "The voice that I use, the words that I choose, they're gonna receive that and internalize it." Corrective, supportive language when children doubt themselves: Example: Child says, "I'm so stupid, I can't figure out this math problem." Mandy responds: "Oh wow. That's something that we can figure out together. And the good news is I know that you are so smart and that you can figure this out, so let's work together to figure it out." Asking reflective questions to understand their inner thoughts: Example: "What's it like to be you? What's it like to be inside your head?" Child's response: "Well, you worry a lot," which Mandy found telling and insightful. Emphasizes coming from a place of curiosity to check in on a child's self-worth and self-identity journey. 04:30 Professional Journey and Role of VP of Internal Comms Robin sets up the question about professional development Notes Mandy has mentored lots of people. Wants to understand: Mandy's role as VP of Internal Communications (what that means). How she supports others professionally. How her own professional growth has been supported. Context: Robin just finished a workshop for professionals on selling themselves, asking for promotions, and stepping forward in their careers. Emphasizes that she doesn't consider herself an expert but learns from conversations with experienced people like Mandy. Mandy explains her role and path Career path has been "a winding road." Did not study internal communications; discovered it later. Finds her job fun, though sometimes stressful: "I often think I might have the most fun job in the world. I mean, it, it can be stressful and it can't, you know, there are days where you wanna bang your head against the wall, but by and large, I love my job. It is so fun." Internal communications responsibility: Translate company strategy into something employees understand and are excited about. Example: Translate business plan for 2026 to 2,800 employees. Team's work includes: Internal emails. PowerPoints for global town halls. Speaking points for leaders. Infusing fun into company culture via intranet stories (culture, customers, innovation). Quick turnaround on timely stories (example: employee running seven marathons on seven continents; story created within 24 hours). Storytelling and theater skills are key: Coaching leaders for presentations: hand gestures, voice projection, camera presence. Mandy notes shared theater background with Robin: "You and I are both thespian, so we come from theater backgrounds." Robin summarizes role Sounds like a mix of HR and sales: supporting employee development while "selling" them on the company. Mandy elaborates on impact and mentorship Loves making a difference in employees' lives by giving information and support. Works closely with HR (Human Resources) to: Provide learning and development opportunities. Give feedback. Help managers improve. Wrote a book to guide navigating internal careers and relationships. Mentorship importance: Mentors help accelerate careers in any organization. Mandy's career journey Started studying apparel merchandising at Indiana University (with Kelley School of Business minor). Shifted from pre-med → theater → journalism → apparel merchandising. Took full advantage of career fairs and recruiter networking at Kelley School of Business. "The way that I've gotten jobs is not through applying online, it's through knowing somebody, through having a relationship." First role at Gap Inc.: rotational Retail Management Training Program (RMP). Some roles enjoyable, some less so; realized she loved the company even if some jobs weren't ideal. Mentor influence: Met Bobby Stillton, president of Gap Foundation, who inspired her with work empowering women and girls. Took a 15-minute conversation with Bobby and got an entry-level communications role. Career growth happened through mentorship, internal networking, and alignment with company she loved. Advice for her daughters (Robin's question) Flash-forward perspective: post-college or early career. How to start a career in corporate / large organizations: Increase "luck surface area" (exposure to opportunities). Network in a savvy way. Ask at the right times. Build influence to get ahead. Mentorship and internal relationships are key, not just applying for jobs online. 12:15 Career Advice and Building Relationships Initial advice: "Well first I would say always call your mom. Ask for advice. I'm right here, honey, anytime." Three keys to success: Relationships Expand your network. "You say yes to everything, especially early in your career." Examples: sit in on meetings, observe special projects, help behind the scenes. Benefits: Increases credibility. Shows people you can do anything. Reputation Build a reputation as confident, qualified, and capable. Online presence: Example: LinkedIn profile—professional, up-to-date, connected to network. Be a sponsor/advocate for your company (school, office, etc.). Monthly posts suggested: team photos, events, showing responsibility and trust. Offline reputation: Deliver results better than expected. "Deliver on the things that you said you were gonna do and do a better job than people expected of you." Resilience Not taught from books—learned through experience. Build resilience through preparation, not "fake it till you make it." Preparation includes: practicing presentations, thinking through narratives, blocking time before/after to collect thoughts and connect with people. "Preparation is my headline … that's part of what creates resilience." Mandy turns the question to Robin: "I wanna ask you too, I mean, Robin, you, you live and breathe this every day too. What do you think are the keys to success?" Robin agrees with preparation as key. Value of service work: Suggests working in service (food, hospitality) teaches humility. "I've never met somebody I think even ever in my life who is super entitled and profoundly ungrateful, who has worked a service job for any length of time." Robin's personal experience with service work: First business: selling pumpkins at Robin's Pumpkin Patch (age 5). Key formative experience: running Robin's Cafe (2016, opened with no restaurant experience, on three weeks' notice). Ran the cafe for 3 years, sold it on Craigslist. Served multiple stakeholders: nonprofit, staff (~15 employees), investors ($40,000 raised from family/friends). Trial by fire: unprepared first days—no full menu, no recipes, huge rush events. Concept of MI Plus: "Everything in its place" as preparation principle. Connecting service experience to corporate storytelling: Current business: Zandr Media (videos, corporate storytelling). Preparation is critical: Know who's where, what will be captured, and what the final asset looks like. Limited fixes in post-production, even with AI tools. Reinforces importance of preparation through repeated experience. Advice for future children / young people: Robin would encourage service jobs for kids for months or a year. Teaches: Sleep management, personal presentation, confidence, energy. "Deciding that I'm going to show up professionally … well … energetically." Emphasizes relentless optimism: positivity is a superpower. Experience shows contrast between being prepared and unprepared—learning from both is crucial. 16:36 The Importance of Service Jobs and Resilience Service jobs as formative experience: Worked as a waitress early in her career (teenager). Describes it as "the hardest job of my life". Challenges included: Remembering orders (memory). Constant multitasking. Dealing with different personalities and attitudes. Maintaining positivity and optimism through long shifts (e.g., nine-hour shifts). Fully agrees with Robin: service jobs teach humility and preparation. Optimism as a superpower: "I totally agree too that optimism is a superpower. I think optimism is my superpower." Writes about this concept in her book. Believes everyone has at least one superpower, and successful careers involve identifying and leaning into that superpower. Robin asks about the book Why did Mandy write the book? Inspiration behind the book? Also wants a deep dive into the writing process for her own interest. Mandy's inspiration and purpose of the book Title: "Corporating: Three Ways to Win At Work" Primary goal: Scale mentorship. Realized as she reached VP level, people wanted career advice. Increased visibility through: Position as VP. Connection with alma mater (Indiana University). Active presence on LinkedIn. Result: Many young professionals seeking mentorship. Challenge: Not sustainable to mentor individually. Solution: Writing a book allows her to scale mentorship without minimizing impact. Secondary goals / personal motivations: Acts as a form of "corporate therapy": Reflects on first 10 years of her career. Acknowledges both successes and stumbles. Helps process trials and tribulations. Provides perspective and gratitude for lessons learned. Fun aspect: as a writer, enjoyed formatting and condensing experiences into a digestible form for readers. Legacy and contribution: "I had something that I could contribute meaningfully to the world … as part of my own legacy … I do wanna leave this world feeling like I contributed something positive. So this is one of my marks."   21:37 Writing a Book and Creative Pursuits Robin asks Mandy about the writing process: "What's writing been like for you? Just the, the process of distilling your thinking into something permanent." Mandy: Writing process and finding the "25th hour" Loves writing: "I love writing, so the writing has been first and foremost fun." Where she wrote the book: Mostly from the passenger seat of her car. She's a working mom and didn't have traditional writing time. Advice from mentor Gary Magenta: "Mandy, you're gonna have to find the 25th hour." She found that "25th hour" in her car. Practical examples: During birthday party drop-offs: "Oh good. It's a drop off party. Bye. Bye, honey. See you in two hours. I'll be in the driveway. In my car. If you need anything, please don't need anything." Would write for 1.5–2 hours. During Girl Scouts, swim, any activity. On airplanes: Finished the book on an eight-hour flight back from Germany. It was her 40th birthday (June 28). "Okay, I did it." Realization moment: "You chip away at it enough that you realize, oh, I have a book." Robin: On parents and prioritization Parents told him: "When you have kids, you just find a way." Children create: Stricter prioritization. A necessary forcing function. Mandy's self-reflection: "I believe that I am an inherently lazy person, to be totally honest with you." But she's driven by deadlines and deliverables. Kids eliminate "lazy days": No more slow Saturdays watching Netflix. "They get up. You get up, you have to feed these people like there's a human relying on you." Motherhood forces motivation: "My inherent laziness has been completely wiped away the past nine years." Writing happened in small windows of time. Importance of creative outlet: Having something for yourself fuels the rest of life. Examples: writing, crocheting, quilting, music. Creativity energizes other areas of life. Robin mentions The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss. Advice from that book: Have something outside your day job that fuels you. For Robin: Physical practice (gym, handstands, gymnastics, ballet, capoeira, surfing). It's a place to: Celebrate. Feel progress. Win, even if work is struggling. Example: If tickets aren't selling. If newsletter flops. If client relationships are hard. Physical training becomes the "anchor win." Mandy's writing took over two years. Why? She got distracted writing a musical version of the book. There is now: "Corporating: The Book" "Corporating: The Musical" Three songs produced online. Collaboration with composer Eric Chaney. Inspiration from book: Time, Talent, Energy (recommended by former boss Sarah Miran). Concept: we have limited time, talent, and energy. Advice: Follow your energy when possible. If you're flowing creatively, go with it (unless there's an urgent deadline). You'll produce better work. She believes: The book is better because she created the musical. Musical helps during speaking engagements. Sometimes she sings during talks. Why music? Attention spans are short. Not just Gen Z — everyone is distracted. Music keeps people engaged. "I'm not just gonna tell you about the three ways to win at work. I'm gonna sing it for you too." Robin on capturing attention If you can hold attention of: Five-year-olds. Thirteen-year-olds. You can hold anyone's attention. Shares story: In Alabama filming for Department of Education. Interviewed Alabama Teacher of the Year (Katie). She has taught for 20 years (kindergarten through older students). Observed: High enthusiasm. High energy. Willingness to be ridiculous to capture attention. Key insight: Engagement requires energy and presence. 28:37 The Power of Music in Capturing Attention Mandy's part of a group called Mic Drop Workshop. Led by Lindsay (last name unclear in transcript) and Jess Tro. They meet once a month. Each session focuses on improving a different performance skill. The session she describes focused on facial expressions. Exercise they did: Tell a story with monotone voice and no facial expressions. Tell the story "over the top clown like, go really big, something that feels so ridiculous." Tell it the way you normally would. Result: Her group had four people. "Every single one of us liked number two better than one or three." Why version two worked best: When people are emotive and expressive: It's more fun to watch. It's more entertaining. It's more engaging. Connection to kids and storytelling: Think of how you tell stories to five-year-olds: Whisper. Get loud. Get soft. Use dynamic shifts. The same applies on stage. Musical integration: Music is another tool for keeping attention. Helps maintain engagement in a distracted world. Robin: Hiring for energy and presence Talks about hiring his colleague Zach Fish. Technical producer for: Responsive Conference. Snafu Conference. Freelancer Robin works with often. Why Robin hires Zach: Yes, he's technically excellent. But more importantly: "He's a ball of positive energy and delight and super capable and confident, but also just pleasant to be with." Robin's hiring insight: If he has a choice, he chooses Zach. Why? "I feel better." Energy and presence influence hiring decisions. Zach's background: Teaches weekly acrobatics classes for kids in Berkeley. He's used to engaging audiences. That translates into professional presence. Robin: Energy is learnable When thinking about: Who to hire. Who to promote. Who to give opportunities to. Traits that matter: Enthusiasm. Positivity. Big energy. Being "over the top" when needed. Important insight: This isn't necessarily a God-given gift. It can be learned. Like music or performance. Like anything else. 31:00 The Importance of Positive Work Relationships Mandy reflects on: The tension between loud voices and quiet voices. "Oftentimes the person who is the loudest is the one who gets to talk the most, but the person who's the quietest is the one who maybe has the best ideas." Core question: How do you exist in a world where both of those things are true? Parenting lens: One daughter is quieter than the other. Important to: Encourage authenticity. Teach the skill of using your voice loudly when needed. It's not about changing personality. It's about equipping someone to advocate for themselves when necessary Book is targeted at: Students about to enter the corporate world. Early-career professionals. Intentional writing decision: Exactly 100 pages. Purpose: "To the point, practical advice." Holds attention. Digestible. Designed for distracted readers. Emotional honesty: Excited but nervous to reconnect with students. Acknowledges: The world has changed. It's been a while since she was in college. Advice she's trying to live: Know your audience Core principle: "Get to know your audience. Like really get in there and figure out who they are." Pre-book launch tour purpose: Visiting universities (including her alma mater). Observing students. Understanding: Their learning environment. Their day-to-day experiences. The world they're stepping into. Communication principle: Knowing your audience is essential in communications. Also essential in career-building. If you have a vision of where you want to go: "Try to find a way to get there before you're there." Tactics: Meet people in those roles. Shake their hands. Have coffee. Sit in those seats. Walk those halls. See how it feels. Idea: Test the future before committing to it. Reduce uncertainty through proximity. What if you don't have a vision? Robin pushes back thoughtfully: What about people who: Don't know what they want to do? Aren't sure about staying at a company? Aren't sure about career vs. business vs. stay-at-home parent? Acknowledges: There's abundance in the world. Attention is fragmented. Implied tension: How do you move forward without clarity? 35:13 Mentorship and Career Guidance How to help someone figure out what's next Start with questions, not answers A mentor's primary job: ask questions from a place of curiosity Especially when someone is struggling with what they want to do or their career direction Key questions: What brings you joy? What gives you energy? What's the dream? Imagine retirement — what does that look like? Example: A financial advisor made Mandy and her husband define retirement vision; then work backwards (condo in New Zealand, annual family vacations) Clarify what actually matters Distinguish life priorities: Security → corporate job; Teamwork → corporate environment; Variety and daily interaction → specific roles Mentoring becomes a checklist: Joy, strengths, lifestyle, financial expectations, work environment preferences Then make connections: Introduce them to people in relevant environments, encourage informational interviews You don't know what you don't know Trial and error is inevitable Build network intentionally: Shadow people, observe, talk to parents' friends, friends of friends Even experienced professionals have untapped opportunities Stay curious and do the legwork Mixing personal and professional identity Confidence to bring personal interests into corporate work comes from strategy plus luck Example: Prologis 2021, senior leaders joked about forming a band; Mandy spoke up, became lead singer CEO took interest after first performance, supported book launch She didn't always feel this way Early corporate years: Feel like a "corporate robot," worrying about jargon, meetings, email etiquette, blending in Book explores blending in while standing out Advice for bringing full self to work Don't hide it, but don't force it; weave into casual conversation Find advocates: Amazing bosses vs terrible ones, learn from both Mentorship shaped her framework: Relationships, reputation, and resilience Resilience and rejection Theater as rejection bootcamp: Auditions, constant rejection Foundations of resilience: Surround yourself with supportive people, develop intrinsic self-worth, know you are worthy Creating conditions for success Age 11 audition story: Last-minute opportunity, director asked her to sing, she sang and got the part Why it worked: Connections (aunt in play), parent support, director willing to take a chance, she showed up Resilience is not just toughing it out: Have support systems, build self-worth, seek opportunity, create favorable conditions, step forward when luck opens a door 44:18 Overcoming Rejection and Building Resilience First show experiences Robin's first stage production is uncertain; she had to think carefully At 17, walked into a gymnastics gym after being a cross country runner for ten years, burnt out from running Cold-called gyms from the Yellow Pages; most rejected her for adult classes, one offered adult classes twice a week That led to juggling, circus, fencing, capa, rock climbing — a "Cambrian explosion" of movement opportunities About a year and a half later, walked into a ballet studio in corduroy and a button-up, no ballet shoes; first ballet teacher was Eric Skinner at Reed College, surrounded by former professional ballerinas First internal college production was his first show; ten years later performed as an acrobat with the San Francisco Opera in 2013, six acrobats among 200 people on stage, four-hour shows with multiple costume changes and backflips Relationship to AI and the evolving world of work Mandy never asks her daughters "What do you want to be?" because jobs today may not exist in the future Focus on interests: plants, how things are built, areas of curiosity for future generations Coaching her team: Highly capable, competent, invested in tools and technology for digital signage, webinars, emails, data-driven insights, videos Approach AI with cautious optimism: Adopt early, embrace technology, use it to enhance work rather than replace it Example: Uses a bot for scheduling efficiency, brainstorming; enhances job performance by integrating AI from day one Advice: Approach AI with curiosity, not fear; embrace tools to be smarter and more efficient, stay ahead in careers 53:05 Where to Find Mandy Mandy will be speaking at Snafu Conference on March 5, discussing rejection and overcoming it. Author and speaking information: mandymooney.com LinkedIn: Mandy Mooney Music available under her real name, Mandy Mooney, on streaming platforms.  

