POPULARITY
2 episodes with Top Ramen
2 episodes with Top Ramen
2 episodes with Top Ramen
2 episodes with Top Ramen
2 episodes with Top Ramen
2 episodes with Top Ramen
FULL EPISODE! This time on the PURE TOKYOSCOPE Podcast, authors Matt Alt (Pure Invention: How Japan Made the Modern World) and Patrick Macias (Mondo Tokyo: Dispatches from a Secret Japan) discuss the Japanese Foods That Made them the amazing physical specimens they are today, from Top Ramen, to beef Teriyaki, and fancy tonkatsu meals with dining recommendations for your next trip to Tokyo.Join the PURE TOKYOSCOPE Patreon!You'll get access to full episodes, bonus content, our Discord server, and an archive of past episodes. Head over to Pure TokyoScope Patreon to subscribe today!INFOMatt Alt on BlueskyPatrick Macias on BlueskyPure TokyoScope on YouTubeThe podcast is produced by jaPRESS LLC© and edited by Patrick MaciasTheme song by Marxy
Smallest Saluations! Clock out of your shift and strap in for our first episode of Broke Wizards! Local brokies Rhaena (Holly), Chris (Skyler), and Mo (Neo) find themselves outclassed by their affluent peers at Audment's (overpriced) School of the Arcane. Magic doesn't come easily when you're forced to use pocket trash as your magical components. Bonded by their lack of savings accounts, this unlikely trio must scrounge, bargain, and settle for chips for dinner… again. The economy is in shambles. Rhaena decreases her screen time. Chris stands his ground. Mo is caught in the crossfire. Check out Sabrina's work: https://sabrinahawthorne.itch.io/broke-wizards https://sabrinahawthorne.itch.io/ We have a Patreon! Check it out if you want to support us and this podcast! https://patreon.com/TinyTablePodcast?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink As always, if you have any TTRPGs you want us to try out, please email us at tinytablebusiness@gmail.com or contact us at any of the socials below! Socials: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tinytablettrpg/ Tumblr - https://www.tumblr.com/blog/tinytablepodcast TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@tinytablettrpg Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnpc2lwtvgEEYVHL3WoxU-Q
You're doing everything right. You're ambitious, successful + driven. So why is it your energy is nonexistent, patience is razor-thin + your mind can't stop overthinking? If your days are starting with dread and ending in exhaustion — this episode is your wake-up call. On paper, you've got it together— isn't it time you felt like it? Whether it's stop playing out worst case scenarios in your head or accessing your abilities in a way burnt out you could never compete with, Perfectionism Optimized, private 1-1 coaching gives you the life-long skills to *finally feel* as amazing on the inside as your life looks on the outside. Get your stress-free start today at https://courtneylovegavin.com/rewire In this Episode You'll Learn:How pushing through dewires your brain into survival modeWhat caffeine, people pleasing + Top Ramen have in common16 surprising signs your brain is starvingWhy ruminating and indecisiveness are symptoms—not problems to solveHow a healthy Person Account™ allows you to access your abilities in a way burnt out you could never compete with Resources Mentioned In Episode 253:Recharge your Person Account Book your Perfect Start 1:1 session nowMagic Skill for Control of Emotions [Neuroscience Series #1] Perfectionism Rewired Ep. 248How Perfectionist Brain *Actually* Works [Neuroscience Series #2] Perfectionism Rewired Ep. 249Can't Stop Ruminating? Here's Why [Neuroscience Series #3] Perfectionism Rewired Ep. 250Neuroplasticity [Neuroscience Series #4] Perfectionism Rewired Ep. 251#1 Thing Stops Perfectionists From Growth [Neuroscience Series #5] Perfectionism Rewired Ep. 252 TIMESTAMPS:02:09-Why Perfectionists Need More Fuel for Our Brains04:10-MYTH: You Have to Stop Being a Perfectionist06:24-Clues You're on the Path to Chronic Stress09:32-Burn Out is Not the Price of Ambition10:25-Case Study: How Stacey found Clarity, Energy, Peace12:43-I Ruminate Over Decisions bc I Need to Make the Right Decision14:05-Why You're Choosing Instant Relief (and Paying Later)16:11-A Healthy Person Account™ = Liberation17:32-How to Always Know How Your Person Account™ is Doing Citations/Sources:Barrett, L. F. (2017). How emotions are made: The secret life of the brain. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.Barrett, L. F., Quigley, K. S., & Hamilton, P. (2016). An active inference theory of allostasis and interoception in depression. *Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences*, *371*(1708), 20160011. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2016.0011Bobba-Alves, N., Juster, R.-P., & Picard, M. (2022). The energetic cost of allostasis and allostatic load. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 146, 105951. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105951Dwyer, P. (2022). The Neurodiversity Approach(es): What Are They and What Do They Mean for Researchers? Human Development, 66(2), 73–92. https://doi.org/10.1159/000523723Ganzel, B. L., & Morris, P. A. (2011). Allostasis and the developing human brain: Explicit consideration of implicit models. Development and Psychopathology, 23(4), 955–974. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954579411000447Guidi, J., Lucente, M., Sonino, N., & Fava, Giovanni A. (2020). Allostatic Load and Its Impact on Health: A Systematic Review. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 90(1), 11–27. https://doi.org/10.1159/000510696Kleckner, I. R., Zhang, J., Touroutoglou, A., Chanes, L., Xia, C., Simmons, W. K., Quigley, K. S., Dickerson, B. C., & Feldman Barrett, L. (2017). Evidence for a large-scale brain system supporting allostasis and interoception in humans. Nature Human Behaviour, 1(5). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-017-0069Knezevic, E., Katarina Nenic, Milanovic, V., & Knezevic, N. N. (2023). The Role of Cortisol in Chronic Stress, Neurodegenerative Diseases, and Psychological Disorders. Cells, 12(23), 2726–2726. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells12232726McEwen, B. S., & Gianaros, P. J. (2011). Stress- and Allostasis-Induced Brain Plasticity. Annual Review of Medicine, 62(1), 431–445. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-med-052209-100430 Perfectionism Rewired is committed to truth and accuracy through a perfectionist affirming lens, offering cutting-edge research on perfectionism, interoception + neuroscience, for the practical perfectionist who wants to enjoy the life they've worked so hard to create.
In this captivating episode, Adam Richman joins Neil Haley to talk about his journey into the History Channel's hit series The Food That Built America and how it evolved into a multi-show partnership. From deep dives into culinary entrepreneurship to iconic brand battles, Richman shares behind-the-scenes insights, jaw-dropping facts, and his own passion for culinary history and branding.With season six now airing, Adam teases new episodes featuring coffee empires, chocolate titans, and spirited liquor legends. He also opens up about the importance of storytelling, being authentic on camera, and what he's learned from the food entrepreneurs who changed American culture forever.[00:00:00] Introduction to Adam Richman – host of The Food That Built America and his expanding role with History Channel[00:00:45] How Adam landed the gig with The Food That Built America as a contributor in Season 1[00:01:15] His passion for culinary anthropology and how it aligned with the show[00:01:30] The importance of authentic storytelling and genuine enthusiasm on screen[00:02:00] Fascinating early-season moments – like the power dynamic between the Kellogg brothers[00:03:00] Bringing humanity to icons like Milton Hershey, H.J. Heinz, Mrs. Fields, and the inventors behind Oreo, Tollhouse Cookies, and more[00:04:00] Sneak peek of Season 6:Jim Folger and the rise of coffee in AmericaThe origins of Maxwell HouseThe story behind Keurig and Joe DiMaggio's role in marketingCandy giants: Russell Stover, Mounds, Almond JoyUpcoming stories on Anheuser-Busch, Jack Daniels, PF Chang's, Top Ramen, and more[00:05:30] Adam's personal takeaway from the entrepreneurs he profiles: betting on themselves, enduring failure, and pushing past doubt[00:06:00] His perspective as a brand himself and how the show inspires him[00:06:30] Final question (from Greg Hanna): The most important thing Adam has learned in life“Be kind, mean what you say, and say what you mean.”[00:07:00] Closing: Neil shares his appreciation and encourages everyone to binge The Food That Built Americavia the History Channel app
On this week's episode the guys are talking: - RIP to boxing legend & business mogul George Foreman (4:44) - the Breakfast Club vs Jess Hilarious? (14:38) - new music from Leon Thomas, Jack Harlow, Joy Crooks, Moneybagg Yo, Lil Durk & more (19:50) - UMG moves to dismiss their Drake suit & more reference tracks leaked?? (33:33) - our weekly reading of Justin LaBoy tweets (45:20) - therapy tweets (72:15) This week's recommendations: (73:15) NAPPZ: Doctor Odyssey / Temptation Island KINO: Daredevil: Born Again NENO: Eye Of The World Follow us! IG: www.instagram.com/notsosoftpod Twitter: twitter.com/notsosoftpod Watch us on Youtube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCnF4ubm5az49-Froe0-roxg Follow the guys Neno on IG - www.instagram.com/nenorocwell/ Neno on Twitter - twitter.com/nenorocwell Nappz on IG - www.instagram.com/dasenator Nappz on Twitter - twitter.com/dasenator Nappz on Soundcloud - @dasenator Nappz on Tik Tok - tiktok.com/keepingupwithdasenator Keeping Up With Da Senator - twitch.tv/itsdasenator Kino on IG - www.instagram.com/kinotg Kino on Twitter - twitter.com/kinotg What's The Appeal?: www.youtube.com/whatstheappeal
Kirk Cousins is set to hit free agency but don’t expect another big payday. The Steelers will fall back on Russell Wilson if they can’t land Aaron Rodgers. Plus, Roadkill, Cup O’ Noodles vs Top Ramen and much more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Food Court: 2025 SEASON PREMIERE We're BACK and kicking off our brand-new season with none other than Adam Richman, host of The Food That Built America! The HISTORY Channel's most mouthwatering series returns Sunday, February 23 at 9/8c, diving deep into the game-changing food pioneers who revolutionized America's kitchens and snack aisles.Adam joins us to break down the epic origin stories behind Doritos, Tostitos, Pace Picante Salsa, Raisinets, Milk Duds, Chips Ahoy, and more. From risk-takers who redefined convenience to the bold minds behind Panda Express, Cinnabon, Top Ramen, and ICEE, this season explores the branding brilliance that changed how we eat! Season 6 Premiere Episode: "Tortilla Takeover" How Mexican food became a nationwide obsession The creation of America's best-selling salsa The birth of iconic snack chip brands like Doritos & TostitosWe also chat about George Motz's burger heaven, Hamburger America , and of course, the Super Bowl —because what's football without snacks?Hit play NOW on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen! Follow & rate us! And don't forget to check out @the_food_court_rolandos on Instagram for behind-the-scenes bites!