Trusting your instincts can change everything. Dorothy Gibbons and Jenny Fitzpatrick talk about early breast cancer diagnosis, persistent self-advocacy, and navigating treatment as a young mother. Jenny Fitzpatrick describes celebrating survivorship, building community, and creating new traditions. Stories connect lives. Experiences shape what comes next. Please consider sharing this episode, or making a donation at therose.org so more women receive breast cancer screening and care. Subscribe to Let’s Talk About Your Breasts on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart, and wherever you get your podcasts. Key Questions Answered 1. How old was Jenny Fitzpatrick when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and how was it discovered? 2. Was Jenny initially misdiagnosed, and what was the medical response? 3. What symptoms or clues made Jenny pursue a second medical opinion? 4. What was unusual about Jenny’s breast cancer diagnosis and treatment experience? 5. What treatments did Jenny receive, and did she undergo radiation therapy? 6. Why did Jenny opt for a prophylactic second mastectomy, and how did her doctor respond? 7. How long did Jenny’s reconstruction process take, and why was it prolonged? 8. How does Jenny celebrate her breast cancer survivorship annually? 9. What inspired Jenny to start organizing adventure trips, and what are some examples? 10. How did Jenny first learn about the Rose, and why did she become a supporter? Timestamped Overview 00:00 Discovering Health Concerns 04:41 Realization in the Mirror 07:03 Treating Mind and Body 12:12 Breaking Patterns, Trying New Things 16:12 92 Years of Friendship 19:50 The Car Wash Chronicles 22:41 Adventurous Roots in the Northwest 23:43 Empowering Adventures for Women 27:59 Extra Years, Extra Love 30:06 Gratitude and PolitenessSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 265 How 2 Get a Man SprungSensers! I believe there is a time and moment in a man's life where something just stands out to him and a feeling aligns up so well that it causes him to feel that he's so caught up, enamored, dare we sprung with the energy that person of interest radiates towards him. He becomes drawn to this human being so much that even thinking is a challenge in a sense that the person they feel for becomes a healthy distraction on how they see life. What does it take to become that light in a person's eyes? From my conception to present day, there's been many things said on what it is to date a woman (girl in adolescence years) that would deem to be successful with them. Most of it has been proven to not be successful and misguided information which led to break-ups and misfortune with women. However, there's one that stands out to me more than the others that I'd love to share with my fellow man (ladies can listen in on it as well). So what's all this really about? By this, we're talking about life. There's millionaires with enough money to not be concerned about their health, their house or even their family yet somehow many with that privilege are still finding themselves unfulfilled, unhappy and even suicidal. If that's the case, then what does life really mean for you? What's the point of you getting up everyday? what's your Why? Why do we love this thing called life before we ascend to the next phase? May God and His Universe remove any negative energy you may have stored from reading this. If you dig the episode, click, like, and share on your page. Help build the tribe of healing

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 1953: Jeff Goins reveals a simple but powerful truth: the difference between amateurs and professionals often comes down to identity. When we stop aspiring and start being, by owning who we already are and doing the work, we unlock our potential and begin living with purpose and legacy. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://goinswriter.com/amateurs/ Quotes to ponder: "Terrified we'll fail to live up to our own expectations, we play it safe and abide by the rules." "Claim you already are what you want to be, and then start acting like it." "Become who you are. It happens once in a lifetime."

In this episode, I'm joined by Daria, a neonatologist, researcher, and mom of three, who shares what it's really like to juggle two demanding roles at work while raising a young family. We talk about the mental load of switching between high-intensity clinical care and long-term research projects, and how she used the Beyond Balance framework to find motivation, create better boundaries, and feel more present with her kids.   Daria opens up about the emotional toll of her work, the surprising flexibility of her research role, and the mindset shifts that helped her stop feeling like she was constantly behind. We also talk about the moment she realized she didn't need more time with her kids—she just needed to see the time she already had differently. From folding laundry on the bathroom floor to doing yoga with her toddler, Daria found ways to create connection in the middle of everyday life.   If you'd like to experience similar changes in your life, Beyond Balance is open for enrollment right now. Visit www.themothernurture.com/beyond-balance to learn more and apply before Feb 10!   ==========================  

In this episode of The Reformed Brotherhood, Tony and Jesse continue their deep dive into the Parable of the Prodigal Son by examining the often-overlooked character of the elder brother. While the younger son's rebellion is obvious, the elder brother's self-righteous moralism represents a more subtle—and perhaps more dangerous—form of lostness. Through careful exegesis of Luke 15:25-32, the hosts explore how religious performance, resentment of grace, and merit-based thinking can keep us far from the Father's heart even while we remain close to the Father's house. This conversation challenges listeners to examine their own hearts for traces of elder brother theology and calls us to celebrate the scandalous grace that restores sinners to sonship. Key Takeaways Two ways to be lost: The parable presents both flagrant rebellion (the younger son) and respectable self-righteousness (the elder son) as forms of spiritual lostness that require God's grace. The elder brother's geographic and spiritual position: Though physically near the house and faithful in service, the elder brother was spiritually distant from the father's heart, unable to celebrate grace extended to others. Moralism as a subtle distance: Self-righteous religion can be more deceptive than open rebellion because it appears virtuous while actually rejecting the father's character and values. The father pursues both sons: God's gracious pursuit extends not only to the openly rebellious but also to the self-righteous, demonstrating that election and grace are sovereign gifts, not earned rewards. The unresolved ending: The parable intentionally leaves the elder brother's response unstated, creating narrative tension that challenges the original audience (Pharisees and scribes) and modern readers to examine their own response to grace. Adoption as the frame of obedience: True Christian obedience flows from sonship and inheritance ("all that I have is yours"), not from a wage-earning, transactional relationship with God. Resentment reveals our theology: When we find ourselves unable to celebrate the restoration of repentant sinners, we expose our own need for repentance—not from scandal, but from envy and pride. Key Concepts The Elder Brother's Subtle Lostness The genius of Jesus' parable is that it exposes a form of lostness that religious people rarely recognize in themselves. The elder brother never left home, never squandered his inheritance, and never violated explicit commands. Yet his response to his brother's restoration reveals a heart fundamentally opposed to the father's character. His complaint—"I have served you all these years and never disobeyed your command"—demonstrates that he viewed his relationship with the father transactionally, as an employer-employee arrangement rather than a father-son bond. This is the essence of legalism: performing religious duties while remaining distant from God's heart. The tragedy is that the elder brother stood within reach of everything the father had to offer yet experienced none of the joy, fellowship, or security of sonship. This form of lostness is particularly dangerous because it wears the mask of righteousness and often goes undetected until grace is extended to someone we deem less deserving. The Father's Gracious Pursuit of the Self-Righteous Just as the father ran to meet the returning younger son, he also went out to plead with the elder brother to come into the feast. This detail is theologically significant: God pursues both the openly rebellious and the self-righteous with the same gracious initiative. The father's response to the elder brother's complaint is not harsh correction but tender invitation: "Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours." This reveals that the problem was never scarcity or the father's favoritism—the elder brother had always possessed full access to the father's resources and affection. The barrier was entirely on the son's side: his inability to receive sonship as a gift rather than a wage. This mirrors the historical situation of the Pharisees and scribes who grumbled at Jesus for receiving sinners. They stood adjacent to the kingdom, surrounded by the promises and covenant blessings of God, yet remained outside because they could not accept grace as the principle of God's dealing with humanity. The invitation still stood, but it required them to abandon their merit-based system and enter the feast as recipients of unearned favor. The Unresolved Ending and Its Challenge to Us Luke deliberately leaves the parable unfinished—we never learn whether the elder brother eventually joined the celebration. This narrative technique places the reader in the position of the elder brother, forcing us to answer for ourselves: will we enter the feast or remain outside in bitter resentment? For the original audience of Pharisees and scribes, this unresolved ending was a direct challenge to their response to Jesus' ministry. Would they continue to grumble at God's grace toward tax collectors and sinners, or would they recognize their own need and join the celebration? For contemporary readers, the question remains equally pressing. When we hear of a notorious sinner coming to faith, do we genuinely rejoice, or do we scrutinize their repentance with suspicion? When churches extend membership to those with broken pasts, do we celebrate restoration or quietly question whether they deserve a place at the table? The parable's open ending is not a literary flaw but a pastoral strategy: it refuses to let us remain passive observers and demands that we examine whether we harbor elder brother theology in our own hearts. Memorable Quotes The father's household is a place where grace produces joy, not just merely relief. The elder brother hears the joy before he sees it. That's often how resentment works, isn't it? We're alerted to the happiness of others and somehow there's this visceral response of wanting to be resentful toward that joy, toward that unmerited favor. — Jesse Schwamb There is a way to be near the house, church adjacent, religiously active, yet to be really far from the father's heart. The elder brother is not portrayed as an atheist, but as a moralist. And moralism can be a more subtle distance than open rebellion. — Jesse Schwamb God doesn't keep sinners from repenting. The reprobate are not prohibited or prevented by God from coming to faith. They're being kept out by their own stubborn refusal to come in. That's where this punchline hits so hard. — Tony Arsenal Full Transcript [00:00:44] Jesse Schwamb: Welcome to episode 477 of The Reformed Brotherhood. I'm Jesse.  [00:00:51] Tony Arsenal: And I'm Tony. And this is the podcast with ears to hear. Hey brother.  [00:00:55] Jesse Schwamb: Hey brother.  [00:00:56] Parables and God's Word [00:00:56] Jesse Schwamb: Speaking of ears to hear, it struck me that this whole thing we've been doing all this parable talk is really after the manner of God's words. And one of the things I've really grown to appreciate is how God speaks to the condition of those whom he addresses. He considers our ability, our capacity as his hearers to process what he's saying, and that leads into these amazing parables that we've been talking about. He doesn't speak as he is able to speak. So to speak, but I didn't mean that to happen. But as we were able to hear, and that means he spoke in these lovely parables so that we might better understand him. And today we're gonna get into some of the drama of the best, like the crown jewel as we've been saying, of maybe all the parables. The Parable of the Lost Son. We spoke a little bit about it in the last episode. Definitely want to hit that up because it's setting you up for this one, which is the definitive episode. But now we're gonna talk about this first, this younger lost son. Get into some of all of these like juicy details about what takes place, and really, again, see if we can find the heart of God. Spoiler. We can and we'll,  [00:02:04] Tony Arsenal: yeah,  [00:02:04] Affirmations and Denials [00:02:04] Jesse Schwamb: but before we do both of those things, it's of course always time at this moment to do a little affirming with or denying against. Of course, if you haven't heard us before, that's where we take a moment to say, is there something that we think is undervalued that we wanna bring forward that we'd recommend or think is awesome? Or conversely, is there something that's overvalued that's just, we're over it. The vibe is done. We're gonna deny against that. So I say to you, as I often do, Tony, are you affirming with or deny against?  [00:02:31] Tony's Nerdy Hobby: Dungeons and Dragons [00:02:31] Tony Arsenal: I'm affirming tonight. Um, I don't know how much the audience realizes of a giant ridiculous nerd I am, but we're about to go to entirely new giant nerd depths. [00:02:43] Jesse Schwamb: All right. I  [00:02:43] Tony Arsenal: think,  [00:02:44] Jesse Schwamb: let's hear it.  [00:02:44] Tony Arsenal: So, um, I was a huge fan of Stranger Things. Some, there's some issues with the show, and I understand why some people might not, um, might not feel great about watching it. You know, I think it falls within Christian liberty. But one of the main themes of the show, this is not a spoiler, you learn about this in episode one, is the whole game. The whole show frames itself around Dungeons and Dragons, right? It's kind of like a storytelling device within the show that the kids play, Dungeons and Dragons, and everything that happens in the Dungeons and Dragons game that they're playing, sort of like, um, foreshadows what's actually gonna happen in the show. Which funny if, you know Dungeons and Dragons lore, you kind of learn the entire plot of the story like ahead of time. Um, but so I, stranger Things just finished up and I've kind of been like itching to get into Dungeons and Dragons. I used to play a little bit of tabletop when I was in high school, in early college and um, I just really like the idea of sort of this collaborative storytelling game. Um, whether it's Dungeon Dragons or one of the other systems, um, Dungeons and Dragons is the most popular. It's the most well published. It's the most well established and it's probably the easiest to find a group to play with. Although it is very hard to find a group to play with, especially, uh, kind of out in the middle of nowhere where I live. So this is where the ultra super nerdy part comes in.  [00:04:02] Jesse Schwamb: Alright, here we  [00:04:03] Tony Arsenal: go. I have been painstakingly over the last week teaching Google Gemini. To be a dungeon master for me. So I've been playing Dungeons and Dragons more or less by myself with, uh, with Google Gemini, and I'm just having a lot of fun with it. Um, you can get a free copy of the rules online if you, I think it's DND, the letter NDND beyond.com. They have a full suite of like tools to create your character. Access to a basic set of the core rules. Um, you can spend a lot of money on Dungeons and Dragons, uh, and if you want to like really get into it, the books are basically textbooks. Like you're buying $300 or 300 page, $300, 300 page textbooks, um, that are not all that differently costs than like college textbooks. You'll buy a 300 page Dungeon master guide that's like $50 if you want a paper copy. So, but you can get into it for free. You can get the free rolls online, you can use their dungeon, the d and d Beyond app and do all your dice rolls for free. Um, you, you can get a free dice roller online if you don't want to do their, their app. Um, but it's just a lot of fun. I've just been having a lot of fun and I found that the, I mean. When you play a couple sessions with it, you see that the, the um, the A IDM that I've created, like it follows the same story beats 'cause it's only got so much to work with in its language model. Um, but I'm finding ways to sort of like break it out of that model by forcing it to refer to certain websites that are like Dungeons and Dragons lore websites and things like build your, build your campaign from this repository of Dungeons and Dragons stuff. So. I think you could do this with just about any sort of narrative storytelling game like this, whether you're playing a different system or d and d Pathfinders. I mean, there's all sorts of different versions of it, but it's just been a lot of fun to see, see it going. I'm trying to get a group together. 'cause I think I would, I would probably rather play Dungeons and Dragons with people, um, and rather do it in person. But it's hard to do up here. It's hard to get a, get a group going. So that's my super nerdy affirmation. I'm not just affirming Dungeons and Dragons, which would already be super nerdy. I'm affirming playing it by myself on my phone, on the bus with Google Gemini, AI acting like I'm not. Just this weird antisocial lunatic. So I'm having a lot of fun with it.  [00:06:20] Jesse Schwamb: So there are so many levels of inception there. Yeah. Like the inception and everything you just said. I love it.  [00:06:27] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Well, what I'm learning is, um, you can give an, and, and this is something I didn't realize, what ai, I guess I probably should have, you know, it's not like an infinite thing. Um, you can give an AI instructions and if your chat gets long enough, it actually isn't referring back to the very beginning of the chat most of the time. Right. There's a, there's like a win context window of about 30 responses. So like if you tell the AI, don't roll the dice for me, like, let me roll dices that are related to my actions, eventually it will forget that. So part of what I've been doing is basically building, I'm using Google Gemini when the AI does something I don't want it to do, I say, you just did something I don't want it to do. Gimme a diagnostic report of why you did that. It will explain to me why it did what it did. Right. Why it didn't observe the rules. And then I'm feeding that into another. Prompt that is helping me generate better prompts that it refers back to. So it's kind of this weird iterative, um, yeah, I, I don't, I'm like, I maybe I'm gonna create the singularity. I'm not sure. Maybe this is gonna be possible. We should sit over the edge. It's gonna, it's gonna learn how to cast magic spells and it's gonna fire bolt us in the face or something like that. Right. But, uh, again, high risk. I, I, for one, welcome our AO AI dungeon masters. So check it out. You should try it. If you could do this with chat GPT, you could do it with any ai. Um, it, it, it is going to get a little, I have the benefit because I have a Google Workspace account. I have access to Google Pro or the Gemini Pro, which is a better model for this kind of thing. But you could do this with, with chat GPT or something like that. And it's gonna be more or less the same experience, I think. But I'm having a, I'm having a ton of fun with it. Um. Again, I, I, there's something about just this, Dungeons and Dragons at its core is a, it's like a, an exercise in joint storytelling, which is really fascinating and interesting to me. Um, and that's what most tabletop RPGs are like. I suppose you get into something like War Hammer and it's a little bit more like a board. It's a mixture of that plus a board game. But Dungeons and Dragons, the DM is creating the, I mean, not the entire world, but is creating the narrative. And then you as a player are an actor within that narrative. And then there's a certain element of chance that dice rolls play. But for the most part, um, you're driving the story along. You're telling the story together. So it's, it's pretty interesting. I've also been watching live recordings of Dungeons and Dragon Sessions on YouTube. Oh,  [00:08:50] Jesse Schwamb: wow.  [00:08:51] Tony Arsenal: Like, there's a, there's a channel called Critical Role. Like these sessions are like three and a half hours long. So, wow. I just kinda have 'em on in the background when I'm, when I'm, uh, working or if I'm, you know, doing something else. Um, but it's really interesting stuff. It's, it's pretty cool. I think it's fun. I'm a super nerd. I'm, I'm no shame in that. Um, I'm just really enjoying it.  [00:09:09] Jesse Schwamb: Listen, nerdery is great. That's like part of the zeitgeist now. Listen to culture. It's cool to be a nerd. I don't know much about d and d. I've heard a lot about this idea of this community that forms around. Yeah. The story, correct me if I'm wrong, can't these things go on for like years, decades?  [00:09:25] Tony Arsenal: Oh yeah, yeah. Like, you can do there. There, some of this has made its way into the official rule books, but basically you could do what's called a one shot, which is like a self-contained story. Usually a single session, you know, like you get a Dungeon master, game master, whichever you wanna call the person. Three to four, maybe five characters, player characters. And one session is usually about two hours long. So it's not like you sit down for 20 minutes, 30 minutes at a time and play this right. And you could do a one shot, which is a story that's designed to, to live all within that two hour session. Um, some people will do it where there isn't really any planned like, outcome of the story. The, the DM just kind of makes up things to do as they go. And then you can have campaigns, which is like, sometimes it's like a series of one shots, but more, it is more like a long term serialized period, you know, serialized campaign where you're doing many, um, many, many kinds of, uh, things all in one driving to like a big epic goal or battle at the end, right? Um, some groups stay together for a really long time and they might do multiple campaigns, so there's a lot to it. Game's been going on for like 50, 60, 70 years, something like that. I don't remember exactly when it started, but  [00:10:41] Jesse Schwamb: yeah.  [00:10:41] Tony Arsenal: Um, it's an old game. It's kinda like the doctor who of of poor games and it's like the original tabletop role playing game, I think. [00:10:47] Jesse Schwamb: Right. Yeah, that makes sense. Again, there's something really appealing to me about not just that cooperative storytelling, but cooperative gameplay. Everybody's kind of in it together for the most part. Yeah. Those conquest, as I understand them, are joint in nature. You build solidarity, but if you're meeting with people and having fun together and telling stories and interacting with one another, there's a lot of good that comes out of that stuff there. A lot of lovely common grace in those kind of building, those long-term interactions, relationships, entertainment built on being together and having good, clean, fun together.  [00:11:17] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Well, and it's, you know, it's, um. It's an interesting exercise. It's it, in some ways it's very much like improv. Like you, you think of like an improv comedy like show I've been to somewhere. Like, you know, you go to the show and it's an improv troupe, but they're like calling people from the crowd up and asking them for like different scenarios they might do. It's kind of like that in that like the GM can plan a whole, can plan a whole thing. But if I as a player character, um. And I've done this to the virtual one just to see what it does, and it's done some interesting things. One of the campaigns I was playing, I had rescued a merchant from some giant spiders and I was helping, like, I was helping like navigate them through the woods to the next town. And we kept on getting attacked and just outta nowhere. I was like, what if I sort of act as though I'm suspicious of this merchant now because why are we getting attacked all the time? And so I, I typed in sort of like a little. A mini role play of me accusing this guy. And it was something like, Randall, we get, we're getting attacked a lot for a simple merchant, Randall merchant. What happens if I cast a tech magic? What am I gonna find? And he's like, I don't know what I'm gonna find. I know I don't know anything. And then I cast a tech magic and it shifted. I mean, I don't know where the campaign was gonna go before that, but it shifted the whole thing now where the person who gave him the package he was carrying had betrayed him. It was, so that happens in real life too in these games, real life in these games. That happens in real, in-person sessions too, where a player or a group of players may just decide instead of talking to the contact person that is supposed to give them the clue to find the dungeon they're supposed to go to, instead they ambush them and murder them in gold blood. And now the, the dungeon master has to figure out, how do I get them back to this dungeon when this is the only person that was supposed to know where it is? So it, it does end up really stretching your thinking skills and sort of your improvisational skills. There's an element of, um, you know, like chance with the dice, um, I guess like the dice falls in the lot, but the lot is in the handle. Or like, obviously that's all ordained as well too, but there is this element of chance where even the DM doesn't get to determine everything. Um, if, if I say I want to, I want to try to sneak into this room, but I'm a giant barbarian who has, you know, is wearing like chain mail, there's still a chance I could do it, but the dice roll determines that. It's not like the, the GM just says you can't do that. Um, so it's, it's a, I, I like it. I'm, I'm really looking forward to trying to, getting into it. It is hard to start a group and to get going and, um, there's a part of me that's a little bit. Gun shy of maybe like getting too invested with a group of non-Christians for something like this. 