"An interview chair is fun for five minutes, but for twelve hours? Like being in the room with Abby having to interview her, a solid 40% of the time being on her phone with her lawyer because she doesn't want to answer one of the questions I'm asking? Telling me that I should have spent 15 more minutes doing my hair and make-up or listening to the stupid people in my ear? It's just like constant berating AND I was hungover. So it was a little bit of a disaster on Tuesdays." It's a special day at Back to the Barre as Christi and Kelly welcome Dance Moms Producer Annie Leonard to sit down and answer some questions and to set some records straight. Annie also offers a frank reality check that while she's friendly with our lovely Bitches, it was ostensibly her job to ruin their lives when possible since you can't make good TV without some conflict!What does the Producer's job look like day to day? What was the most difficult aspect of producing Dance Moms and how did it compare to other reality shows? Which moms were the easiest to work with and which ones made a producer's job difficult? The answer to that last one may surprise you, so tune-in to find out the answers to the se questions and more!Quotes“There were a lot of things that we used to do in reality TV that you could get canceled for now. A lot of things on Dance Moms that you could get canceled for now. That's Dance Moms, every episode we did something we shouldn't have done." (04:49-05:01 | Kelly & Annie)“The EP gave this speech about not fraternizing with you guys and vice verca. I think there was some of that the season before and they were trying to curtail that or something? I think the fraternization was Kelly and I. Hehe, we were bad.” (13:26-13:40 | Christi, Kelly & Annie)“I felt like most of the time I was prepping Kelly she wasn't really listening to me. Ha, because I hated all of you!" (18:41-18:46 | Kelly & Annie)“[Cameraman] Eddie you could also tell he was a little bit of a partier. But he was holding his camera in the viewing room one day and one of our PAs was feeding him Top Ramen while he was filming. Which they loved." (26:30-26:44 | Annie)LinksSubscribe to us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC50aSBAYXH_9yU2YkKyXZ0w Subscribe to our Patreon: www.patreon.com/backtothebarreThank you to Ashley Jana for allowing us to use Electricity!! Follow her on IG HERE: https://instagram.com/ashleyjanamusic?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=Download Electricity HERE: https://music.apple.com/us/album/electricity/1497482509?i=1497482510Follow Christi on IG: www.instagram.com/christilukasiakFollow Kelly on IG: www.instagram.com/kellylhylandFollow Annie on IG: www.instagram.com/annebreiter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode of the Marketing Secrets podcast, I'm thrilled to have my friend James Malinchak in the office. We both lived in the Dan Kennedy speaking world but from very different paths. Listen as James Malinchak shares… Staying Motivated: James shares his unique approach to staying motivated using a visual reminder - an empty Top Ramen noodles bag. This trick, inspired by Michael Jordan's mindset, helps him stay driven and focused on his goals. From Speaking to Selling: Discover how James transitioned from being a highly paid speaker to using his speaking engagements as powerful sales platforms. He reveals his strategies for turning speaking opportunities into high-ticket program sales. Behind the Scenes of "Secret Millionaire": James recounts his experience on the hit TV show "Secret Millionaire." Learn how he leveraged this incredible exposure to build his brand, grow his email list, and generate significant business revenue. The Power of Branding: Hear how James positioned himself as "the college speaking guy" to dominate the college speaking market. He discusses the importance of branding and understanding your audience to attract the right clients. Maximizing Media Exposure: James emphasizes the strategic use of media for lead generation and customer acquisition. He explains how to view TV and other media as tools for drawing in leads and building a robust customer base. These are the key lessons to help you leverage every opportunity that comes across your path from one of the best speakers and marketers I know - James Malinchak! Don't forget to check out this awesome deal from Mint Mobile! https://mintmobile.com/funnels And if you want to enjoy the Marketing Secrets Show ad-free, check out http://marketingsecrets.com/adfree Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dave and Caleb rename a food kinda ////// Join our Patreon for weekly bonus episodes! Follow us on Twitch and subscribe to our YouTube channel for video episodes! FOLLOW US Instagram Youtube Twitter Theme Song by Chris Cresswell
ABOUT SERANATION:Seranation is an original band devoted to their own style of music. Residing in St. Petersburg FL, the band was founded in 2014 by members Adam Hocker (Guitar/backup vocals), J.Carter (Lead vocals), and Bianca Schlosser (Bass/backup vocals). Seranation has released two full-length studio albums, "Island Thinkin' (2015) and "Livin' the Dream" (2018) which hit #1 on the iTunes Reggae charts and #5 on the Billboard Reggae chart. “Livin' the Dream” was released under Pepper's label, Law Records, and their singles "Sweet Temptation," "Dangerous" and "Surfboard" all debuted under Rome Ramirez's label, Fresh Goods.Seranation was a regional Florida act until they embarked on their first National Tour in March 2018. They have been nationally touring ever since with acts such as Sublime with Rome, Michael Franti, SOJA , and more. The band has been consistently recording in the studio in 2023, leading to their highly anticipated 3rd studio album in 2024.CONNECT WITH SERANATION:LinktreeSUPPORT THIS SHOWSUBSCRIBE TO YOUR LIFE THE MIXTAPE MAGAZINESUBSCRIBE TO DEAR DEAN MAGAZINE
0:00 - Intro 0:01 - “Dejon 338, it's not a area code n*gga it's my weight”, Flakko clears up that his name is pronounced “Po-eh-TiK” instead of Poetic 2:06 - New “Michael” Michael Jackson biopic, Riemoh says the Bobby Marley movie is getting bad reviews 3:00 - Best music biopics, 8 Mile, Get rich or Die trying, Ray, the Temptations, Selina 4:28 - Flakko makes a “hard” Joke, says he “only beats it if it's hard”, says God of War story is the best ever, Almighty says he'd never play Red dead redemption because theirs slaves in the game, Dejon says their indentured servants 6:40 - Dejon retracts his earlier statement on the news that Abraham Lincoln owned slaves, his wife actually owned slaves 7:25 - Presidents Day, Flakko ask which presidents we're allowed to celebrate 8:44 - Trumps new shoes sold out same day, first president to drop shoes, Dejon says Obama should've dropped sneakers 9:28 - Flakko says black people love Young thug and if Trump gets elected he's going to pardon anyone Fani Willis has tried to prosecute because of her and trumps beef 10:01 - Almighty says he knows a rapper who is still on because he flipped his stimulus money10:31 - Flakko says we just seen Joe Biden forget the day his son passed away, Josh says Trump forgot what his wife looked like before- Dejon says Michelle Obama warned him about his weight when he was a kid, Flakko says she banned sweets and cookies from being sold at his school, Almighty says his school had Top Ramen noodles in their vending machines 12:31 - Comments from last weeks episode, A fan says the show should be called the “100” podcast because that's what Almighty, Flakko, and Dejon would look like standing next to each other, - Flakko says he's not down to get up and see if it's true because his a** is too fat, he says because of his a** he's shaped like a 8 instead of 0, tries to dap up Dejon for confirmation 16:54 - Flakko ask Almighty if the hoes are f***** him right, Almighty makes Dejon throw a flag on the play 17:40 - Dejon pauses the show to ask Flakko what's going on with him because he's being real giddy and frisky, Flakko explains that one of his YouTube ops had a downfall 19:10 - Sharps argument with Jela on No statements “Caramel Cuh”, Flakko calls out the NJ clips channel for the “Being dirty” titling of Sharp and Jela clip, says when we have new host we should give it 3 weeks before letting them know how grimey this place is 20:25 - Guys play and react to Jela and Sharp clip 23:20 - Almighty and Dejon say they hate when females use the “Ima female” excuse for why a man can't say anything about them or disagree with them 23:52 - Almighty ask if everyone can see that Flakko's hoodie is dirty, Flakko explains that their bleach stains 25:04 - Riemoh says Sharp didn't have to call out Jela's jacket like that 26:13 - Flakko says Jela is talented, Almighty says if Jela wouldn't have been promo-ing the jacket Sharp probably wouldn't have said anything 27:49 - Dejon says he's been sick but didn't want to miss a day 28:19 - Dejon reveals that a chef came and bought all kinds of salmon, chicken and steak, Flakko and Almighty wonder where it all went and Almighty realizes Dejon ate all the food, Dejon says his hood name is “2 Plates” 29:18 - Flakko calls out Josh for laughing too hard at Almighty's fat jokes on Dejon, says Dejon should roast Josh for adding to the mark out by laughing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Hake doesn't know foreign policy. Lame callers' potshots. Immigration point. Death penalty lead to repentance? Extended Aborsh story! The Hake Report, Monday, January 29, 2024 AD TIME STAMPS * (0:00:00) Topics: Immigration, Death Penalty, Aborsh!!* (0:02:47) Hey, guys! Boulder City, NV tee* (0:04:23) Biden got us droned! Trump exploits crisis! -CNN* (0:09:41) KEITH, IL: Biden war against America* (0:14:39) KEITH: No wars under Trump! Ukraine, Afghanistan, Crime* (0:18:40) America gone anyway, but point to what's right* (0:19:17) Supers: Normal white? Hake midwit? CAPTCHA pronounce?* (0:23:50) Supers: Black gals' hair, CJ's call (Lin Yen Chin), Joel built* (0:28:36) WILLIAM, CA: I don't look like Joel; Maze is nasty!* (0:32:03) WILLIAM: Hair, Israel war with Hamas* (0:36:29) WILLIAM: No, Frederick! Nasty beards. Top Ramen. * (0:39:31) FREDERICK: Israel, William, declaring victory* (0:46:15) Tucker: Immigration can be good or bad* (0:51:49) Death Penalty may prompt repentance!* (0:58:11) Soul-Junk - "The Peacemaker" (2000, 1956)* (1:02:15) Supers: Burger King, Noodles/Ramen, Normal white / black?* (1:07:00) Wash Post: Allie Phillips aborsh story* (1:18:59) Wash Post CLIP: Allie Phillips cussing, TikToking* (1:23:51) Hake's conspiracy theory: obstinate lib Doctors!* (1:29:30) Miss Japan is Ukrainian?! Karolina Shiino * (1:31:50) MR PINK: Pro-life rally report; Echo chamber * (1:40:07) Oops more Allie Phillips/WaPo: JUSTIN PEARSON* (1:47:19) Super: Will you say "not normal blacks"? * (1:49:51) No Megyn Kelly/Actress beef. Joel Friday next! Sean later? * (1:51:13) Menomena - "Cough Coughing" (2003, I Am the Fun Blame Monster)CLIPS | Mon 1-29-24Theory: Obstinate Liberal Doctors Purposely Don't Function (Aborsh) (5-min) YouTube | Rumble Death Penalty: Repentance vs Mama Libs Saving You (5-min) YouTube | Rumble Hake is live M-F 9-11 AM PT (11-1 CT / 12-2 ET) Call-in 1-888-775-3773 (Also see Hake News on The Jesse Lee Peterson Show) https://www.thehakereport.com/show BLOG https://www.thehakereport.com/blog/2024/1/29/the-hake-report-mon-1-29-24 PODCAST / Substack VIDEO YouTube | Rumble* | Facebook | X | BitChute | Odysee* PODCAST Substack | Apple | Spotify | Castbox | Podcast Addict *SUPER CHAT on platforms* above or BuyMeACoffee, etc. SHOP Teespring || All My Links JLP Network: JLP | Church | TFS | Nick | Joel Get full access to HAKE at thehakereport.substack.com/subscribe