'cause it can get a little weird sometimes. But I think that, I think that'll work out. It'll be fun. I know there's actually some people in our telegram chat. Bing, bing, bing segue. There we go. There's some people in our telegram chat actually, that we're already planning to do a campaign. Um, so we might even do like a virtual reform brotherhood, Dungeons and Dragons group. So that might be a new sub channel in the telegram at some point.  [00:14:13] Jesse Schwamb: There you go. You could jump right in. Go to t.me back slash reform brotherhood.  [00:14:18] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Jesse, what are you affirming since I just spent the last 15 minutes gushing about my nerdy hobby?  [00:14:23] Jesse Schwamb: Uh, no, that was great. Can I, can I just say two things? One is, so you're basically saying it's a bit like, like a troll shows up and everybody's like, yes. And yeah. So I love that idea. Second thing, which is follow up question, very brief. What kind of merchant was Randall.  [00:14:39] Tony Arsenal: Uh, he was a spice trader actually.  [00:14:42] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. I don't trust that.  [00:14:43] Tony Arsenal: And, and silk, silk and spices.  [00:14:45] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. That's double, that's too strict.  [00:14:47] Tony Arsenal: He was actually good guy in the, in the story that developed out of this campaign. He actually became part of my family and like, like, like got adopted into the family because he lost everything on his own. Randy we're  [00:15:00] Jesse Schwamb: talking about Randy.  [00:15:01] Tony Arsenal: Randy Randall with one L. Yeah. The AI was very specific about  that.  [00:15:05] Jesse Schwamb: There's, there's nothing about this guy I trust. I, is this still ongoing? Because I think he's just trying to make his way deeper in,  [00:15:11] Tony Arsenal: uh, no, no. It, I'll, I'll wait for next week to tell you how much, even more nerdy this thing gets. But there's a whole thing that ha there was a whole thing out of this That's a tease. Tease. There was a, there was a horse and the horse died and there was lots of tears and there was a wedding and a baby. It was, it's all sorts of stuff going on in this campaign. [00:15:27] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. And I'm sure. Randy was somewhere near that horse when it happened. Right?  [00:15:32] Tony Arsenal: It was his horse.  [00:15:33] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, exactly. That's  [00:15:35] Tony Arsenal: exactly, he didn't, he didn't kill the horse. He had no power to knock down the bridge The horse was standing on.  [00:15:40] Jesse Schwamb: Listen, next week, I'm pretty sure that's what we're gonna learn is that it was all him. [00:15:45] Tony Arsenal: Alright, Jesse, save us from this. Save us from this, please. Uh,  [00:15:49] Jesse Schwamb: no.  What  [00:15:50] Tony Arsenal: you affirming, this is  [00:15:50] Jesse Schwamb: great.  [00:15:50] Jesse's Affirmation: Church Community [00:15:50] Jesse Schwamb: It's possible that there is a crossover between yours and mine if we consider. That the church is like playing a d and d game in the dungeon Masters Christ, and the campaigns, the gospel. So I was thinking maybe is it possible, uh, maybe this is just the, the theology of the cross, but that sometimes, like you need the denial to get to the affirmation. Have we talked about that kind of truth? Yeah,  [00:16:14] Tony Arsenal: yeah,  [00:16:15] Jesse Schwamb: for sure. So here's a little bit of that. I'll be very, very brief and I'm using this not as like just one thing that happened today, but what I know is for sure happening all over the world. And I mean that very literally, not just figuratively when it comes to the body of Christ, the local church. So it snowed here overnight. This was, this is the Lord's Day. We're hanging out in the Lord's Day, which is always a beautiful day to talk about God. And overnight it snowed. The snow stopped relatively late in the morning around the time that everybody would be saying, Hey, it's time to go and worship the Lord. So for those in my area, I got up, we did the whole clearing off the Kai thing. I went to church and I was there a little bit early for a practice for music. And when I pulled in, there weren't many there yet, but the whole parking lot unplowed. So there's like three inches of snow, unplowed parking lot. So I guess the denial is like the plow people decided like, not this time I, I don't think so. They understood they were contracted with the church, but my understanding is that when one of the deacons called, they were like, Ooh, yeah, we're like 35 minutes away right now, so that's gonna be a problem. So when I pulled in, here's what I was. Like surprise to find, but in a totally unexpected way, even though I understand what a surprise is. And that is that, uh, that first the elders and the deacons, everybody was just decided we're going to shovel an entire parking lot. And at some point big, I was a little bit early there, but at some point then this massive text change just started with everybody, which was, Hey, when you come to church, bring your shovel. And I, I will tell you like when I got out of the car. I was so like somebody was immediately running to clear a path with me. One of those like snow pushers, you know what I mean? Yeah. Like one, those beastly kind of like blade things.  [00:17:57] Tony Arsenal: Those things are, those things are the best.  [00:17:59] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. You just run. And so you have never met a group of people that was more happy to shovel an entire large asphalt area, which normally shouldn't even be required. And. It just struck me, even in hindsight now thinking about it, it was this lovely confluence of people serving each other and serving God. It was as if they got up that morning and said, do you know what would be the best thing in the world for me to do is to shovel. And so everybody was coming out. Everybody was shoveling it. It was to protect everyone and to allow one into elaborate, one access. It was just incredible. And so I started this because the affirmation is, I know this happens in, in all of our churches, every God fearing God, loving God serving church, something like this is happening, I think on almost every Lord's day or maybe every day of the week in various capacities. And I just think this is God's people coming together because everybody, I think when we sat down for the message was exhausted, but. But there was so much joy in doing this. I think what you normally would find to be a mundane and annoying task, and the fact that it wasn't just, it was redeemed as if like we, we found a greater purpose in it. But that's, everyone saw this as a way to love each other and to love God, and it became unexpected worship in the parking lot. That's really what it was, and it was fantastic. I really almost hope that we just get rid of the plow company and just do it this way from now on. Yeah, so I'm affirming, recognize people, recognize brothers and sisters that your, your church is doing this stuff all the time and, and be a part of it. Jump in with the kinda stuff because I love how it brings forward the gospel.  [00:19:35] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. That's a great story. It's a great, uh, a great example of the body of Christ being, what the body of Christ is and just pulling together to get it done. Um, which, you know, we do on a spiritual level, I think, more often than a physical level these days. Right, right. But, um, that's great. I'm sitting here going three inches of snow. I would've just pulled into the lot and then pulled out of the lot. But New Hampshire, it hits different in New Hampshire. Like we all d have snow tires and four wheel drive.  [00:20:02] Jesse Schwamb: It's, it's enough snow where it was like pretty wet and heavy that it, if, you know, you pack that stuff down, it gets slick. You can't see the people, like you can't have your elderly people just flying in, coming in hot and then trying to get outta the vehicle, like making their way into church.  [00:20:14] Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  [00:20:15] Jesse Schwamb: So there was, there was a lot more of that. But I think again, you would, one of the options would've been like, Hey, why don't we shovel out some sp spaces for the, for those who need it, for, you know, those who need to have access in a way that's a little bit less encumbered. Oh, no, no. These people are like, I see your challenge and I am going to shovel the entire parking lots.  [00:20:35] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. It used to happen once in a while, uh, at the last church, uh, at, um, your dad's church. We would, where the plow would just not come on a Sunday morning or, or more often than not. Um, you know, what happens a lot of times is the plows don't want to come more than once. Right. If they don't have to. Or sometimes they won't come if they think it's gonna melt because they don't want to deal with, uh, with like customers who are mad that you plowed and that it all melts. But either way, once in a while. The plow wouldn't come or it wouldn't come in time. And what we would do is instead of trying to shovel an entire driveway thing, we would just went, the first couple people who would get there, the young guys in the church, there was only a couple of us, but the younger guys in the church would just, we would just be making trips, helping people into the, yeah. Helping people into the building. So, um, it was a pretty, you know, it was a small church, so it was like six trips and we'd have everybody in, but um, we just kind of, that was the way we pulled together. Um, yeah, that's a great, it's a great story. I love, I love stuff like that. Yeah, me too. Whether it's, whether it's, you know, plowing a, a parking lot with shovels instead of a plow, or it's just watching, um, watching the tables and the chairs from the fellowship, you know, all just like disappear because everybody's just, uh, picks up after themselves and cleans and stuff. That's, that's like the most concrete example of the body of Christ doing what the body of Christ does. Um, it's always nice, you know, we always hear jokes about like, who can carry the most, the most chairs,  [00:22:04] Jesse Schwamb: most  [00:22:04] Tony Arsenal: chairs. Uh, I think it's true. Like a lot of times I think like I could do like seven or eight sometimes. [00:22:10] Jesse Schwamb: Uh, you, that's, so, one more thing I wanna say. I, I wanted to tell you this privately, Tony, 'cause it just cracked me up 'cause I, you'll appreciate this. But now I'm realizing I think the brothers and sisters who listened to us talk for any length of time and in the context of this conversation, but the church will appreciate this too. On my way out, I, I happened because I was there early and the snow was crazy. I parked way further out, way on the edge of the lot to just allow for greater access because of all the shoveling that was happening. And by the way, I really hope there were a ton of visitors this morning because they were like, wow, this, this church is wild. They love to shovel their own lot and they're the happiest people doing it. Some sweaty person just ushered me in while they were casting snow. Like,  [00:22:47] Tony Arsenal: is this some new version of snake handling? You shovel your own lot and your impervious to back injuries.  [00:22:53] Jesse Schwamb: Uh. So I was walking out and as I walked past, uh, there was a, uh, two young gentlemen who were congregating by this very large lifted pickup truck, which I don't have much experience with, but it looked super cool and it was started, it was warming up, and they were just like casually, like in the way that only like people with large beards wearing flannel and Carhartt kind of do, like casually leaning against the truck, talking in a way that you're like, wow, these guys are rugged. And they sound, they're super cool, and they're probably like in their twenties. And all I hear as I pass by is one guy going, yeah, well, I mean that's, I was, I said to them too, but I said, listen, I'd rather go to a church with God-fearing women than anywhere else.  [00:23:36] Tony Arsenal: Nice.  [00:23:37] Jesse Schwamb: I was just like, yep. On the prowl and I love it. And they're not wrong. This is the place to be.  [00:23:42] Tony Arsenal: It is.  [00:23:43] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. This is the place to be. Yeah. So all kinds of, all kinds of good things I think going on in that in the house of the Lord and where wherever you're at, I would say be happy and be joyful and look for those things and participate in, like you said, whether it's physical or not, but as soon as you said like the, our young men, our youth somehow have this competition of when we need to like pack up the sanctuary. How many chairs can I take at one time? Yeah. It's like the classic and it just happens. Nobody says like, okay, everybody line up. We're about to embark on the competition now. Like the strong man usher competition. It's just like, it just happens and  [00:24:17] Tony Arsenal: it's  [00:24:17] Jesse Schwamb: incredible.  [00:24:18] Tony Arsenal: I mean, peacocks fan out their tail feathers. Young Christian guys fan out. All of the table chairs, chairs they can carry. It's uh, it's a real phenomena. So I feel like if you watch after a men's gathering, everybody is like carrying one chair at a time because they don't wanna hurt their backs and their arms. Oh, that's  [00:24:36] Jesse Schwamb: true. That's  [00:24:37] Tony Arsenal: what I do. Yeah. But it's when the women are around, that's when you see guys carrying like 19 chairs. Yeah. Putting themselves in the hospital.  [00:24:42] Jesse Schwamb: That's what I, listen, it comes for all of us. Like I, you know, I'm certainly not young anymore by almost any definition, but even when I'm in the mix, I'm like, oh, I see you guys. You wanna play this game? Mm-hmm. Let's do this. And then, you know, I'm stacking chairs until I hurt myself. So it's great. That's, that is what we do for each other. It's  [00:25:01] Tony Arsenal: just, I hurt my neck getting outta bed the other day. So it happens. It's real.  [00:25:05] Jesse Schwamb: The struggle. Yeah, the struggle is real.  [00:25:07] The Parable of the Lost Son [00:25:07] Jesse Schwamb: Speaking of struggle, speaking of family issues, speaking of all kinds of drama, let's get into Luke 15 and let me read just, I would say the first part of this parable, which as we've agreed to talk about, if we can even get this far, it's just the younger son. [00:25:24] Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  [00:25:25] Jesse Schwamb: And again, don't worry, we're gonna get to all of it, but let me read beginning in, uh, verse 11 here. This is Luke chapter 15. Come follow along as you will accept if you're operating heavy machinery. And Jesus said, A man had two sons and the younger of them said to his father, father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me. So he divided his wealth between them. And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country. And there he squandered his estate living recklessly. Now, when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country and it began to be impoverished. So he went and hired himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. So he went and as he was desiring to be fed with the pods that the swine were eating because no one was giving anything to him. But when he came to himself, he said, how many of my father's men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger. I'll rise up and go to my father, and I'll say to him, father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, I'm no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired men. So he rose up, came to his father, but while he was still a long way off. His father saw him and felt compassion and ran and embraced him. And the son said to him, father, I've sinned against heaven and before you, I'm no longer worthy to be called your son. But the father said to his slaves, quickly, bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet and bring the fat in calf and slaughter it and let us celebrate. For the son of mine was dead and has come to life again. He was lost and he has been found and they began to celebrate.  [00:27:09] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. This is such a, um, such a, I don't know, like pivotal seminal parable in the Ministry of Christ. Um, it's one of those parables and we, we mentioned this briefly last week that even most. It, it hasn't passed out of the cultural zeitgeist yet. A lot of biblical teaching has, I mean, a lot, I think a lot of things that used to be common knowledge where, where you could make a reference to something in the Bible and people would just get it. Um, even if they weren't Christian or weren't believers, they would still know what you were talking about. There's a lot of things in the Bible that have passed out of that cultural memory. The, the parable of the prodigal son, lost son, however you wanna phrase it, um, that's not one of them. Right. So I think it's really important for us, um, and especially since it is such a beautiful picture of the gospel and it has so many different theological touch points, it's really incumbent on us to spend time thinking about this because I would be willing to bet that if you weave. Elements of this parable into your conversations with nonbelievers that you are praying for and, and, you know, witnessing to and sharing the gospel with, if you weave this in there, you're gonna help like plant some seeds that when it comes time to try to harvest, are gonna pay dividends. Right. So I think it's a really, it's a really great thing that we're gonna be able to spend, you know, a couple weeks really just digging into this. [00:28:40] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, and to define the beginning, maybe from the end, just slightly here, I like what you said about this cultural acknowledgement of this. I think one of the correctives we can provide, which is clear in the story, is in the general cultural sense. We speak of this prodigal as something that just returns comes back, was lost, but now is found. And often maybe there is this component of, in the familial relationship, it's as if they've been restored. Here we're gonna of course find that this coming to one senses is in fact the work of God. That there is, again, a little bit of denial that has to bring forward the affirmation here that is the return. And so again, from the beginning here, we're just talking about the younger son. We have more than youthful ambition.  [00:29:19] The Essence of Idolatry and Sin [00:29:19] Jesse Schwamb: This heart of, give me the stuff now, like so many have said before, is really to say. Give me the gifts and not you, which is, I think, a common fault of all Christians. We think, for instance of heaven, and we think of all the blessings that come with it, but not necessarily of the joy of just being with our savior, being with Christ. And I think there's something here right from the beginning, there's a little bit of this betrayal in showing idolatry, the ugliness of treating God's gifts as if there's something owed. And then this idea that of course. He receives these things and imme more or less immediately sometime after he goes and takes these things and squanderers them. And sin and idolatry, I think tends to accelerate in this way. The distance from the father becomes distance from wisdom. We are pulled away from that, which is good. The father here being in his presence and being under his care and his wisdom and in his fear of influence and concern, desiring then to say, I don't want you just give me the gifts that you allegedly owe me. And then you see how quickly like sin does everything you, we always say like, sin always costs more than you want to pay. And it always takes you further than you want to go. And that's exactly what we see here. Like encapsulated in an actual story of relationship and distance.  [00:30:33] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. And I, you know, I think, um. It's interesting to me.  [00:30:39] The Greek Words for Property [00:30:39] Tony Arsenal: You know, I, I, I'm a big fan of saying you don't need to study Greek to understand your Bible, but I'm also a big fan of saying understanding a little bit of Greek is really helpful. And one of the things that I think is really intriguing, and I haven't quite parsed out exactly what I think this means, but the word property in this parable, it actually is two different Greek words that is translated as property, at least in the ESV. And neither one of them really fit. What our normal understanding of property would be. And there are Greek words that refer to like all of your material possessions, but it says, father, give me the share of property. And he uses the word usia, which those of us who have heard anything about the trinity, which is all of us, um, know that that word means something about existence. It's the core essence of a person. So it says, father, give me the share of usia that is coming to me. And then it says, and he divided his bias, his, his life between them. Then it says, not many days later, the younger son gathered all that he had took a journey into the far country. There he squandered his usia again. So this, this parable, Christ is not using the ordinary words to refer to material, uh, material accumulation and property like. I think probably, you know, Christ isn't like randomly using these words. So there probably is an element that these were somehow figuratively used of one's life possessions. But the fact that he's using them in these particular ways, I think is significant. [00:32:10] The Prodigal Son's Misconception [00:32:10] Tony Arsenal: And so the, the, the younger son here, and I don't even like calling this the prodigal sun parable because the word prodigal doesn't like the equivalent word in Greek doesn't appear in this passage. And prodigal doesn't mean like the lost in returned, like prodigal is a word that means like the one who spends lavishly, right? So we call him the prodigal son because he went and he squandered all of his stuff and he spent all of his money. So it doesn't even really describe the main feature or the main point of why this, this parable is here. It's just sort of like a random adjective that gets attached to it. But all of that aside, um. This parable starts off not just about wasting our property, like wasting our things, but it's a parable that even within the very embedded language of the parable itself is talking about squandering our very life, our very essence, our very existence is squandered and wasted as we depart from the Father. Right? And this is so like, um, it's almost so on the head, on the on the nose that it's almost a little like, really Jesus. Like this is, this is so like, slap you in the face kind of stuff. This is right outta like Romans, uh, Romans one, like they did not give thanks to God. They did not show gratitude to God or acknowledge him as God. This is what's happening in this parable. The son doesn't go to his father and say, father, I love you. I'm so happy to stay with you. I'm so happy to be here. He, he basically says like. Give me your very life essence, and I'm gonna go, I'm gonna go spend it on prostitutes. I'm gonna go waste your life, father, I'm gonna waste your life, your existence, your bias. I'm gonna go take that and I'm gonna squander it on reckless living. And I guess we don't know for sure. He, it doesn't say he spends it on prostitutes. That's something his brother says later and assumes he did. So I, I don't know that we do that. But either way, I'm gonna take what's yours, your very life, your very essence. And also that my life, my essence, the gift you've given me as my father, you've given me my life. In addition now to your life or a portion of your life. And I'm gonna go squander that on reckless living, right? Like, how much of a picture of sin is that, that we, we take what we've been given by God, our very life, our very essence, we owe him everything, and we squander that on sinful, reckless living. That that's just a slap in the face in the best way right out of the gate here.  [00:34:28] Jesse Schwamb: Yes, that, that's a great point because it's, it would be one thing to rebel over disobedience, another thing to use the very life essence that you've been given for destructive, self-destructive purposes. And then to use that very energy, which is not yours to begin with, but has been imbued in yours, external, all of these things. And then to use that very thing as the force of your rebellion. So it's double insult all the way around. I'm with you in the use of Greek there. Thank you. Locus Bio software. Not a sponsor of the podcast, but could be. And I think that's why sometimes in translations you get the word like a state because it's like the closest thing we can have to understanding that it's property earned through someone's life more or less. Yeah. And then is passed down, but as representative, not just of like, here's like 20 bucks of cash, but something that I spent all of me trying to earn and. And to your point, also emphasizing in the same way that this son felt it was owed him. So it's like really bad all around and I think we would really be doing ourselves a disservice if we didn't think that there's like a little bit of Paul washer saying in this, like I'm talking about you though. So like just be like, look at how disrespectful the sun is. Yeah. Haven't we all done this? To God and bringing up the idea of prodigal being, so that, that is like the amazing juxtaposition, isn't it? Like Prodigal is, is spent recklessly, parsimonious would be like to, to save recklessly, so to speak. And then you have the love the father demonstrates coming against all of that in the same way with like a totally different kind of force. So.  [00:36:02] The Famine and Realization [00:36:02] Jesse Schwamb: What I find interesting, and I think this is like set up in exactly what you said, is that when you get to verse 14 and this famine comes, it's showing us, I think that like providence exposes what Sin conceals.  [00:36:16] Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  [00:36:16] Jesse Schwamb: And want arrives. Not just because like the money ran out, but because again, like these idols, what he's replaced the father with, they don't satisfy. And repentance then often begins when God shows the emptiness of light apart life apart from him. That's like the affirmation being born out of the denial. And so I think that this also is evolving for us, this idea that God is going to use hardship, not as mere punishment, but as mercy that wakes us up and that the son here is being woken up, but not, of course, it's not as if he goes into the land, like you said, starts to spend, is like, whoa, hold on a second. This seems like a bad idea. It's not until all of that sin ever, like the worship of false things collapses under its own weight before it, which is like the precursor of the antecedent, I think, to this grand repentance or this waking up.  [00:37:05] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. And you know, I also think it's, um.  [00:37:08] The Depths of Desperation [00:37:08] Tony Arsenal: A feature of this that I haven't reflected on too deeply, but is, is worth thinking about is the famine that's described here only occurs in this far country that he's in. [00:37:17] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah.  [00:37:17] Tony Arsenal: Right. So even that's right. And this is like a multitude of foolish decisions. This is compounding foolish decisions that don't, don't make any sense. Like they don't really actually make any sense. Um. There's not a logic to this, this lost son's decision making. He takes the property. Okay. I guess maybe like you could be anxious to get your inheritance, but then like he takes it to a far country. Like there's no reason for him to do that. If at any point through this sort of insane process he had stopped short, he would not have been in the situation he was in. Yes. And that, I love that phrase, that providence, you know, reveals, I don't know exactly how you said it, but like providence reveals what our sin can bring to us. Like he first see sins against his father by sort of like demanding, demanding his inheritance early. Then he takes it and he leaves his country for no reason. He goes to this far country, then he spends everything and then the famine arises. Right? And the famine arises in this other country.  [00:38:13] Jesse Schwamb: Right.  [00:38:13] Tony Arsenal: And that's, I think that is still again, like a picture of sin. Like we. We don't just, we don't just take what the father has and, and like spend it like that would be bad enough if we weren't grateful for what we have and what we've been given, and we just waste it. But on top of that, now we also have taken ourselves to a far country. Like we've gone away from the good, the good land of the Lord, as those who are not regenerate. We've gone away from the, the Lord into this far country. And it's not until we start to have this famine that we recognize what we've done. And again, this is, this is where I think we get a picture. There's so many theological, like points in this parable particular that it almost feels a little bit like a, like a. Parable that's intended to teach some systematic theology about for sure, the oral salus, which I think there's probably a lot of like biblical theology people that are ready to just crawl through the screen and strangle me for saying that. But this is such a glorious picture of, of regeneration too. [00:39:16] The Journey Back to the Father [00:39:16] Tony Arsenal: Like he comes to himself, there's nothing, there's nothing in the story that's like, oh, and the servant that he was, the other servant he was talking to mentioned that the famine, like there's nothing here that should prompt him to want to go back to his home, to think that his father could or would do anything about it, except that he comes to himself. He just comes to the realization that his father is a good man and is wise and has resources, and has takes care of his, of his servants on top of how he takes care of his sons. That is a picture of regeneration. There's no, yeah. Logical, like I'm thinking my way into it, he just one day realizes how much, how many of my father's servants have more than enough bread. Right. But I'm perishing here in this, this foolish other country with nothing. Right. I can't even, and the, the pods that the pigs ate, we can even, we can get into the pods a little bit here, but like. He wants to eat the pods. The pods that he's giving the pigs are not something that's even edible to humans. He's that destitute, that he's willing to eat these pods that are like, this is the leftover stuff that you throw to the pigs because no, no, nobody and nothing else can actually eat it. And that's the state he's in at the very bottom, in the very end of himself where he realizes my father is good and he loves me, and even if I can never be his son again, surely he'll take care of me. I mentioned it last week, like he wasn't going back thinking that this was gonna be a failing proposition. He went back because he knew or he, he was confident that his father was going to be able to take care of him and would accept him back. Right. Otherwise, what would be the point of going back? It wasn't like a, it wasn't like a, um, a mission he expected to fail at. He expected there to be a positive outcome or he wouldn't have done it. Like, it wouldn't make any sense to try that if there wasn't the hope of some sort of realistic option.  [00:41:09] Jesse Schwamb: And I think his confidence in that option, as you were saying, is in this way where he's constructed a transaction. Yeah. That he's gonna go back and say, if you'll just take me out as a slave, I know you have slaves, I will work for you. Right. Therefore, I feel confident that you'll accept me under those terms because I'll humble myself. And why would you not want to remunerate? Me for the work that I put forward. So you're right, like it's, it's strange that he basically comes to this, I think, sense that slavery exists in his life and who would he rather be the slave of,  [00:41:38] Tony Arsenal: right? [00:41:39] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. And so he says, listen, I'm gonna come to the father and give him this offer. And I'm very confident that given that offer and his behavior, what I know about how he treats his other slaves, that he will hire me back because there's work to do. And therefore, as a result of the work I put forward, he will take care of me. How much of like contemporary theology is being preached in that very way right now?  [00:41:58] Tony Arsenal: Yeah.  [00:41:59] Jesse Schwamb: And that's really like why the minimum wages of sin is all of this stuff. It's death. It's the consequences that we're speaking about here. By the way, the idea about famine is really interesting. I hadn't thought about that. It is interesting, again, that sin casts him out into this foreign place where the famine occurs. And that famine is the beginning of his realization of the true destruction, really how far he's devolved and degraded in his person and in his relationships and in his current states. And then of course, the Bible is replete with references and God moving through famine. And whereas in Genesis, we have a local famine, essentially casting Joseph brothers into a foreign land to be freed and to be saved.  [00:42:39] Tony Arsenal: Right.  [00:42:40] Jesse Schwamb: We have the exact opposite, which is really kind of interesting. Yeah. So we probably should talk about, you know, verse 15 and the, and the pig stuff. I mean, I think the obvious statement here is that. It would be scandalous, like a Jewish hero would certainly feel the shame of the pigs. They represent UNC cleanliness and social humiliation. I'm interested again, in, in this idea, like you've started us on that the freedom that this younger brother sought for becomes slavery. It's kind of bondage of the wills style. Yeah. Stuff. There's like an, an attentiveness in the story to the degrading reversal in his condition. And it is interesting that we get there finally, like the bottom of the pit maybe, or the barrel is like you said, the pods, which it's a bit like looking at Tide pods and being like, these are delicious. I wish I could just eat these. So I, I think your point isn't lost. Like it's not just that like he looked at something gross and was so his stomach was grumbling so much that he might find something in there that he would find palatable. It, it's more than that. It's like this is just total nonsense. It, this is Romans one. [00:43:45] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. And these pods, like, these aren't, um, you know, I guess I, I don't know exactly what these are. I'm sure somebody has done all of the historical linguistic studies, but the Greek word is related to the, the word for keratin. So like the, the same, the same root word. And we have to be careful not to define a Greek word based on how we use it. That's a reverse etymology fallacy. Like dunamis doesn't mean dynamite, it's the other direction. But the Greek word is used in other places, in Greek literature to describe like the horns of rhinoc, like,  [00:44:21] Jesse Schwamb: right,  [00:44:21] Tony Arsenal: this, these aren't like. These aren't pea pods. I've heard this described like these are like little vegetable pods. No, this is like they're throwing pieces of bone to the pigs.  [00:44:31] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah.  [00:44:31] Tony Arsenal: And the pigs, the pigs can manage it. And this is what this also like, reinforces how destitute and how deep the famine is. Like this isn't as though, like this is the normal food you give to pigs. Like usually you feed pigs, like you feed pigs, like the extra scraps from your table and like other kinds of like agricultural waste. These are, these are like chunks of bony keratin that are being fed to the pigs. So that's how terrible the famine is that not even the pigs are able to get food.  [00:45:00] Jesse Schwamb: Right?  [00:45:00] Tony Arsenal: They're given things that are basically inedible, but the pigs can manage it. And this, this kid is so hungry, he's so destitute that he says, man, I wish I could chew on those bony, those bony pods that I'm feeding them because that's how hungry and starved I am. You get the picture that this, um. This lost son is actually probably not just metaphorically on the brink of death, but he's in real risk of starvation, real risk of death that he, he can't even steal. He can't even steal from the pigs what they're eating, right? Like he can't even, he can't even glean off of what the pigs are eating just to stay alive. He, he's literally in a position where he has no hope of actually rescuing himself. The only thing that he can do, and this is the realization he has, the only thing he can do is throw himself back on the mercy of his father.  [00:45:50] Jesse Schwamb: That's  [00:45:50] Tony Arsenal: right. And, and hope, again, I think hope with confidence, but hope that his father will show mercy on him and his, his conception. I wanna be careful in this parable not to, I, I think there's something to what you're getting at or kinda what you're hinting at, that like his conception of mercy is. Not the full picture of the gospel. Yes. His conception of mercy is that he's going to be able to go and work and be rewarded for his laborers in a way that he can survive. And the gospel is so much broader and so much bigger than that. But at the same time, I think it's, it's actually also a confident hope, a faith-filled hope that his father's mercy is going to rescue him, is going to save him. So it is this picture of what we do. And, and I think, I think sometimes, um, I want to be careful how we say this 'cause I don't wanna, I don't want to get a bunch of angry emails and letters, but I think sometimes we, um, we make salvation too much of a theology test. And there's probably people that are like, Tony, did you really just say that? I think there are people who trust in the Lord Jesus thinking that that means something akin to what. This lost son thinks  [00:47:03] Jesse Schwamb: Right.  [00:47:03] Tony Arsenal: Exactly. They trust. They trust that Jesus is merciful and, and I'm not necessarily thinking of Roman Catholics. I'm not thinking of Roman Catholic theology for sure. I do think there are a fair number of Roman Catholic individuals that fall into this category where they trust Jesus to save them. Right. They just don't fully understand exactly what Jesus means, what that means for them to be saved. They think that Christ is a savior who will provide a way for them to be saved by His grace that requires them to contribute something to it. Arminians fall into that category. Right. I actually think, and I, I think there's gonna be if, if there's, if the one Lutheran who listens to our show hears this is gonna be mad, but I actually think Lutheran theology kind of falls into this in a sort of negative fashion in that you have to not resist grace in order to be saved. So I think. That is something we should grapple with is that there are people who fit into that category, but this is still a faith-filled, hope-filled confidence in the mercy of the father in this parable that he's even willing to make the journey back. Right? This isn't like right, he walks from his house down the street or from the other side of town. He's wandering back from a far country. He, he went into a far country. He has to come back from a far country. And yes, the father greets him from afar and sees him from afar. But we're not talking about like from a far country. Like he sees him coming down the road, it, he has to travel to him, and this is a picture of. The hope and the faith that we have to have to return to God, to throw ourselves on the mercy of Christ, trusting that he has our best interest in mind, that he has died for us, and that it is for us. Right? There's the, the knowledge of what Christ has done, and then there's the ascent to the truth of it. And then the final part of faith is the confidence or the, the faith in trust in the fact that, that is for me as well, right? This, this is a picture of that right here. I, I don't know why we thought we were gonna get through the whole thing in one week, Jesse. We're gonna spend at least two weeks on this lost son, or at least part of the second week here. But he, this is, this is also like a picture of faith. This is why I say this as like a systematic theology lesson on soteriology all packed into here. Because not only do we have, like what is repentance and or what does regeneration look like? It's coming to himself. What does repentance look like? Yes. Turning from your sins and coming back. What is, what is the orde solis? Well, there's a whole, there's a whole thing in here. What is the definition of faith? Well, he knows that his father is good. That he has more than enough food for his servants. He, uh, is willing to acknowledge the truth of that, and he's willing to trust in that, in that he's willing to walk back from a far country in order to lay claim to that or to try to lay claim to it. That's a picture of faith right there, just in all three parts. Right. It's, it's really quite amazing how, how in depth this parable goes on this stuff,  [00:49:54] Jesse Schwamb: right? Yeah. It's wild to note that as he comes to himself, he's still working. Yeah, in that far off country. So this shows again that sin is this cruel master. He hits the bottom, he wants the animal food, but he's still unfed. And this is all the while again, he has some kind of arrangement where he is trying to work his way out of that and he sees the desperation. And so I'm with you, you know, before coming to Christ, A person really, I think must come to themselves and that really is like to say they need to have a sober self-knowledge under God, right? Yeah. Which is, as we said before, like all this talk about, well Jesus is the answer. We better be sure what the question is. And that question is who am I before God? And this is why, of course, you have to have the law and gospel, or you have to have the the bad news before you can have the good news. And really, there's all of this bad news that's delivered here and this repentance, like you've been saying, it's not just mere regret, we know this. It's a turning, it's a reorientation back to the father. He says, I will arise and go to my father. So yeah, also it demonstrates to me. When we do come to ourselves when there's a sober self-knowledge under God, there is a true working out of salvation that necessarily requires and results in some kind of action, right? And that is the mortification of sin that is moving toward God again, under his power and direction of the Holy Spirit. But still there is some kind of movement on our part. And so that I think is what leads then in verse 19, as you're saying, the son and I do love this 'cause I think this goes right back to like the true hope that he has, even though it might be slightly corrupted or slightly wa