Episode Summary This week on Live Like the World is Dying, we have a short story about prepping called "Blood, Soil, & Frozen TV Dinners" by Matthew Dougal. It's a parody about two right-wing preppers who are faced with a collapse in society. After the story, there's an interview with the author about prepping mentalities and writing. This episode was reposted from the Strangers in a Tangled Wilderness podcast. The story can be read at tangledwilderness.org. Host Info Inmn can be found on Instagram @shadowtail.artificery Reader The Reader is Bea Flowers. If you would like to hear Bea narrate other things, or would like to get them to read things for you check them out at https://voicebea.wixsite.com/website Publisher Info This show is published by Strangers in A Tangled Wilderness. We can be found at www.tangledwilderness.org, or on Twitter @TangledWild and Instagram @Tangled_Wilderness. You can support the show on Patreon at www.patreon.com/strangersinatangledwilderness. Theme music The theme song was written and performed by Margaret Killjoy. You can find her at http://birdsbeforethestorm.net or on twitter @magpiekilljoy Transcript Live Like the World is Dying: “Blood, Soil, & Frozen TV Dinners” with Matthew Dougal **Inmn ** 00:16 Hello, and welcome to Live Like the World is Dying, your podcast for what feels like the end times. I'm your host today, Inmn Neruin, and today we have something a little different. I host another podcast called Strangers in a Tangled Wilderness where every month we take a zine that Strangers puts out and turn it into an audio feature and do an interview with the author. We had a two-part feature called Blood, Soil, and Frozen TV Dinners by Matthew Dougal, and it is a short story about prepping from a very strange perspective, that of two right-wing preppers facing a mysterious collapse of society. This short story is a parody and I promise that the two main pov characters are not the heroes of the tale. It's a fun story and I do an interview with Matthew afterward about prepping mentalities, fiction, and other neat stuff. If you like this episode, check out my other podcast that this is featured from. I did not re-record the outro, so you'll get a little taste of Margaret playing the piano, because she wrote the theme music for the Strangers podcast. You'll also get to hear our wonderful reader, Bea Flowers narrate the story. Follow along with the transcript or at Tangledwilderness.org where you can read all of our featured zines for free. But before all of that, we are a member of the Channel Zero Network of anarchist podcasts and here's a jingle from another show on that network. [sings a simple melody] **Bea ** 02:49 “Blood, Soil, & Frozen TV Dinners” by Matthew Dougal. Read by Bea Flowers. Published by Strangers in a Tangled Wilderness. Katie sat, wide-eyed, beneath the kitchen table and hugged her knees to her chest. She was shaking, vibrating visibly. Tanner put his finger to his lips and prayed that her silent tears would remain just that. There was no time to stop and calm her down. Not again. He moved slowly around the kitchen, fumbling through cupboards and pulling out pre-wrapped packages of food. Always be prepared. Tanner had practiced this before things went dark, but it was different doing it for real. His hands hadn't been so shaky, back then. A noise, on the porch. His body froze before his mind registered the sound. Tanner dropped into a crouch and crossed the room to the window, willing every cell in his body to radiate confidence toward his baby girl. His hand found the Glock 17 at his belt and he brought it up in front of him, the familiar feel of the grip reassuring. He took a breath, steadied himself, and raised his eyes to the level of the windowsill. The muscles in his thighs steeled and he remained, unblinking, utterly still, staring out into the darkness. After thirty or forty nerve-twanging seconds, Tanner drew breath and relaxed. His quads were burning, and they thanked him as he straightened. He could hear the specter of his ex-wife in his head, telling him to lose some weight, exercise more… Well she'd left, and that was 135 pounds gone right there. She'd probably say that was a good start. An unbearably loud ringing pierced the silence and sent him diving to the floor, landing awkwardly on his gun and sounding a crash through the kitchen. A keening whine came from under the table, Katie shaken from her silence. The doorbell. Feeling foolish, Tanner twisted over his shoulder and hissed at his daughter to be quiet. Still prone, he crawled toward the hallway in the most reassuring manner he could manage and pointed his Glock at the front door. Footsteps outside, then a shadow appeared at the window. Tanner's heart pounded in his ears—more violent pulses of silence than sound—and his vision blurred as panic flooded his body. He'd heard the early reports of armed groups in the streets, some sort of fighting downtown, but he hadn't really believed they would come here. His legs were weak, and he silently thanked God that he was already on the floor. The shape at the window didn't move, frozen in the gloom, silhouetted by flickering light coming from the street. As Tanner's head cleared he tried to take stock of what was happening. The apparition was vaguely man-shaped but shorter and slighter, an ethereal grace evident even in its stillness. A voice called out, muffled through the door, the guttural singsong completely at odds with the sleek form at the window. Tanner couldn't understand everything, but he thought he caught the words “little girl.” A second shape mounted the porch alongside the first, similarly short but squat and stocky, and grunted something to its companion in an alien tongue. Fluorescent light flooded the yard and the voices momentarily disappeared beneath the growl of an angry engine. Tanner's breath caught. His trembling finger hovered over the trigger and he willed the barrel to still its swaying dance. Two shots exploded outside—loud shots, from a much bigger gun than his. The creatures spun to face this new threat, their chatter rising in pitch and speed. They sounded panicked. “yalla! hawula' alnaas majnoon.” Tanner sensed his opportunity. He was forgotten. All those hours of training kicked in and muscle memory took over as he rose to one knee, took a two-handed grip, and unleashed a furious hail of fire at his front door. “Keep your filthy hands off my daughter!” He fired until he felt the Glock stop kicking, the magazine spent. As the cacophony faded he realized he was screaming. “Tanner! It's me, Blake. Stop shooting goddammit, they're gone.” “Blake?” Tanner mechanically reloaded his gun. “Why…” His throat was raw, his voice barely audible even to him. He swallowed, fighting to control his breath, and cleared his throat. “What are you doing here?” “Come to see if you were okay. Figured you and the kid might need a hand.” A stocky, heavily muscled figure wearing fatigues and a plate carrier stepped up to the porch, visible through the splintered ruins that had been the front door. A halogen glow lanced through the holes, like the brilliant aura of some kind of avenging eagle. “When this shit spread across the river from the city we locked down. It was touch-and-go for a while, but things quieted down eventually. When they did, I came straight over. Good thing I got here when I did. The quick little fuckers ran for it, but I think you hit one of ‘em.” The figure stopped, pulled down the red, white and blue bandana covering its mouth, and spat. Tanner had never been more relieved to see his buddy's foul-mouthed face. Or his M1A SOCOM 16 rifle. “We're alright.” Tanner's voice was exhausted, his body shivering as the adrenaline fled. “Thank God I was prepared. Still, it's good to see you.” “Prepared, shit.” His buddy grinned. “I been telling you for years to get something heavy duty.” Blake kicked the splintered remains of the door and his grin faded. “You can't stay here. Those things'll be back. Grab your girl and jump in the truck. Let's head to mine, she'll be safe there.” The grin returned.“Prepared, shit.” An hour later they were sitting in “the Hole,” as Blake affectionately called it. The Hole was both name and description, although it perhaps undersold the amount of effort that had gone into its construction. Attached to the garage by a short, downward-sloping corridor, The Hole was a full-blown bunker that spread underneath almost the entirety of Blake's backyard. Tanner was sitting in the main chamber eating Top Ramen, chicken flavor. They had made the half-mile journey in silence—lights down on the Tacoma, Tanner jumpy, Blake grim, Katie in a state of shock. The streets had looked completely foreign, the usual calming glow of LEDs replaced by the orange flicker of scattered flames. The familiar hum of traffic had been gone. Instead, gunfire had cracked in the distance. Blake's wife Lauren had buzzed them inside after Blake confirmed his identity via video feed—three times: at the gate, the door, and the entrance to the Hole. The security was impressive. Lauren had ushered them inside, AR-15 at the ready. “This is prepared,” Blake was saying, as Katie stared blankly at her untouched ramen. “Old owners, they had this backyard full of fruit trees, vegetables, fuckin' kale and kohlrabi. What good is that gonna do, I said, you gonna hide in the pumpkin patch with a slingshot? Idiots. “Anyhow me and Lauren, we wanted to be ready, so I been building this the last two years. Ain't no one knows about it, not even the contractors…” Blake sliced a finger across his throat, then laughed, “I'm joking, but they were from one of them Mexican countries. Had no idea what they were building. Good workers, though, came here the right way. And I did the security all myself.” Tanner laughed too, but at what he didn't quite know. “You took this all real serious.” “Yessir. You never really believed, but we did. Earl Swanson was right, this here's been a long time coming. It's just like he said, and we listened. And here we are, while you was laying on the floor waving round that little waterpistol of yours.” Tanner had listened too, but apparently not well enough. There was only so much time he could watch an angry man on TV shouting about the state of the nation, no matter how prophetic he was turning out to be. Tanner tried to put up a strong front and flex his knowledge. He had listened, dammit. “Is this it, then? The invasion? Earl said they've been preparing it for years, brainwashing people. Recruiting sympathizers and traitors…” “It's worse than that. The invasion started way back, we just didn't notice. Well, most of us didn't. Earl did. He tried to warn us, that the aliens'd started infiltrating, landing in remote parts of the country, blending in, looking just like us…” Blake spat. “Well, not quite like us. But close e-fucking-nough, hiding out and biding their time.” “And now it's out in the open…” Tanner looked from his friend's face to his daughter's, scared and staring, and trailed off. He