On the fifth and final day of the Winter Practice Period Sesshin, Roshi Joan Halifax, and Senseis Kodo and Dainin gather the threads of practice into a teaching on Magnanimous Mind, intimacy, and not knowing. Kodo explores not knowing as a gateway to vastness, questioning how thought and naming can obscure direct experience. Roshi Joan continues this inquiry, inviting practitioners to stay with… Source

In hour 2, Sue hosts, "Sue's News" where she discusses the latest trending entertainment news, this day in history, the random fact of the day and more. Mark is then joined by Paul Hall, with Common Guy's Film Reviews. They discuss trending movies and shows to put on your "Watch" list including "Send Help", "Wrecking Crew", "Miracle: The Boys of '80" and more. He's later joined by KSDK Sports Director Frank Cusumano who discusses SLU Basketball's big rivalry game on Friday against Dayton, the Blues big win over Florida and more.

Summary  In this episode of Gary's Gulch, dive into a heartfelt journey of personal growth, agency, and financial independence. Host Gary reflects on his childhood challenges, military career, and the lessons he's learned about true wealth and legacy. Highlighting Aaron Chapman's "Redneck Economics," Gary urges listeners to find their unique genius and use it to build a better future. Explore the power of entrepreneurship, parenting, and the pursuit of self-reliance in today's world. A must-listen for those seeking inspiration to take control of their financial destiny and personal growth..   Episode Highlights 00:00:13 - Launch of "Redneck Economics" 00:01:08 - Power of unconventional language 00:02:35 - Real estate vs. stock investing 00:03:15 - Agency and control over future 00:03:52 - Influence of Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged" 00:06:06 - Economic challenges in the 1980s 00:07:00 - Personal financial journey 00:11:05 - The choice for Naval Academy 00:15:00 - Impact of the Great Recession 00:16:25 - Realization on financial independence 00:18:21 - Importance of legacy and time 00:20:47 - Shift from materialism to family 00:22:02 - Significance of choosing time with family 00:23:05 - Personal story about father's impact 00:25:38 - Investing in self and God 00:26:48 - Final thoughts on agency and impact   Links and Resources from this Episode Connect with Gary Pinkerton https://www.paradigmlife.net/  gpinkerton@paradigmlife.net https://garypinkerton.com/  https://clientportal.paradigmlife.net/WealthView360     Keywords Gary's Gulch   Redneck Economics   Aaron Chapman   Passive Investing   Financial Freedom   Rental Real Estate   Cash Flow   Control Over Future   Atlas Shrugged   Ayn Rand   Self-Reliance   Agency   Entrepreneurship   Financial Journey   Family Legacy   Importance of Time   Business Owners   Philanthropy   Inflation   Interest Rates   Paul Volcker   2008 Recession   Dot Com Crash   Stock Market   Wealth Management   Human Agency   Charlie Kirk   Freedom Preservation  

Welcome back to Story Archives! In this episode, hosts Mario Busto and Zachary Newton dive into Season 1, Episode 2 of 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,' titled 'Hard Salt Beef.' They discuss the show's prospects, referencing scenes from 'Game of Thrones,' and analyze the character development of Dunk and Egg. They speculate about Dunk's future in the tournament, Egg's curiosity, and how the show's lighter tone is influenced by their peasant perspective. They also touch on the portrayal of Sir Arlan and Dunk's evolving view of him. The episode concludes with their thoughts on the recent Netflix event featuring a skyscraper climber.00:00 Welcome Back to Story Archives00:15 Diving into 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms'00:37 Sir Duncan the Tall: A Hero's Journey00:59 The Legacy of Sir Arlan01:46 Dunk's Realization and Growth03:45 The Hand of the King and Royal Intrigues05:01 Dunk's New Sigil and Identity13:22 The Comedic Dynamic of Dunk and Egg15:35 The Jousting Tournament Begins21:38 Dunk's Sobering Realization23:20 Discussion on Innocence and Nudity in Game of Thrones26:25 Dunk and Egg's Dynamic and Character Development27:28 Tournament Anticipation and Predictions34:19 Simpler Show Structure and Episode Length35:02 Neighbor's Pot Smoking and Episode Format Preferences38:29 Climbing Skyscrapers and Netflix Special44:12 Podcast Wrap-Up and Call to ActionKeep up with all things Story Archives Official Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠soapbox.house⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email: ⁠⁠⁠contact@soapbox.house⁠⁠⁠Support this show: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠PayPal⁠⁠⁠Follow the hosts on Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@mariobusto @zacharyrnewtonMario's Production Company: 1992films.comZachary's Design Company: zacharyrnewton.com

Share a commentSupport the showStephen's latest book, The Disciples Prayer, is available now. https://www.wisdomonline.org/store/view/the-disciples-prayer-hardback

Share a commentSupport the showStephen's latest book, The Disciples Prayer, is available now. https://www.wisdomonline.org/store/view/the-disciples-prayer-hardback

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• Opening musical parody, extended singing, parody station drops • "Time for a bath" spoken-word/rap monologue • Gas station checkout bit with donations and tiny purchases • Pop culture name-drops and exaggerated confidence imagery • AMT Friday Free Show intro • Guest Seth Petruzzel returns; callback to Halloween special at his house • Ongoing house build delays; living in a rental; stressful unsettled Christmas • Missing a "first real Christmas" with daughter; limited meaningful kid Christmases • Debate over earliest memories, neuroscience, and false memories • Stress text about childcare, construction, and overwhelm • "No Smile Seth" nickname from construction crew; tension with workers • Yard/seagrass service failures and staff turnover • Interior progress: drywall, paint; Seth paints entire house himself • DIY vs professional painters debate • Limestone flooring installed too early; damage from ongoing work • Admitted poor sequencing, rushed decisions, and contractor confusion • Money wasted on inefficiency; budget blown by ~$100k cash • Dark humor from stress; resentment toward dogs after barking wakes baby • Babysitter chaos; raised-hand gesture scares sitter; anger acknowledged without harm • Tracy working multiple jobs to cover costs; dojo staffing struggles • Teaching classes while overwhelmed; no-call/no-shows • Boat broken and unused; pods block driveway; storage and delay stress • Yelling over missed deadlines; workmanship defects; cabinet and floor damage • Cheap vs quality work discussion; timelines constantly pushed back • Contractors criticizing each other; electrician refuses unsafe wiring • HVAC ductwork never replaced; contractor ghosted after payment • Realization money was taken; lesson on hiring cheapest bids • New AC installed; marriage stressed but solid; stress seen as situational • Considering selling boat; joking about downgrading and paddleboards • Dock delays due to rain; feeling too deep to change course • No nearby family help; brother unavailable; childcare strain • Estrangement from father after emotional texts; anger over lack of involvement • Father's minimal apology; no-contact; canceled life-story emails • Grief over lost family history compared to mother's legacy notebooks • Daily micromanaging renovation; cleaning dust; weeks of painting • Acknowledging misdirected anger; dojo as emotional outlet • First daycare drop-off at age two; guilt, crying, camera-checking • Kid illnesses after daycare; stress symptoms, weight loss, graying hair • Picky eating; reliance on carbs; supplementing nutrition • Shift to processed kids foods; questioning processed meat risks • Deli ham vs cigarettes carcinogen debate; nitrates and long-term risk • Parenting tension between health anxiety and convenience • Colonoscopy and PSA results good; jokes about aging and pelvic floor • Nerve issues from past B6 toxicity; substance use reflections • Panic attack after mushroom mocktail; heightened sound sensitivity • Little Saints described; conclusion anxiety likely self-induced • Decision to stop dwelling; announcement of trying for second child • Curiosity about father–son bond; light emotional dad talk • Viral poop videos and construction bathroom chaos • Grocery store poop incident; biohazard cleanup and food waste debate • Lee & Rick's Oyster Bar shutdown and reopening; bug tolerance jokes • Extreme lack of germ aversion; belief exposure builds immunity • Childhood TV theme nostalgia; Silver Spoons, Today's Special, Eureka's Castle • Theme songs imprinting more than shows; modern shows less memorable • Tomb Raider Prime Video series announced; Lara Croft portrayal debate • Criticism of Gladiator; new Game of Thrones spinoff tone discussion • Attention span concerns; distracted concert crowds • Voicemail callouts; hoodie sale and mystery merch bags • Gym workouts at Crunch; dojo recruitment jokes • Apple Music UI complaints; updates removing useful features • Decision to move into voicemails due to show length • Merch strategy shift to preorder-only; storage cost regrets • Counterfeit jersey acceptance debate • Pro Bowl no longer in Orlando; family outing idea • Listener voicemail on weed-induced panic attack • Gross-out debate ranking bodily fluids • Team shout-outs; editor KC praised • BDM promotion, Appreciation Week, $5 shirt tease • Weekend sign-off ### Where to Find the Show – A Mediocre Time Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-mediocre-time/id334142682](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-mediocre-time/id334142682) Google Podcasts [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2FtZWRpb2NyZXRpbWUvcG9kY2FzdC54bWw](https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2FtZWRpb2NyZXRpbWUvcG9kY2FzdC54bWw) Exclusive Content [https://tomanddan.com/registration](https://tomanddan.com/registration) Merch [https://tomanddan.myshopify.com/](https://tomanddan.myshopify.com/)

In this episode of "Lessons I Didn't Expect to Learn," Anna reflects on how losing her grandmother reshaped her understanding of success. Instead of measuring life by revenue and achievements, she explores family time, presence, and connection as the metrics that really matter. Through a tender story of her grandmother's final days, she shares how grief led her to redesign her life around proximity to loved ones and choosing memories over milestones.   Key Points: Success is often measured by numbers, not connection Loss of grandmother prompted deep reflection on priorities Final visit with grandmother became a cherished, intentional goodbye Grandmother valued experiences and relationships over accomplishments Her gift was making others feel seen and special Realization: family time must be prioritized now, not "when life calms down" Decision to create homes in Michigan and California for family proximity No amount of success can replace missed family moments Listeners urged to ask: "Who am I building this for?" A life well lived: connection is central, not an afterthought There's always another email or sale—but not always another chance to see a loved one Connect with Anna: Email: annamarie@happywholeyou.com / info@HappyWholeYou.com Website: www.happywholeyou.com / https://linktr.ee/happywholeyou Personal Website: www.DrAnnaMarie.com Instagram: @happywholeyou Personal Instagram: @Dr.Anna.Marie Facebook: Happy Whole You LinkedIn: Anna Marie Frank Venmo: @happywholeyou

reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 4, Desire — Food — Sex, pp. 76-77This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/01/14/sadhak-of-integral-yoga-rejects-fulfillment-of-sexual-impulse-to-focus-conscious-force-on-the-spiritual-realization/Video presentations, interviews and podcast episodes are allavailable on the YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@santoshkrinsky871More information about Sri Aurobindo can be found at www.aurobindo.net  The US editions and links to e-book editions of SriAurobindo's writings can be found at Lotus Press www.lotuspress.com#Sri Aurobindo #yoga #integral yoga #spirituality #sadhana #tapasya #sexual impulse #Brahmacharya #celibacy

We argue about something that really doesn't matter in any way and spend much too much time doing it. The good scale debate. Dylan takes a stance on allowing pets in stores. He thinks people should not be allowed to bring their fur babies into every establishment. Robbie makes the argument that kids can be just as much of a nuisance as pets. Pepper has a very wholesome reaction to getting a surprise present from Dylan and his stepson. If you know Pepper, you'd know he has a massive love of elastics. Pepper makes a shocking observation about Dylan's current relationship. Now it seems like Dylan's world is shook!

More about space clearing or to book a space clearing assessment: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://spaceclearingacademy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠.Info about the workshop on clearing negative energy from objects on Jan 28th 2026: https://spaceclearingacademy.com/clearobjects.Christmas Horror: The Haunted Book Nook Incident.In this episode, the host, Space Clearing Expert Lais Stephan, shares a personal story about an eerie experience with a new item called 'book nook' that was ordered online to enjoy over the Christmas holidays with her partner Jens. The seemingly fun and innocent mini house caused unforeseen problems due to spiritual attachments. .Jens felt his energy draining and later became ill, leading to the discovery that the item carried the spirits of workers who had suffered in poor conditions at the factory where it was produced. .The host recounts how they resolved the issue by communicating with the spirits, helping them cross over, and clearing the negative energy from the object. The episode stresses the importance of being mindful about the origins of our purchases and announces a workshop on January 28th on clearing objects of negative imprints..00:00 Introduction and Embarrassing Confession.00:56 Discovering the Book Nook.03:21 Strange Symptoms and Realization.05:49 The Spirit's Message.08:42 Clearing the Object and Final Thoughts.13:27 Upcoming Workshop Announcement.14:44 Conclusion and Call to Action.What if one small corner of your home could help you release what isn't yours? I created a simple five-day practice for sensitive souls who absorb emotional energy easily..Space Clearing for Empaths includes five guided meditations to help you create an Empath Corner, strengthen your aura, and reset your nervous system. → Explore the book & meditations ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.FB: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/Laisstephan1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.IG: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/lais_thehousewhisperer/⁠⁠...#hauntedobjects #psychometry #spaceclearing #spiritattachment #fengshui

1. Opening & DisclaimerEmphasize admiration for Brett Young's talentClarify: this is curiosity and discussion, not shadeKey Points:Brett Young is undeniably talentedRecognizable voice from the very first noteUnique sound in country musicAlso… very good-looking and clearly in peak physical shape 2. Brett Young's Background & CredibilityPersonal connection / anecdoteBrett's Fresno State baseball daysReputation as a genuinely good, generous guyLongstanding respect within the industry 3. Introducing the Cover: “Just in Case”Brett covers Morgan Wallen's Just in CaseAcknowledge the challenge of covering a Morgan Wallen songBrett puts his own vocal spin on itVocals: no complaints, strong performance 4. The Video Concept RevealExpectation: simple guitar-and-voice coverReality: fully produced music videoDescription of the Video:Zoom/Brady Bunch–style gridBand members in different squaresBrett Young center frameBrett singing… in the showerShirtless, muscular, tattoos visibleSinging into the shower headStrong eye contact, lip-licking, sensual vibes 5. First Reactions & ConfusionInitial host reactions: “What is happening?”Showing the video to LaunaLauna's response: “Something's wrong with him”Clarifying confusion vs. criticismTrying to understand the intent 6. Audience Reaction & Social Media CommentsReading Instagram commentsOverwhelmingly positive responseMostly female fansNotable comments (e.g., “Ooh, that tongue”)Realization: many people clearly loved it 7. Co-Host Take: “It's Weird”Description of the shower setupMagnetic shower head, running waterFully clothed band members in winter jacketsBrett naked in the showerQuestioning song choice vs. video conceptOverall verdict: bizarre but memorable 8. Possible ExplanationsNot throwing shade — pure speculationIs it a fitness-flex era?Is it a bold artistic choice?Is it a marketing move?Industry Angle:Brett hasn't had a massive recent hitCurrent single not dominating radioControversial content gets people talkingMission accomplished — we're talking about him 9. “Is This a Regret Post?”Comparing to late-night, “why did I post this?” momentsDoes Brett even drink anymore?Health kick, fitness focusBand involvement suggests it was intentional 10. Final Thoughts & Balanced TakeawayWe love Brett YoungHe's incredibly talentedThe cover itself is excellentHe made the song his ownThe video is strange… but effectiveMaybe we're the minoritySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Some years back, we gave a talk called "Can Atheist Be Spiritual?" (alas its gone now since the YouTube ban of 2025!) Anyway, there, I presented some non-theistic traditions like Advaita Vedanta, Buddhism, Jainism and of course, Sāmkhya to show how Indian spirituality is inclusive to all spiritual dispositions. i.e: you don't have to believe in "God" to make spiritual progress! In that talk, we also pointed out how the atheistic position is important for theists too since we must first reject the God of dogma, i.e the God of Religion, before we can move towards the God of Realization, the Living God. Now, a few years later, in this talk, we take a slightly different approach: understanding that the bhūpura is as much the cakra as the Bindu, I try to construct a non-dual, spiritually edifying view using the basic premises of scientific materialism. My claim here is that if we are to be honest materialists, we would be fully realized actually since this too, is a valid way like any other for realizing Mā!Support the showLectures happen live every Monday at 7pm PST and again at Friday 11am PST Use this link and I will see you there:https://www.zoom.us/j/7028380815For more videos, guided meditations and instruction and for access to our lecture library, visit me at:https://www.patreon.com/yogawithnishTo get in on the discussion and access various spiritual materials, join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/U8zKP8yMrM

Henrik Zeberg, head macro economist at SwissBlock and author of The Monetary House of Cards, warns that despite stock markets hitting all-time highs, the real economy is sinking fast - private job creation has fallen below recessionary levels seen in 2007, and 90% of US consumers are now worse off than going into both the 2008 financial crisis and the 1929 depression. Using his Titanic metaphor, he explains first class passengers (top 10%) are still at the bar while third class is already in the water. Zeberg predicts a blow-off top with the S&P potentially hitting 8,200 before a crash worse than 2008, driven by central bank hubris that will trigger stagflation when the Fed inevitably intervenes. He's long-term bullish on gold and silver but warns of a short-term pullback as the dollar spikes to 120+ on the DXY during the deflationary bust, and explains why there's no easy way out this time - we've exhausted the free lunch of money printing.This episode is brought to you by VanEck. Learn more about the VanEck Rare Earth and Strategic Metals ETF: http://vaneck.com/REMXJuliaLinks: X: https://x.com/HenrikZebergSubstack: https://henrikzeberg.substack.com/Book: https://buy.stripe.com/aFacN62DQdYFbZt9APaR201TEDx: https://youtu.be/DAmoawIOMbs?si=Infb0cLi8YPxdX4H00:00 Intro and welcome Henrik Zeberg01:22 Macro view, the real economy is about job creation, not financial markets04:13 90% of consumers worse off than going into 2008 and 192905:58 Titanic metaphor: First class denying while third class already in water06:56 Chart: ADP private job creation declining to recessionary levels08:26 Illusion of stability: Stock market disconnect from economy09:07 Stock market doesn't predict recessions - look at unemployment11:15 Zeberg business cycle model pointing to recession14:55  Bond market sniffing out problems - yield curve signals20:02 Central banks and the Fed: The hubris problem23:02 2020 changed everything - inflation is back as a factor25:26 Gold and silver starting to show end game signs26:20 If Fed intervenes with more stimulus, it creates stagflation28:03 Henrik's views on gold and silver clarified30:55 Dollar regime coming - DXY could spike32:12 Long-term bullish gold/silver but short-term pullback expected35:35 Navigating different regimes as an investor38:19 Strong dollar implications39:06 Current regime still risk-on, riding the blow off top43:29 Why this recession will be worse than 200848:21 No easy way out - we're at the end of the Keynesian curve49:12 Can we get back to sound money? Only through pain51:41 Under the radar trend: Realization of how bad consumer really is53:55 AI won't save us short-term - actually reduces jobs needed54:25 Wrap up: Think for yourself, do your own research

reference: Sri Aurobindo, Bases of Yoga, Chapter 4, Desire — Food — Sex, pp. 70-71This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2026/01/06/realization-of-the-divine-consciousness-and-ananda-requires-control-of-sexual-energies/Video presentations, interviews and podcast episodes are allavailable on the YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@santoshkrinsky871More information about Sri Aurobindo can be found at www.aurobindo.net  The US editions and links to e-book editions of SriAurobindo's writings can be found at Lotus Press www.lotuspress.com#Sri Aurobindo #yoga #integral yoga #spirituality #sexual energies #Brahmacharya #celibacy #yogic consciousness

In this episode, find out what the next generation of acousticians is researching! In this episode, we talk to the latest round of POMA Student Paper Competition winners, from the joint 188th meeting of the ASA and the 25th International Congress on Acoustics held in New Orleans in May 2025. Their topics include:- Using the spatial decomposition method to parameterize acoustic reflections in a room (Lucas Hocquette, LAcoustic)- Visualizing nonlinearities in a bolted plate system with digital image correlation (Nicholas Pomianek, Boston University)- Analyzing the how people pronounce the word "just" in casual speech (Ki Woong Moon, University of Arizona)- Modeling strings of historical instruments that no longer make sound (Riccardo Russo, University of Bologna)- Improving automatic music mashup generators (Yu Foon Darin Chau, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology)Associated papers:Lucas Hocquette, Philip Coleman, and Frederic Roskam. "Acoustic reflection parameterization based on the spatial decomposition method." Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. 56, 055004 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1121/2.0002037.Nicholas Pomianek, Trevor Jerome, Enrique Gutierrez-Wing, and J. Gregory McDaniel. "Visualizing contact area dependent nonlinearity in a bolted plate system through digital image correlation." Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. 56, 065001 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1121/2.0002099. Ki Woong Moon and Natasha Warner. "Realization of just: Speech reduction in a high-frequency word." Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. 56, 060005  (2025). https://doi.org/10.1121/2.0002080Riccardo Russo, Craig J. Webb, Michele Ducceschi, and Stefan Bilbao. "Convergence analysis and relaxation techniques for modal scalar auxiliary variable methods applied to nonlinear transverse string vibration." Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. 56, 035007 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1121/2.0002073.Yu Foon Darin Chau, Andrew Brian Horner, Joshua Chang, Chun Yuen Chan, and Harris Lau. "Retrieval-based automatic mashup generation with deep learning-guided features." Proc. Mtgs. Acoust. 56,  035006 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1121/2.0002071.Learn more about entering the POMA Student Paper Competition for the Fall 2025 meeting in HonoluluRead more from Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics (POMA).Learn more about Acoustical Society of America Publications.

Opening prayer and transition Prayer for healing of minds, emotions, and bodies in Jesus' name. Blessing over the people and light-hearted comment about “sinners/singers” saved by grace. Transition to the morning teaching and reference to the notes on fasting and prayer. Purpose of the teaching Many new people in the church do not fully understand prayer and fasting. Long-time members also need renewed direction, inspiration, and encouragement from Scripture for an effective and profitable fast. Pastor's personal struggle with coughing and mic; testimony of praying over the upcoming fast and the church. Realization: the Lord, as the Good Shepherd, cares more about the people and their fasting than the pastor does. Emphasis that believers must hear the Shepherd's voice; call to open hearts and spirits to the Word and notes. What fasting is (definition and biblical basis) Fasting described as a spiritual discipline taught in the Bible, not an afterthought or optional for Christians. Reference to Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7) and the three practices: praying, giving, fasting (“when you pray… when you give… when you fast,” not “if”). Reading/summary of Matthew 6:16–18: Do not fast to impress others; keep normal appearance; the Father sees in secret and rewards openly. Clarification: corporate fast cannot be fully secret, but the heart motive still must be God-centered, not people-centered. Cultural critique: problem of overeating and food addictions; fasting is needed, not optional. Why fast? Main reasons 1. Health and personal reset Fasting brings health benefits; warning about “digging graves with forks and spoons.” Pastor's personal testimony: fasting at the beginning of the year as a “reset” that affects months afterward and increases awareness of what is eaten. 2. Fasting gives more time for prayer Time normally used for preparing, eating, and cleaning up can be redirected to prayer. Acknowledgment of family responsibilities; encouragement to use available time for prayer. Biblical link between fasting and prayer: example from Acts 13 (worshiping, fasting, Holy Spirit speaks, Paul/Barnabas set apart). Explanation of the church's prayer schedule for the fasting week (Monday–Friday, 6:30–8:30 with personal prayer, worship, exhortation, and corporate prayer each night, plus guest ministers and special focuses). 3. Fasting shows the depth of desire in prayer Fasting demonstrates how serious and desperate a person is about a prayer need. Challenge to those struggling with addictions, family issues, or sin to get desperate enough to say no to food. Story of a former pastor who listed God's blessings and then asked, “What are you willing to do?” Scriptural support from Joel: Call a holy fast, sacred assembly; return to God with all the heart, with fasting and weeping. Teaching that fasting “turbocharges” prayer and reaches the core of one's being. 4. Fasting releases God's supernatural power Observation of revival signs: increased Bible sales, campus awakenings, baptisms, and renewed spirituality. Note that whenever God moves, the devil attacks (division, discouragement, defeat, depression, doubt). Emphasis that united prayer and fasting delivers decisive blows to the enemy. Scriptural examples: Ezra 8:23 (“we fasted and prayed… and he answered”). Isaiah 58:6 (fasting that loosens chains of injustice, breaks yokes, sets oppressed free). Testimony of church growth attributed to prayer and fasting (services, groups, leaders, missions). Warning: forward movement invites spiritual resistance, requiring vigilance and continued fasting. Importance of fasting in Scripture (examples) Often precedes major victories, miracles, and answered prayers. Examples listed: Moses fasting before receiving the Ten Commandments. Israelites fasting before miraculous victory. Daniel fasting for guidance and understanding God's plan (reading Jeremiah, receiving revelation). Personal example: pastor fasting over whom to marry and other major decisions (work, place to live, business partnerships, missions trips). Nehemiah fasting and praying before rebuilding Jerusalem's walls, completing a century-old problem in 52 days. Jesus fasting 40 days before public ministry and during temptation in the wilderness. First Christians fasting during key decision-making (Acts 13, etc.). Application: fast over important life decisions; don't rely on human wisdom alone. Precautions and heart posture in fasting Fasting is not: Earning answers or manipulating God. A hunger strike against God. Fasting is: Aligning with God's will and opening space for what God already desires to do. Health cautions: Fast only as health allows; consider partial fasts if on medication, etc. Warning against “sneaky” or superficial consecrations (e.g., trivial fasting windows that cost nothing). Encouragement to make fasting truly sacrificial and appropriate to one's work and physical capacity. Practical guidance: types and structure of fasting Types of fasts mentioned: Water fast (all food and juices abstained from; not recommended for everyone for five days). Partial fast (eliminating certain foods or meals). Juice fast (fruit or vegetable juices only). Counsel on nutrition and physical activity: Ensure nutrients; limit strenuous exercise; do not let exercise become an excuse to skip prayer/fasting. Guidance on breaking the fast: Avoid heavy foods immediately (e.g., burritos, large meals); ease back into eating with lighter foods like fruit. Corporate fasting and commitment Corporate fast provides structure, accountability, and mutual encouragement. Testimony of previous years: New believers and first-time fasters completing five days. Past 21-day fast (juice/soup only) and challenges met by the congregation. Value of structure: same as work or school schedules; helps people follow through. Mention of attendance statistics from previous years and desire to see increased participation (with the reminder that numbers represent people, not pride). Fasting as assumed biblical practice Jesus says “when you fast,” implying fasting is assumed for Christians. Note of a resurgence of fasting teaching in recent decades, including influence from African and global churches. Observation: when God prepares to move, he stirs people to prayer and fasting. Biblical reasons people fasted (summary list) Facing a crisis. Seeking God's protection and deliverance. Called to repentance and renewal. Asking God for guidance. Humbling themselves in worship. Dangers in the discipline Risk of empty ritual or fasting without meaning. Encouragement to start fasting and seek right motives as you go. Repeated call to hear the Good Shepherd's voice and recognize that God wants to speak, guide, and bless more than people often realize. Fasting as feasting on Jesus John Wesley quote: fasting must be done unto the Lord, with the eye singly fixed on Him, to glorify the Father.​ Story of an Indian orphanage that fasts every Friday and calls it “feasting on Jesus,” praying specifically for the American church. Call to fast and leadership responsibility Fasting starts with spiritual leaders and elders; leaders must model what they preach. Fasting often arises from spiritual desperation and urgency: “turn to me now while there is time.” Warning about increasing end-time deception; need for discernment and closeness to God. Fasting and inner focus Fasting is more about focus than food; more about saying yes to the Spirit than no to the body. It is an outward response to an inward cry, an expression of brokenness and need. Calls to return to God with the heart, not just external religious acts (rending hearts, not garments). Fasting as response of a broken heart; God is drawn to the weak, broken, needy. Immense responsibility and mission Believers carry the immense responsibility to be salt and light, preaching the gospel to a lost world. Fasting is a humble response to this responsibility, seeking God's help and power to fulfill the mission. Closing exhortation and prayer Pastor expresses desire to communicate God's heart and encourage participation in the fast. Emphasis that God wants to speak and move, and fasting clears space in the heart. Call to fresh consecration and commitment for individuals and families. Prayer that God will bless and strengthen everyone who takes part, and closing invitation to join nightly prayer during the fasting week.