may have been listening, but he sure as hell didn't understand. “What's happening?” Tanner asked. “We've been laying low at home, locked down and trying to wait out whatever this is. We haven't heard a thing since the power cut out three days back.” He could feel a surge of emotion building, pent-up adrenaline and stress and fear and loneliness rolling over him in a wave as they were released. His stoicism wobbled. “We're… Katie's scared and confused, and tired and sick of hiding and we're all alone! What is all this? What's happening?” Tanner realized he was shouting and stopped, taking a deep breath and lowering his voice. “Blake, man, what the hell is going on?” Blake never flinched, just ran his tongue over his teeth in thought while he watched Tanner's outburst through hooded eyes. “Naw, we don't know nothing for sure. Swanson's been off-air for two days, since just after shit started going down. Said he was right, that it sure as shit seemed like those aliens he'd been warning us about were making a move, and the whole fuckin' lot of us did nothing. Well, seems like it blew up in our face. Last thing he said was he's heading somewhere safe to keep broadcasting, and he'd let us know when he found out more,” Blake paused, sucked his teeth, “We've had the TV and radio on non-stop since then, since we fired the generator up. Nothing.” Lauren lent forward. “There was something, couple days back…” “Nothing useful,” Blake cut in. He spat. “Same old fuckin' commie stations, same old crap. They took over the channels, emergency broadcasting. Said there was a ‘protest.' Stay inside, all under control, daddy government's here, blah blah,” he laughed “Hell of a protest. More like an insurrection. Doublespeak bullshit.” “So what's the plan? We hide out? Lay low? Wait for the military?” “The troops ain't coming, chief.” Blake grimaced, “Alien tentacles go deep. Probably strolling around in general's stars by now, the politicians just handing over the keys. This President'll have us kissing their feet before dinner. “Nah, if we wanna fight back we can't rely on that fuckin' bunch of secretaries and scribes. We hole up here, wait for instructions.” He laughed again, “Huh, hole up in the Hole. That's funny.” That grin was starting to get on Tanner's nerves. “Instructions from who? How long is that gonna take? Who's gonna fight back against… this?” “I know some people, from back in the old days. Good people. There's still patriots out there who won't give up this country without a fight.” Tanner still bristled with questions, but he was starting to feel relieved. There were people in charge, and they had a plan. That was something he could work with. “What if it takes weeks? Months? Do we have food for that long?” Blake settled further into his chair, grinned that cocky grin. “I do, don't know about you.” Before the words were even out of his mouth he was already raising his palms, “Chill out, I'm joking. I'll put it on your tab. You're a lawyer, I know you're good for it. Show him, babe.” Lauren got up and went over to a large yellow flag hanging on the concrete wall, pulling it aside to reveal a long, narrow room that ended abruptly at a large steel door. She flicked on the light. “Dry storage,” she said, gesturing at the shelves lining both walls. Packets of ramen, boxes of cereal, rows of whiskey, and gleaming stacks of cans stared down at Tanner. “And cold storage,” Lauren continued as she stepped over to the door, kicking aside two enormous tubs of supplements and pulling it open to reveal a walk-in freezer. Tanner followed her inside as she happily chatted away, showing everything off like a house-proud hen. “We've got everything we need. Steaks, hotdogs, chili, hamburgers, mac and cheese, chicken parmesan, mashed potatoes--whatever you want. There's a well, too, over the other side, we had that dug last summer. Tastes a bit funny, but it won't hurt you.” Tanner was hardly listening. He had never seen anything like it, never imagined anything on this scale. Blake really had taken preparing for the end of the world seriously. The freezer room was filled, wall to wall, with a treasure trove of gourmet excess; thousands upon thousands of frozen TV dinners. Tanner stared at his microwaved salmon filet, fries drooping from his fork. Out of habit he was eating in front of the TV with Katie, though the display hadn't changed in… however many days it had been. Just the red, white and blue logo, a tile flipping between ads for pillows, brain pills, and frozen food, and the same scrolling red banner: Breaking: The United States of America is under attack. Stand by for updates. Katie was poking at her food silently, barely eating. Still no appetite. Tanner had told her they were safe, told her he wasn't going to let anyone hurt her, told her a hundred times in different ways that she was his precious little girl and he would make sure she was okay. It had made no difference. She had just looked up at him with big, frightened eyes that pulled at Tanner's heart. The only time she had spoken in the past 24 hours was to ask why he had tried to shoot people. Of course she didn't understand. Maybe he should ask Lauren to talk to her. The TV display glitched, blipped, flicked to static and then to black. Tanner shoveled the fries into his mouth and rubbed his eyes. He'd been staring at a blank TV for too long. He chewed and stretched, squeezing his eyes shut and trying to straighten out his aching back. Earl Swanson was on TV. Tanner blinked a few times to make sure he was seeing straight. Swanson's shirt was wrinkled, his hair a mess and his signature bowtie slightly crooked, but his face wore that familiar expression of righteously indignant bewilderment. It was him. “Blake. Blake, get in here!” Swanson was in what looked like a large living room rather than his usual studio. Bookshelves and a TV cabinet were visible behind him. There were shadows under his eyes and his wrinkles were clearly visible without his usual TV makeup, but his eyes were as sharp as ever. There was a strength to them, piercing the screen, full of faith and fire. It felt like he was in the room. He looked like he'd been in a fight, and won. He was back. “Good evening America, and welcome to Earl Swanson Tonight.” “Blake!” Blake stuck his head through the door. “What? I'm working out, give me a…. No shit.” Blake stepped into the room. He was topless, breathing heavily. His stomach was shiny with sweat, pooling and running down the chiseled channels between his well-defined muscles before disappearing behind the low-riding waistband of his camo pants. Tanner realized he was staring and felt his cheeks flush as he snapped his eyes back to his friend's. “Blake, it's--” “Shut up, I'm trying to listen.” The rebuke slapped Tanner back to the present and back to the TV. He surreptitiously sat a little straighter and sucked in his gut, trying to ignore the heat rising in his face. “...cities up and down the west coast. From Seattle to San Diego, the alien invaders and the traitors from among our own citizens have taken control, sowing chaos and destruction. Order has broken down, and anarchy rules in the streets. Yet we hear nothing but silence from the White House. The elites in Washington won't do anything about this -- they encouraged it. They caused it! “No, it is up to patriotic Americans to stop this existential threat. It is up to us, to you and me and the other patriots out there. If you value the American way of life, if you respect the principles that built the greatest nation ever imagined, if you care about your family and the future of your children, then the time has come to stand up. Your country needs you. “I have been warning about this day on this very program for years. If you have been listening, you will be prepared for this betrayal. You know what to do. Find other true Americans who are ready to fight for our civilization and our culture. Defend our Western values against this attack by anarchists and aliens who wish to destroy us. They tried to take our guns from us, to disarm us, and failed -- now is the time to use them. Seek out the prepared, the militias, the heroes. Fight back. Show them that we will not allow it. “I will be moving to an undisclosed safe location so I can keep you informed. You know your job. I am doing my part, will you do yours?” Swanson sat erect and defiant, no less commanding for his disheveled appearance. His willpower flowed from the screen in waves, washing over the watchers. It was compelling. It was urgent. It was the only option. The screen went black. Swanson's gaze bored into Tanner long after the TV went dark, burning with righteous fire, lip curling with fury. The heat in Tanner's cheeks sharpened, focused, began to spread into his chest and throughout his body. There was only one thought in his mind. “We gotta go.” It took him a second to realize that Blake had spoken the words out loud. “We do. But where? I don't know anyone like that.” “You know me, and I know people. Don't worry about that. We gotta go to Baker City. I talked to one of my buddies from the marines this morning, he's headed to join one of the militias out east. They might not be big, but they're hard. They're something.” Tanner looked at Blake blankly, unable to quite comprehend what he was being told. Days of no news, no action, now everything all at once. “But what's in Baker City? Don't you know anyone here? This is where we live, where we have the Hole, where we have a safe base.” Blake was clearly agitated, shifting from foot to foot. “It's not safe. Weren't you listening? It's fallen. The military ain't doing jack, like I fuckin' told you they wouldn't.” Blake stopped bouncing and steadied himself. “But my buddy said the boys in Baker held out. It was bloody, but they held strong. If we can get there in a hurry, we can join a caravan heading for Boise.” “Baker… Boise? What the… Boise?! Surely it's safer in Texas, or… or…” “Texas? And how far away is that? Look, I don't know nothing about nothing, but I know I ain't looking for safer. All I know is I got buddies in Baker, and they say Boise, and they are the fuckin' resistance. We got our orders, soldier. “The west had been invaded. Destroyed. Gone. You heard Swanson, same as me. Grids are down, water's down, TV's down--mostly, anyway. Sky's half full of fire and smoke, gangs roaming the streets, traitors and aliens taking or breaking whatever they can get their thieving hands on.” Tears came to Blake's eyes. “It's a fucking mess out there, buddy. Anarchy. They've burned the lot.” It was a lot to chew on. Tanner put a piece of salmon in his mouth. “I'm not gonna let some filthy aliens take my home, fuck my wife, invade my country, and steal the god damn US of A! The fight is right there, and I'm gonna fight it. Are you?” Tanner's brain was spinning, but his blood was still hot from Swanson's speech. Blake's fire, delivered standing there half-naked like a Steven Seagal action figure, was rousing something inside him. His country needed him, and he felt the call in his bones. He put down his fork. He swallowed. He rose. “Of course I'll fight. I'll put a bullet in every alien who steps foot on American soil. I'll put every collaborator in the dirt.” He saw himself, next to Blake, riding shotgun as they made a fighting escape through the streets. He saw a heroic journey to Baker City, filled with danger and righteous violence. He saw a triumphant return, at the head of an army, cleansing his city with purifying flame. And he saw Katie, small and fragile and beautiful. Perfect, and terrified. The flame wavered. “But I'm fighting for her,” Tanner gestured, “I got my little girl, and I'm not so red-hot on riding out guns blazing to meet these savages with her hanging off my arm. She's the future of this country, and that's a future we have to protect.” To Tanner's surprise, Blake took a half step back. “Shit. I know, man. Katie and Lauren, the innocent and the pure. I'm thinking of them, too.” He dropped his shoulders, but held Tanner's gaze. “But it's not safe for them here neither. We're on our own, and all hell has broken loose up top. We fight for them, and they are the reason we have to fight.” Tanner paused, then nodded. He reached out and placed his hand on his friend's shoulder, fingers gripping the sweaty skin. “Let's go pack the truck.” As the sun set and twilight brought a low fog creeping across the city, they piled into the Tacoma with as many frozen dinners as they could carry. Tanner rode in back. Lauren was up front, AR at the ready, while Blake drove, M1A by his side and his Glock taped to the dash. Katie was at Tanner's side, curled up below the window and hidden from view, and Tanner watched over her with his own Glock and a borrowed Remington 870. They were all a little jumpy. He and Lauren had wanted to maintain a shoot-on-sight policy. Blake had been more cautious. According to Swanson, there would be plenty of people collaborating with the aliens. Lights out, engine low, and hopefully they could slip right on by. No one knew what to expect—Tanner suspected they were all terrified. He certainly was. Even Blake had swapped out his flag bandana for a more understated camo print. He had stashed the red, white and blue fabric in the bed of the truck with the rest of their gear. They pulled out into streets Tanner knew, but didn't. He had driven them every day, on the way to work, to Katie's school, to church, to the mall. The streets were as familiar as a cold Coke, yet now, in some important way, they were… different. As they left the Hole and drove through the suburb he couldn't quite put his finger on it, but once Blake reached the main street and turned past the bars and shops and take-out joints, it hit him. The streets were dead. The cars were gone. The steady flow of traffic, of people living their lives, had stopped. The parking lot in front of the drug store was empty; so was the one behind the bar. The convenience store, normally ticking over with a steady stream of customers buying cigarettes and beer, was dark behind its windows. Unintelligible graffiti in some alien script covered the ads for energy drinks, an expression of mindless violence across someone's hard work. A light rain had started, misting around them and adding to the dreariness. A billboard loomed overhead, the lights that illuminated the Colgate-bright smiles of the models now permanently dark. Tanner was glad—the gloom obscured the flame-scarred destruction streaking the toothpaste company's perfect white message. “Disgusting,” Blake spat. He looked like he wanted to say more but pulled up short, shocked at the sudden sound of his own voice. His eyes focused back on the road and he fell into uneasy silence. The truck continued its crawl down the deserted street, barely clocking 20 miles an hour. Even at that speed, the low growl of the engine seemed unbearably loud as it reverberated among the carcasses of commerce and ricocheted down abandoned side streets. They kept driving, and nothing kept happening. It was torturous. Every minute of unbroken inactivity twisted the crank on the tension in the car, until the unceasing hum of the engine began to seep into Tanner's brain. Every muscle in his arms and legs, primed and waiting and ready to spring, began to tremble, and his eyes focused and unfocused on nothing at all. His frantic heartbeat messed with his breathing, a powerful panicked thud that matched the rumble of the pistons. Overall, he was relieved when the road curved and they entered a strip of restaurants to see signs of life among the debris littered across the street in the distance. It wasn't immediately clear through the gloom what was happening. Blake slowed the truck, now rolling along at barely more than walking pace, and they crept closer. The scene was illuminated by the flickering light of small fires and backlit by a pair of enormous floodlights, creating a glowing aura in the surrounding mist. Images began to resolve, ghostly figures flitting in and out of view and the harsh geometric shapes—not of debris, but of hastily manufactured barricades—throwing long shadows that lanced through the air around them as they approached. All eyes were fixed on the barricades as they pulled within shouting distance, and Tanner nearly pissed himself when someone knocked on his window. He yelped, Blake swore, and Lauren's weapon x-rayed Tanner's head and pointed at the intruder. Tanner followed her lead and jerked his gun up to aim in the general direction of the window and for ten, twenty heartbeats nothing moved. Then another knock, and Blake hissed at them: “Put those things away you idiots, we're the good guys here. Whatever side that guy is on, so are we.” Tanner slowly lowered the gun, then the window. “Hey folks, no cars through here.” The man was clad head to toe in black—black jeans, black hoodie, black gloves, black bandana covering his face, black curly hair running with rainwater. No wonder they hadn't seen him. The stranger spotted their guns. “Oh, nothing like that,” he added, catching the nervous energy in the truck, “You're a bit late to the party. No trouble ‘round here, this area's been cleaned out for days.” He chuckled, sending a shiver through Tanner. “Some folks messed up the cop shop a while back, it was a bit of a fight. Streets were all blocked up anyway, so we set up a little kitchen here. Been feeding some folks. Symbolic, like, new world in the ruin of the old and all that.” The smile fell from his face as he took in the scene in the truck. “Everything alright? Is she okay?” He gestured at Katie, curled up and quivering silently beside Tanner. Tanner opened his mouth to respond, but Blake was quicker. “Sure, probably just spooked by that fucking mask. Look, we don't mean to bother you people. Just heading east, trying to cross the river. We'll go around you and your little kitchen.” If the man took issue with Blake's tone, it didn't show. “Bridge is a no-go, I'm afraid. Pigs blew the cables as they pulled out, some of it collapsed. It's way too unstable to cross.” He scratched at his temple. “What d'you want out that way, anyway? There's dangerous people out there, not exactly safe for… families.” “We're heading for, uh, Hood River,” Tanner spoke up, “Taking supplies out to the girl's grandparents.” “Indians,” Blake chimed in, “they need the help.” He winked at Tanner. The stranger turned to Blake and met his eyes, holding his gaze for an unnerving moment. Then he seemed to resolve some internal discussion, relaxing his shoulders. “Well, you might be able to get across up St. Johns, last I heard the bridge was still intact. There's some folks in the park up there, you can ask them.” “St. Johns? That's the wrong fucking way!” “A bridge is a bridge. It's that or swim, champ.” “Can you at least call the, uh, your boss? Tell him you checked us out, ask if we can get across?” The man smiled, but something hardened behind his eyes. “My boss? Sure, sure. Look, I think it's time you moved on. Head on up there and tell ‘em what you told me, they'll let you out. There's a bunch of poor Indians waiting for their dinner.” There was something strange about the way the man said “Indians,” but he patted the hood of the truck and turned away, waving them down a side street away from the barricade. As Blake slowly drove off, Tanner collapsed back into his seat and quickly rolled up the window. His underarms were cold with sweat, and he relaxed muscles he hadn't known were clenched. Blake took the turn the stranger indicated, muttering that if he heard anyone say “folks” again he would hit them. Tanner stared out the window at the “little kitchen” as they passed. There must have been a couple hundred people, milling around a dozen or so small fires. They were all loosely centered around a large tent directly in front of the scorched skeleton of the precinct. Laughter and music drifted through the open window, and Tanner closed it. He didn't think he could see any aliens, but it was difficult to tell in the dark. “Collaborators. Must be a ration station or something,” he muttered, mostly to himself. Lauren heard him. “No, this has been going on much longer than that, it just wasn't so out in the open. Swanson warned us about it. He said they lure hungry people in with food.” “Yeah,” cut in Blake, “this is how they recruit ‘em. Set up a kitchen, give ‘em food, homeless and crackheads and queers, mostly. Drugs too, probably, and spewing their propaganda. That guy was probably one of the junkies. Sure as shit looked like it, you see the way he stared at me?” Tanner shuddered. A junkie. He had an overwhelming urge to wash his hands. He remembered the way the man had talked about the police station, his manic laugh in the face of such violence, and glanced back at the quickly fading light. And saw a small figure, tottering at the edge of the firelight. A child. “Disgusting,” he said out loud. “Yeah, disgusting. It's like Earl said,” Blake continued, “they been feeding people right under our fucking noses.” They drove on toward the bridge. The streets were more cluttered here, both with people and the remnants of the riots, and they could only manage a slow pace as they picked their way through the destruction. Blake had to swerve to the wrong side of the road to avoid a group of people carrying trash bags, picking through the rubble. “Looking for something to eat,” he grunted, and locked the doors. Signs of violence were everywhere. Tanner's chest tightened as they drove past the law firm where he had started his career—the job that had brought him to the city after he finished college, working for his father's best friend and learning his profession. Inside the shattered windows it was nothing but a shell, the desks overturned and the computers gone. No one would be working there any more. The destruction was completely random. Violence for its own sake. Beside the firm was a pawn shop, covered in graffiti and looted. Next to that, a Vietnamese restaurant, completely unharmed except for ‘Delicious, 5 stars' sprayed on the pavement outside. Across the road was an untouched convenience store and a bookshop with its doors wide open, light flooding out and people crowding the entrance. A donut shop and an Apple store destroyed, a mechanic and a bar looking like they had simply closed for the night. There was absolutely no pattern or reason to it. They saw a Fred Meyers with every window broken, the front door jammed open with a twisted shopping cart. A movement caught Tanner's eye and he saw someone leaving from a side door, carrying a huge bag of stolen food. He hoped Blake didn't see—he might do something stupid, and Tanner didn't want to stop. It wasn't safe. They made it a few more