In this episode, the host interviews Brad Allen, an Amazon seller and entrepreneur, about his journey from eBay and retail arbitrage to building a successful Amazon FBA business. Brad shares how he sourced high-end European skincare products, overcame a major account suspension and $400,000 debt, and transitioned to private label. He highlights the importance of active business management, cash flow planning, and creativity. The episode concludes with actionable advice for Amazon sellers: stay hands-on, manage inventory and finances wisely, and innovate to stand out in the marketplace.Chapters:Introduction and Account Suspension (00:00:00)Brad is introduced; discusses his Amazon account suspension and overcoming $400K in debt.Early E-commerce Journey (00:00:33)Brad shares his start with eBay in childhood, selling household items, and his early exposure to e-commerce.Discovering Amazon FBA (00:01:11)Learns about Amazon FBA in 2012, transitions from eBay, and begins retail arbitrage with toys and other products.Corporate Career and Realization (00:02:19)Describes unfulfilling corporate jobs, getting fired, and joining a friend's epoxy flooring business in Ohio.Entrepreneurial Mindset Shift (00:03:34)Realizes he enjoys working for himself, which reignites his interest in e-commerce and Amazon.Deep Dive into Retail Arbitrage (00:04:36)Explores flipping products from eBay to Amazon, focusing on high-end skincare, and develops sourcing systems.European Skincare Arbitrage Strategy (00:06:45)Discovers sourcing high-end European skincare from overseas retailers, imports to the US, and sells on Amazon.Scaling and Living Abroad (00:08:54)Business grows; Brad moves to Buenos Aires and Africa, living a digital nomad lifestyle while running the business.Amazon Account Suspension Details (00:10:04)Explains the cause of his Amazon suspension—authenticity complaints and inability to provide manufacturer receipts.Lessons from Suspension and Financial Struggles (00:11:05)Discusses lessons learned: importance of active management, risk-taking, and not being complacent in business.Advice on Growth and Risk (00:11:48)Emphasizes reinvesting profits, financial planning, and the need for risk tolerance as an entrepreneur.Financial Intelligence and Risk Management (00:13:57)Stresses forecasting, living below means, and being prepared for the ups and downs of entrepreneurship.Three Actionable Takeaways (00:14:11)Host summarizes: 1) Active management and planning, 2) Cash flow and inventory management, 3) Creativity in the Amazon marketplace.Episode Wrap-up (00:16:43)Host thanks Brad, hints at a future episode, and closes the interview.Links and Mentions:Tools and Websites  EZSniperActionable Takeaways  Set an Annual Plan for Your Business: 00:14:11  Cash Flow Management: 00:15:04  Bring Creativity to the Amazon Marketplace: 00:16:15Transcript:Josh 00:00:00  Today I am super excited to introduce you to Brad Allen. I met him at Kevin King's, $1 Billion Seller summit, and he's going to have a lot of knowledge to share with us. I'm going to dive in like immediately to what was mentioned in your bio. You had your account suspended. You had you ran into 400 K of debt and loans, but you've kind of come out the other end and you're you're crushing it right now on Amazon. So tell me, Brad, what happened with the account suspension?Brad 00:00:33  So I, I was doing, retail arbitrage and I got, I got really into it. it it was actually kind of unique. It started off, where I was, I, I was really into eBay growing up, so I was always selling stuff, just like as a kid throughout the house, whether it was mine or not. I was grabbing, like, antiques from the basement and, like, selling stuff out of the garage. And I think that's where I got kind of, you know, introduced to e-commerce and kind of obsessed so that that kind of was always on the side.Brad 00:01:11  And I was doing that through grade school, high school, and then into college. And I learned about Amazon FBA and I think 2012. and as an eBay guy, it was like blew me away because I was, you know, the guy waiting in line at the, at the post office and having to deal with customers. So the fact that you could just send a bunch of items in and Amazon will ship it and take care of customer service was very appealing to me. So I started, I just started watching videos and the easiest way to start, which I don't know how many people really started out like this, but I'm sure some. But I was going into, you know, odd lots and Walmarts and just buying toys or whatever I could find. And essentially I was just kind of learning that process. so, you know, that was a good way to, like, get my feet wet into Amazon FBA. and then, you know, life kind of happened where that was put off to the side.Brad 00:02:19  I was in the corporate world for a while. not doing very well. I just, was not very passionate about what I was doing, and, I got a call from a buddy. I was living in South Florida. I'm from Ohio originally, and, I got fired from one job. You know, I was working for good companies. They were, like, fortune 500 companies. And I kind of noticed right away that the people that were successful were extremely passionate about the company, and they had just drank the Kool-Aid. And I just did. I just didn't care, really. I thought our products were overpriced, which is not the mentality that you want to have when you're trying to sell something. so I was just kind of, just doing enough not to get fired. And my friend, in Columbus had called me and said, hey, I just bought this epoxy coating company. So what we're doing is we're installing, like, showroom floors in garages. You know, the the garages in Columbus or the Midwest are all cracked and spoiled.Brad 00:03:34  so, you know, this was December and he was like, hey, I can't pay you that much, but, you know, this will be our company. and I'll share profits with you. So I wasn't really doing much. You know, in terms of growing personally or professionally, although I was in South Florida, which was pretty cool for for an Ohio guy. Sure. I took him up on it, and I remember it was December. I go from this cushy sales job in South Florida. Even though I didn't like it. And then all of a sudden, I am installing, garage floors in the suburbs of Columbus. In December, we're using, like, heaters to keep ourselves warm. And the funny thing was, I actually was enjoying it more, because it was ours. So that kind of, like, turned on the light that, you know, the way that I'm going to be successful is if I'm doing something for myself, like, or as a team. And that kind of drew me back to this e-commerce stuff.Brad 00:04:36  and like I was saying, I had learned about, the Amazon FBA and I had a this background in eBay. So I just kind of I remember in one of your podcasts, you were talking about how after work, you would go home and just watch videos. yeah. Because you, you know, you kind of saw that as a way out. But, you know, what you have to do is you have to put in the time. You know, even after a long day of work when most people are just watching TV or they want to decompress. I was just drawn to just scanning eBay, you know, looking at Amazon. And I was like, I was wondering if there was an opportunity for products that I could buy on eBay and flip on Amazon. And I kind of just somehow stumbled upon this, category of high end skincare. And I was noticing that there was these really, like, high end brands that were selling for, you know, almost nothing on eBay because, li...

The Yard of Hard Drives Episode: Throwing Hands with Backlogs, The Literal Yard, Drives Cast Out, The Grind of Pain, Survivorship Bias, The Success and the Failure, The Arcane Nature of Repair, The Realization of Entropy, The River Styx.I find myself staring down many, many hard drives left in the yard, and try to find value and rescue in what I can get. It's going fine! But it's noisy.

In this episode of Dating Intelligence, host Christopher Louis welcomes Mike Radoor, a successful entrepreneur and motivational speaker, who shares his incredible journey from a chaotic lifestyle filled with parties and excess to a path of self-discovery and transformation. Mike discusses the importance of confronting one's inner demons, the duality of the self, and practical steps he took to regain control of his life, including the concept of ego mastery and the significance of self-discipline. This conversation is a deep dive into personal growth, recovery, and the lessons learned from a life lived on the edge. In this conversation, Mike Radoor and Christopher Louis delve into the complexities of modern masculinity, the impact of the dopamine economy on behavior, and the importance of accountability and self-improvement. They discuss the significance of letting go of ego to foster genuine confidence, the necessity of facing consequences in life, and the journey of personal growth through Mike's coaching program. The dialogue emphasizes the need for men to embrace their vulnerabilities while also cultivating strength and resilience.  Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and Sponsorship 02:19 Meet Mike Radoor: A Life of Transformation 05:06 Mike's Journey: From Success to Chaos 11:11 The Party Lifestyle: A Double-Edged Sword 16:21 The Turning Point: A Father's Realization 18:05 Rebuilding Life: The Path to Recovery 21:30 Ego Mastery: Understanding the Self 23:42 The Battle Within: Higher Self vs. Lower Self 26:27 Confronting Self-Sabotage: A Six-Step Model 29:57 Breaking Patterns: The Power of Routine 31:50 The Importance of Identity and Self-Image  35:24 Resisting Temptation: The Dopamine Economy  40:01 The Comfort Crisis: Survival Mechanisms in Modern Life  41:41 Ego Control: The Key to Attractiveness 46:01 True Confidence: Being Authentic and Self-Aware 47:45 Self-Discovery and Personal Growth 50:21 The Importance of Self-Sacrifice 51:44 Confronting Insecurities and Fears 54:35 Accountability and Consequences  01:01:01 Truth and Honesty in Relationships 01:07:14 Future Aspirations and Closing Thoughts Sponsors: BeFreed: https://bit.ly/44zcBkV Men.tality: https://www.datingmentality.com  

Pastor Dru Rodriguez emphasizes Jesus' message that the kingdom of heaven is present here and now, encouraging believers to recognize and live in this reality through a relationship with Jesus.

In this episode, host Brian interviews Kitty Bloomfield and Craig McDonald to explore the transformative benefits of pro-metabolic nutrition. They delve into Kitty's journey from restrictive dieting and health issues to adopting a balanced approach focused on carbs, protein, and fat, emphasizing real, whole foods. Craig provides insights into metabolic health, explaining the significance of carbohydrates for energy and the importance of strength training for muscle building and metabolic optimization. The discussion also covers overcoming binge eating and finding a sustainable, enjoyable way to eat while improving health markers like sleep, energy, and hormonal balance.    SHOW NOTES:       01:03 Kitty Bloomfield's Journey: From Restriction to Realization 03:13 Discovering Pro Metabolic Nutrition 04:45 Building a Business and a New Life 07:30 Craig McDonald's Perspective on Nutrition 11:10 The Importance of Individualized Health Metrics 25:41 Debunking Common Nutrition Myths 39:20 Balancing Competing Diet Worlds 39:55 Influencers and Health Issues 40:41 Personal Health Journey 41:31 Carbohydrates and Weightlifting 42:30 Understanding Carbohydrate Limits 46:36 Importance of Strength Training 57:59 Vegetables and Thyroid Health 01:06:06 Tracking and Eating Disorders   BEEF TALLOW PRODUCTS: NosetoTail.org Preorder the film here: http://indiegogo.com/projects/food-lies-post    Film site: http://FoodLies.org YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FoodLies   Follow along: http://twitter.com/FoodLiesOrg http://instagram.com/food.lies http://facebook.com/FoodLiesOrg    

Become Unbeatable!Join The Unbeatable Leader Challenge: https://unbeatableleader.com/products/two-day-opt-inIn this deeply honest conversation, Mark Divine sits down with entrepreneur, consciousness leader, and author Scott Britton to explore the missing link between success, fulfillment, and awakening.Scott shares his journey from building and selling a venture-backed tech company to Salesforce to confronting the inner emptiness that achievement alone could not solve. Together, they unpack the intersection of spiritual practice, discipline, identity, leadership, and purpose—and why true growth requires integration, not escape.This episode challenges the belief that spirituality means retreating from life, ambition, or responsibility. Instead, it reveals why awakening is meant to deepen your engagement with the world, sharpen your leadership, and align you with your true dharma.If you're a founder, leader, high performer, or seeker who feels called to more—but doesn't want to abandon excellence, discipline, or impact—this conversation will meet you exactly where you are.In this episode, you'll discover:Why success without awareness leads to burnout and emptinessThe danger of using spirituality as an escape instead of an integrationHow achievement can become a path to awakening—not a distraction from itThe difference between ego-driven ambition and aligned purposeWhy warriors, leaders, and builders are needed more than everHow meditation, discipline, and embodiment support real spiritual growthWhy life itself is the practice—not retreats, substances, or titlesUnlock your full potential and lead with courage, clarity, and purpose—join The Unbeatable Tribe and become truly unbeatable in life and leadership.Join for free for 7 days: The Unbeatable Tribe → https://www.skool.com/unbeatable-mastery-tribe/aboutJoin The Unbeatable Leader Challenge: https://unbeatableleader.com/products/two-day-opt-inRob Links:Website: https://scottbritton.me/Book: https://a.co/d/1JT8D84LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jscottbritton/X: https://x.com/brittonSubstack: https://blog.scottbritton.me/Mark Links: Website: https://markdivine.comUnbeatable Leader Challenge: Join The Unbeatable Leader Challenge: https://unbeatableleader.com/products/two-day-opt-inThe Unbeatable Tribe: https://www.skool.com/unbeatable-mastery-tribe/aboutDivine Inspiration Newsletter: https://markdivine.com/newsletterSubscribe to https://www.youtube.com/@markdivineofficial for more inspiring conversations on leadership, growth, and impact.Rate and review the show to help us reach more listeners.Share your thoughts and takeaways in the comments!#MarkDivine #ScottBritton #ConsciousLeadership #SpiritualGrowth #HighPerformance #PurposeDrivenLife #Awakening #EntrepreneurMindset #SelfMastery #MentalToughness #ConsciousAccomplishment #LeadershipPodcastTimestamps:00:00 Introduction to Spiritual Practice00:53 Sponsor Message: Indeed02:15 Welcome to the Mark Divine Show02:53 Guest Introduction: Scott Britton04:29 Scott Britton's Entrepreneurial Journey09:49 Unbeatable Leader Challenge Announcement10:46 Scott's Spiritual Awakening14:19 Mark Divine's Psychedelic Experience17:43 Unbeatable Leader Challenge - Join Now23:44 The Power and Risks of Psychedelics34:51 Join The Unbeatable Tribe43:11 Exploring the Purpose of the Soul43:53 The Teacher Archetype and Personal Journey44:17 The Realization of Worthlessness and Awakening46:08 The Importance of Dharma and Karmic Duty48:06 The Warrior's Path and Spiritual Practice52:41 The Integration of Body, Mind, and Spirit01:05:52 The Role of Conscious Accomplishment01:16:45 The Future of Consciousness and Leadership01:20:27 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.