blocks when Lauren gasped and grabbed Blake's arm, making him brake. She gestured across the intersection to a KFC. Half the building had collapsed in what must have been an enormous fire; the half that still stood had been savagely attacked. She pointed to the entrance with a shaking finger. Someone—or something—had toppled the giant bucket sign and sent it crashing through the ceiling of the kitchen. Above the door, someone had scrawled a message in red spray paint: FUCK YOU SANDERS OUR SECRET SPICES NOW There were more barricades set up near the bridge. Where the others had been makeshift, marking a boundary, these were more serious. They were to stop people getting through. Blake slowed before they got too close to the blockade, which they could now see was lined by shapes that very much suggested people. On both sides of the road the land fell away into darkness, sloping down to become a park that ran beneath the bridge. The park itself, a rare green space normally dotted with dog walkers and children, was transformed. The once-quiet lawns were a mass of tents and makeshift structures, stages and bars and sound systems, the proud trees now decked out with effigies and lights. Fires burned everywhere, and the distant space was carpeted with a swarming mass of humanity, undulating to a throbbing cacophony of noise. “This doesn't look good,” said Blake. He pulled over, a hundred yards or so short of the bridge. “That guy said they would let us through,” said Tanner, “if we stick to our story.” “He was a junkie,” scoffed Lauren. “But he thought we were working with them,” said Tanner, “he had no reason to lie to us.” “I guess it's worth a try. Anyway, they ain't gonna try anything against this much firepower.” Blake grunted. “Too late to change our minds now. They've seen us.” He nodded at the barricade, where two shapes had detached from the mass. They moved toward the Tacoma, and Blake responded by flicking the lights to high beam and heading to meet them. As Blake swung back out into the road the beams cut through the darkness to illuminate the figures, throwing wild shadows from the two shapes until the truck steadied course and they coalesced into recognisable forms. One was a large man, white, with a nose ring and a loosely-tied blond ponytail. He was wearing a plaid shirt and carrying a large rifle. The other—Tanner's throat caught—the other looked like one of the aliens. “Shit,” said Blake, as the headlights picked out at least half a dozen more shapes along the barricade, several with big guns visible. “Fuck.” He stopped the truck and rolled down the window, then cursed again and threw open the door. “I'll be fucked if I'm gonna sit here and be pulled over like some criminal. Tanner, you're with me—let's go meet them man to man.” Tanner scrabbled for the door handle and chased after Blake, half-skipping to catch up. They pulled up a few paces before colliding with the approaching party. The blond man stepped forward. “How's it going, dude?” he said. “We need to get to Hood River,” said Blake, “we're trying—” “Yeah, we heard.” The man cut him off. “Bridge is closed to traffic, unfortunately. You wanna cross, you'll have to walk.” Blake bristled. “Are you joking? We need to bring all this stuff. It's… important,” he objected. “You can't just keep people here!” “We could,” said the blond man, calmly. He sounded confident in his assertion. Looking at the line of men—and women, Tanner realized—standing along the barricade, he agreed. “But we're not,” the man continued. “You can go wherever you want. Take your shit, cross the bridge. Some folks have organized buses up the river, they'll take you. But the truck stays.” “But that's my fucking truck!” Blake squealed. The man's eyebrows shot up and Tanner laid a hand on Blake's shoulder, squeezing it and hoping he got the message. The stranger paused, then sighed. “Look, I'm sorry dude. I love my truck, too. But there was an attack at another camp last night by these so-called freedom fighters,” he grimaced. “Militia wackjobs, really. Word is they are gathering across the river, and we can't risk weapons and vehicles falling into the wrong hands. Especially not an arsenal like you folks got here.” The alien stepped forward and, much to Tanner's surprise, spoke in perfect American English. “Don't worry, it'll be here when you get back. We'll take real good care of it for you. They will appreciate the help guarding the buses and I'm sure they'll be more than happy to help you move these… important supplies.” They signaled to the group at the barricade and two more figures made their way into the light of the truck's high beams. The first was a slim Black man in fatigues, wearing a red beret at a jaunty angle and carrying a AR-style rifle in one hand. The other was a woman, tall and imposing. She wore a leather jacket over a long black dress, which was slit to the thigh to reveal hints of slim, bare legs that stretched from the pavement to the heavens. Tanner blinked rapidly and swallowed. He had always had a soft spot for long legs in thigh-slit dresses. As they came closer the man nodded at Tanner and Blake, but he was not what held their attention. The woman with the legs from God was also rocking a luxurious mustache that would have put Teddy Roosevelt to shame. As Tanner's eyes bulged, she caught his gaze and winked. “Hello, boys. I'm Sunshine, they/them. I'll be with you on the bus.” Tanner didn't know how to react. A fuzzy memory bounced around in the back of his head. “An investigation on college campuses found that increasing numbers of American citizens are using pronouns.” Earl's bewildered face frowned, then puckered. “These ‘theys' and ‘thems' are making a mockery of the American tradition, seeking to spread their insidious ideology among good, hard-working citizens, brainwashing young Americans into adopting these ‘pronouns.' What's next, people identifying a different age? A different race? We need to speak out against this perverse trend and most importantly, keep them away from our children.” _ That was it. These were the pronouns Swanson had warned them about. He gripped his gun and glanced at Blake, trying to get his mental footing. Blake looked shocked, too, but quickly pulled himself together. He threw Tanner a sly look, one that hinted at an idea. “Give us a minute,” he snapped, and pulled away from Tanner, back to the truck. When they were both inside he turned on the occupants with a spark in his eyes. “They must be talking about my boys, alive and kicking,” the old grin was back, his excitement barely contained. “Must have set up in the woods. We'll head over and find ‘em. Maybe they got word from Earl. If they're here, and they're fighting, maybe we don't have to go all the way to Boise after all.” “What's going on?” Lauren looked confused. “We're leaving the truck. Grab the shit, cross the bridge, hijack their fucking commie-wagon and strike out east. Either we find them in Baker, or our boys find us first.” Tanner was still coming to grips with the situation. “What about… them?” he said. “Who?” “They… them. In the dress, with the pronouns!” “And what are they going to do, stop us? You ever tried to fight wearing something like that? No. The four of us, across the bridge, grab the bus, easy.” “Katie's not hijacking any bus. She's eight, for God's sake. Maybe she and Lauren should stay here…” “You stay here with Katie,” Lauren snapped, cutting Tanner off. “If you think it's safer, if you're looking for safer, you take her for a nice walk in the park down there. I'll be with my husband, taking my country back from these freaks.” “I know you want to keep Katie safe,” Blake added, almost apologetically, “but you saw what it's like out there. You heard Swanson's warnings. These aren't people, they're animals, aliens. She's your baby fuckin' girl, man. You do what you're at peace with, but my wife sure as shit ain't staying here to get felt up by some dick in a dress.” Tanner looked at Lauren. “But she's just a kid! What if she gets hurt.” “What if she gets hurt _here? So you look after her. Be a man,” Lauren spat back. Blake clapped Tanner on the shoulder and held his gaze. “It's do or die time, soldier. Let's get the fuck outta here, hook up with the resistance, then bring back the fury of God and freedom and the USA to take back this city and liberate my God damn truck!” Tanner looked at Katie, curled up in the footwell, and wanted to object. He wanted to take her somewhere safe, back to the Hole, where it was warm and they could hide from the aliens and the bad people and they had all the food they could need and they could wait for this all to be over. But the fire in his belly wouldn't let him. He knew Blake was right, he knew that he should be ashamed of his moments of weakness. He saw Lauren gripping her rifle and staring at Blake with faith and devotion in her eyes and he knew that was the kind of man he wanted to be. Tanner breathed a silent promise to keep Katie safe, no matter the cost. “Let's do it.” Blake pulled the truck up to the group of guards and they all piled out, Tanner standing straight and feeling tall, Blake's words ringing in his ears. It's do or die time. _ Two of the barricade guards came over to help them unload while the others stood around and watched, their mustachioed escort who made Tanner's skin crawl and the large blond man. Traitor. They stripped off the tray covering and began shifting gear, Blake and blondie up above handing packages down to everyone else. Tanner heard the guards muttering to each other. “Holy shit, that's a lot of firepower.” The blond man snorted. “And a lot of nasty-ass TV dinners. Important supplies, my ass.” Sunshine shrugged. “Folks eat what they eat. Not everyone lives in a Whole Foods and learned to make Tom Yum on their gap year,” they rebuked him. The man grimaced and scratched his jaw. “Yeah, right. That was unfair of me. Well, Thai cooking workshop tomorrow and I'll make a big pot, so at least folks here don't have to eat that frozen stuff… unless they want to.” They busied themselves unloading, bundling food and weapons into bags or tying them together for ease of carrying. Tanner was tying the straps of his backpack and settling it on his back when he heard a curse from the back of the truck. He glanced up, and, frozen in time, watched the next few seconds helplessly. The blond man had pulled out one of the last few satchels, the one containing all their spare clothes. He was standing upright, arms held out, nose ring quivering in silent outrage. In his left hand he had Blake's flag bandana; in his right, Blake's spare jacket, rebel flag patch sitting proudly on the shoulder. Blake reacted fastest. He dropped the food he was holding, raised his Glock, and with a vengeful crack the blond ponytail exploded in a spray of red. The man in the beret raised his rifle and fired two shots into Blake's chest, sending him flying from the tray. A scream burst from Lauren as she reached for her gun, but the alien matched the sound and met her with a powerful tackle, sending both of them crashing into a pile of frozen hamburgers. Sunshine reached out and grabbed Tanner's arm. Time snapped back into motion for Tanner. He instinctively pulled away and shook his arm free of the grasping fingers. Stepping back, he spun and swung his fist in a wild roundhouse. It connected with Sunshine's jaw as they overbalanced toward him. Tanner watched them collapse in a heap. His gaze danced over the chaos unfolding around him, frantically searching for Katie. _There. Tanner picked her up and ran. They plunged off the road and into the darkness. There was only one thought in his mind: get Katie across that bridge. She was sobbing, shaking in his grasp, and Tanner made what he hoped were comforting shushing noises as he ran. He knew this park—there was a staircase inside one of the support towers that rose from the park to the bridge overhead. That was his way out. Holding Katie tightly, breath ragged, he ran toward the orgy of light and noise pulsating below. The two escapees burst into the mass of people. Tanner looked around, eyes darting, taking in the madness and trying to get his bearings. The sensory assault was overwhelming, but he slowly made out patterns in the polyrhythmic press. What had looked from above like a continuous swell of humanity was actually a hundred, a thousand separate groups and camps and parties. People flowed freely between them, groups forming and merging and coming apart in a chaotic, everchanging anarchy. A makeshift stage to his left throbbed with bass, colliding with the bone-jarring screams and guitars of a group of punks. Tanner found himself surrounded by ecstatic dancers, while a group almost under his feet sat staring into a campfire, oblivious to the rest of the world. He crashed through their doped-out reverie and bounced off two men, locked in a hungry embrace. Tanner recoiled and turned away, shielding Katie with his body, searching desperately for the tower that would lead him out of this nightmare. Lights flashed, blinding, creating a sort of slideshow of horror as Tanner scanned the crowd. There. He found it. His escape from this festival of the damned. He soldiered on, caught up in a whirl of half-naked dancers, men, women, and everyone else, mindless of the frigid air as they span and writhed in rapture. Tanner spotted an exit, an island of calm, and dove for it. He exploded from the throng, gasping for air, and breathed in the relative silence. Collecting himself, he was faced with rows of bodies, still, staring at something unseen up ahead, the very air trembling with collective anticipation. A voice shattered his uneasy reprieve, loud and bombastic and dripping with drama. “And now, my darlings, it is time for these fuckers to do what I do best—go down!” Tanner dashed through the crowd as they roared and surged into motion, and caught a glimpse of the scene ahead: two lines of people, straining on thick ropes, as a woman in lingerie and feathers pranced like a princess of hell before them. The ropes led upwards, where they were tied around the necks of two enormous metal figures. Lewis and Clark. Tanner broke into a full sprint, shouldering bodies aside. He was almost there. Up ahead, rising from the chaos, was his stairway to the heavens. His legs trembled and his breath came in ragged sobs, but he couldn't slow down. Not when he was so close. He tore out of the crowd and into the comforting darkness of the spaces in between. His hysterical panic began to subside. One foot in front of the other. Keep running. They were going to make it. As he neared the tower a figure came into view at the base, looming from the shadows of the doorway, staring into the blackness beyond. A stocky, muscled figure wearing fatigues and a plate carrier. It couldn't be… “Blake! Blake, thank God.” Tears welled in Tanner's eyes as he reached his friend. Lauren was nowhere to be seen, but right now Tanner couldn't think about her. He had survived, and he had brought Katie through. His heartbeat was still frantic, but from exertion rather than fear. They were here. He, Katie, and Blake. Emotionally exhausted, physically spent, battered and terrified, but alive. They were going to be okay. He reached out to his friend. Blake turned—No, not Blake. A thick black beard engulfed the shadowy face, momentarily lit by the glowing ember of a huge cigar. The eyes were deep-set and dark, the skin weathered, wrinkled, brown. The face of an illegal alien. Tanner's throat betrayed him. He squeaked, and nothing more would come out. His knees wobbled and threatened to give way, his feet froze in place. He wavered. He whimpered. Puffing on the cigar, the alien took in his terrified face and the little girl slung over his shoulder. He gestured toward the doorway and blew out an enormous plume of smoke. “Go, gringo.” It was well past midnight when Katie ran into the side of a tent, fell on her bottom, and started crying. They had crossed the bridge, left the highway, and headed for the safety of the forest. Since then they had been wandering among the trees for hours, directionless, driven by fear, then by hope, then exhausted aimlessness. Tanner wasn't going anywhere except away from that park. He had briefly entertained the image of finding a group of militia, sitting around a fire, eating and laughing and, maybe, swapping stories with their old friend Blake. That was hours ago. Visions were fleeting in the fever dream of the forest. Since then, they had walked because they didn't know what else to do. Tanner stumbled over to Katie and collapsed beside her, holding her close and hushing her. He felt like crying too. A flashlight clicked on inside the tent and a dreadlocked head poked out of the flap. “Hey, there's someone here!” Rustling erupted from all around and more faces appeared. “Wasn't someone keeping watch?” “I thought you were.” “Doesn't matter, doesn't matter. Someone's crying.” “You folks okay?” Tanner and Katie were soon surrounded by a small group of people. He looked up at them. “Are you the militia?” “No, don't worry. You're safe here. We're friends.” “Although I guess we are a militia if you think about it. Sort of.” “Shh, don't confuse the poor people. They're terrified.” “Sorry. No, no militia. Someone get them a blanket and something to drink.” Minutes later, Tanner and Katie were wrapped in sleeping bags, sipping on hot cocoa. It was scalding and familiar and Tanner felt the tension of the past day fading, leaving bone-deep exhaustion in its place. “Are you okay? What happened?” “Thank you. We were… we just need to sleep.” “And you? What's your name? Are you alright?” Katie looked at her dad, then stared up from her tin mug. “I'm Katie. I'm scared.” “You're safe now. We'll help you. Look, we'll get you somewhere to sleep.” The first face they had seen rummaged around in a tent and brought out a bag. “Lucky we have a spare tent. I'll just put it up, won't be a second.” The tent was almost up by the time Tanner and Katie finished their drinks, and they got up and walked over, sleeping bags over their shoulders, holding hands. “Hey, thanks,” Tanner said. “I would have helped but I don't really know how. Never had much call for camping. I am, uh, was a lawyer,” he glanced around, “not criminal, uh… intellectual property. Copyright.” “No problem, of course. Here, it's not hard. I'm just clipping the…” “This isn't the time for camping lessons, Jacob. Anyway, you'll scare the man, sharing information for free like that. They've been through enough already.” “Sorry, yeah. Look, slide in. Take these sleeping mats. It'll do for tonight, I'll teach you tomorrow.” Tanner and Katie squeezed into the tent, sleeping bags huddled together on the cold, hard ground, and slept. THE END **Inmn ** 1:03:01 Hello, and welcome to the show. Thank you so much for coming on today. Could you introduce yourself with your name, pronouns, and just a little bit about what you do in the world? **Matt ** 1:03:15 Yeah, hi, I'm Matt. He/him pronouns. And I'm a student again, after a really long time, actually, which is why I've just moved to where I'm living now. But I like to write, you know, mostly for me, and this is the first first thing I've published but I enjoy it. And yeah, I'm really grateful that you've taken an interest in it. **Inmn ** 1:03:37 Yeah, totally. I love the story. So we just listened to the second half of your story, Blood, Soil and Frozen TV Dinners and even though listeners just heard...just heard the whole story, I'm wondering if you could just kind of like walk us through the story in your--you know, from the mouth of the author--what is this story about? **Matt ** 1:04:01 So the story, for me, was about, to some extent, seeing yourself in some ways or, you know, people like you, through the eyes of...through the eyes of someone else, I guess, someone who's very different and might see things in a different way. So I always find it interesting to play with different perspectives or different characters instead of telling the story from a heroic perspective or something. And I wondered what a pathway to a better world might look like from someone who didn't necessarily want that to happen. So we have these, you know, preppers who--call them you want, right-wing conservatives, something like this--and what they might think, given the knowledge that they receive about the world, what they might think is happening when something happens that a lot of the rest of us might want. **Inmn ** 1:05:00 Yeah, totally. I really like how you put that. What was it, like, "a better world that they don't necessarily want?" [both laugh] Okay, well, how did this, how did this story kind of...like how did it come to be? What inspiration did you kind of draw from to craft this situation or these like personalities from Tanner and Blake or Earl Swanson? 1:05:35 Yeah, the story itself, there was a discussion last Halloween, I believe it was, on Coffee With Comrades, there was a interview with Pearson and Margaret Killjoy, talking about the discussion of the monster in literature, which is where I first took the idea that they were talking about seeing yourself as the monster in this idea and sometimes reveling in that or perhaps enjoying it. And that was where the first idea came from. And then the most specific layout of the story or main theme, I guess, was, I was doing something on the US Tax Office website. And there's this whole section for aliens, right, if you're an alien in the U.S., these are the tax rules you need to follow. And I just thought it was a funny word. You know, I'd seen it on Fox News or something before but it just struck me as really weird in such an official position. Yeah, and I just was playing with the ideas of this and, you know, I like thinking about utopias and things. And this is where the like the main shape of the story had come from, just the idea of seeing the monster, seeing the alien from there. And then specific characters, I mean, some of them are just kind of people that I've met, you know, Tanner and Blake, specifically, and I think Earl Swanson's character, I mean--I don't know it's possibly libelous--but we can probably figure out who that's meant to be, right? I think it's reasonably obvious. **Inmn ** 1:07:09 Totally, totally. Yeah. Yeah. No, that's super interesting. Yeah, it's funny, I was rereading the story today to prepare for this interview and I realized that the first time that I was reading it, because of this perspective of the.... I'm like, okay, I know, these are some, you know, at least center-right, far-right preppers and they're using the word "alien" and I don't actually know what they mean by this, which was, you know, maybe a purposeful being vague about it, but I was like, I don't know if they think that it's, you know, illegal aliens or undocumented migrants or whatever or if they mean, like, literal from outer space aliens. And, yeah, I was like, I don't know what they mean by what they're talking about. And maybe they don't either. 1:08:20 This was part of the conceit, right, was setting it up like it's a pretend big reveal, I think, that it's a twist in the story that at some point gets revealed, but that's not really the point. It's not really meant to be a big trick or something like this, you know? I think in discussions in the editing, we talked about in the first page or so when they speaking Arabic, and it's reasonably obvious to anyone that knows Arabic who these people are, you know, it's not hidden, but this was the idea, that they may have meant illegal alien all along, was, you know, the way they we're using the term, but that they weren't necessarily drawing so much of a distinction between the two uses of the word alien, that in their minds a, sort of, invasion by one was the same as the invasion by the other to some extent. **Inmn ** 1:09:10 Yeah, which, you know, I actually really love that from the perspective of.... It's like maybe an interesting twist. I didn't listen to that interview with Pearson and Margaret, so I'm not sure what they talked about, but there's this kind of idea in a lot of spaces that I've been part of,you know, when people talk about things like assimilation or something, especially in queer spaces, of like, "We have to seem harmless to them. We have to seem innocent. We have to seem like we just want to be part of the group," you know, and then this other side that's like, "No, we want to be unknowable. We are claiming the monstrosity that they are putting on us," and I'm like, yeah, we're fucking.... I don't know, anarchists are kind of aliens, like, in an entirely other way of thinking, you know? 1:10:09 Yeah, and just considering some social norms is completely irrelevant or harmful or repressive and other things that other people would consider, perhaps, violent or something seem completely okay to other people. There is a complete sort of alienation of perspective from broader society, I think. And yeah, it is, there's a tension between sometimes wanting to go unnoticed, or, as you say, like assimilate, and even, for me, walking around, you know, sometimes you want to look like an anarchist and sometimes you don't. It's an interesting dynamic, I guess, that you can switch sometimes day-to-day. **Inmn ** 1:10:54 Yeah, yeah. Have you read much of--you know, love talking about this person on the show--have you read much of Ursula Le Guin's Hainish Cycle? 1:11:08 I've read only "The Dispossessed" and "The Left Hand of Darkness". **Inmn ** 1:11:16 Great examples. I think "The Left Hand of Darkness," kind of brings out this idea of where the reader is going to maybe most identify with the alien, or whatever, in "The Left Hand of Darkness" being not the not the Gethens--or I don't remember what they're called. But then it's like, the more that we're reading the book... or there's some times where I'm this alien or, you know, our perspective person just doesn't understand this culture. And that's really painful. And then there are other times when I'm like, I don't know, maybe the alien's perspectives on the world are far more dissimilar to what a normal person on like our planet Earth would think, because they're advocating for a better world that is very alien to people on this planet. Does that make sense? **Matt ** 1:12:24 Yeah, I mean, in "The Dispossessed," I think it's the same dynamic with Shevak coming back to Earth and presenting the perspective, both ways that it seems incredibly alien to him and then the other way around to everyone else that's there, to the general culture there. Yeah. I think it's an interesting literary device to present the outsider point of view, I think, which I mean, is quite the opposite of what I did in this story, I presented the more mainstream point of view, I guess, but from the circles that we're in, it's funny to see from the outside what that looks like. **Inmn ** 1:13:02 Yeah, yeah, I had this very silly idea once for...I don't know if it was gonna be a short story or what but kind of, using that "alien" trope or like "Stranger in a Strange Land" trope as a way to talk to my parents about anarchism or about radical queer spheres. **Matt ** 1:13:27 Yeah, I mean, that's about as alien as it can get for a lot of people's parents, right. **Inmn ** 1:13:31 Totally. But just as some funny little zine that's like an introduction to the punk house, you know? **Matt ** 1:13:44 Yeah, viewed as some sort of interesting zoo creatures. **Inmn ** 1:13:46 Yeah. I was wondering if you could talk a little bit about the kind of political renderings of Tanner and Blake or ,rather, their differences in how they perceive or interact with either preparedness or this new world that they're encountering? **Matt ** 1:14:14 Yeah, I think that Blake's character is a lot.... He knows what he's doing, right? It's a lot more intentional and more--I guess educated is maybe not quite the right word--but a lot more of an actually constructed ideology, whereas for Tanner it's very much received. He's not so keen, not so entirely sold on the idea or doesn't necessarily know the idea. It feels like it's like lost and failing a lot of the time and I think that's why I found him a much more interesting character because that's how I feel a lot of people that I know and talk to and family members and friends and things or friends of people I know get pulled into a lot of these, you know, reactionary ideologies is kind of by accident a lot of the time, right? Because it's what's presented and what they're drawn into by someone who has a lot more investment in it than they do. And they just kind of bumble into it almost by accident. Yeah. **Inmn ** 1:15:20 Because it's what they're seeing on TV. People who are deeper into that philosophy are like.... It's like the people that they're around who are their own little echo chambers of, "Oh, okay, there's this thing happening. Not sure how I feel about it. But I'm being like, fed this perspective on it." **Matt ** 1:15:46 Yeah, and a lot of the social or interpersonal issues that draw people in as well, I think. I tried to make it seem relatively obvious that Tanner is envious of Blake in a lot of ways, right? He is, you know, hotter than him and he is cooler than him and he knows more than him and he's always trying to, like, live up to this ideal that he has just completely interpersonally with no politics or anything in it. And he just wants to live up to what he thinks Blake wants him to be, which it turns out, is a bad thing. I mean, I'm not trying to excuse Tanner's character too much here. But yeah, I think this is what's really dangerous a lot of the time actually, for people who don't necessarily have a fully formed belief in all of these philosophical systems or something that then puts them on the wrong side not by...not necessarily out of evil intention. **Inmn ** 1:16:54 Yeah. No, that's very true. And it's interesting talking about not excusing Tanner's character too much, but as I was reading the story I found myself like, not necessarily rooting for Tanner and Bl
Denver vs Lakers as the NBA is back, Las Vegas Aces NEEDS RESPECT, Amanda Serrano Will retire a legend
We went on a walk in our neighborhood and picked up some PRIME from CVS. We grabbed (and tried not to look at) a bag of Korean Tako chips from the chip closet to enjoy on this walk. Take chips are seafood-flavored and also happen to be shaped like an octopus! This chip is made with yellow Corvina fish and flour. However, we did not know this at all when eating these chips. We compared the flavor to Top Ramen seasoning. Hope you all enjoy the show! Thanks for listening. Tune in next week!
Episode 138: In this episode, the Nerds dive deep into the enchanting world of "The Little Mermaid." They explore both the beloved classic animated film and the recently released live-action adaptation, igniting a lively debate about one of the movie's iconic songs—"Kiss the Girl." Witness the clash of opinions as Lafayette, the self-proclaimed fountain of knowledge, faces off against Carlos, the challenger determined to prove him wrong. It's a battle of wits you won't want to miss! Meanwhile, Laura reveals a peculiar side effect of reading Amy Tan's books—it triggers an unstoppable craving for Top Ramen. The hosts take a detour into the world of delicious instant noodles, sharing fond memories and exploring why this classic culinary delight continues to hold a special place in our hearts. Join the conversation and relish in the nostalgia of Top Ramen! And of course, the ever-mischievous Chick-fil-A is back in the spotlight! Discover the latest antics of this fast-food giant as the hosts unravel the mysteries behind their controversial actions. Johnny takes a stand with a Sunday boycott, and the team will fill you in on all the juicy details before moving on to their next topic. Moving on to the silver screen, the hosts review the action packed film "Sisu." Get ready for an exhilarating discussion as they dive into the heart of this adrenaline-fueled film, dissecting its thrills, characters, and overall impact. Whether you're a movie buff or simply seeking the next exciting adventure, this review is sure to spark your interest. In a not-to-be-missed segment, Laura takes center stage once again with her latest rant—this time about women's underwear. Brace yourself for a candid and humorous discussion as the hosts delve into the age-old question: Are they sexy or not? And do men face any challenges when purchasing underwear? It's a hilarious and thought-provoking debate that will leave you laughing and contemplating the mysteries of intimate fashion. Join Lafayette, Carlos, Laura, Johnny, and the rest of the "Nerds Talking" crew as they merge their nerdy passions with laughter, camaraderie, and thought-provoking discussions. Tune in to this week's episode for an unforgettable podcast experience packed with entertainment, laughs, and surprises aplenty! Stay connected with the "Nerds Talking" community by visiting our website at www.nerdstalkingthepodcast.com. We'd love to hear your thoughts, stories, and suggestions—reach out and be part of the conversation! Prepare for a podcast filled with geeky goodness, laughter, and unfiltered nerdy charm. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/nerdstalking/support
This week, Joe and Paul talk about surprises. Good ones, bad ones, surprises that make you laugh or cry - even surprises that aren't really a surprise!?! You will laugh with us and you may even be surprised by how much you enjoy this episode!@tugayspod #lgbt #lgbtq #lgbtqia+ #sandiego #gaysandiego #gaycommedy #surprisesGay San Diego comedy LGBT LGBTQ LGBTQIA+@tugayspod tugayspod@yahoo.com#lgbt #lgbtq #lgbtqia+ #sandiego #gaysandiego #gaycommedyGay San Diego comedy LGBT LGBTQ LGBTQIA+Producers: Nick Stone & Andy Smith
The #1 reason busy mamas are hesitant to focus on macro tracking at firstWhat is a mom's most valuable commodity? Time! We all know it, right? As mamas we are busy! No matter what stage of life you're in, mamas are constantly being pulled in a million directions! Mamas have kids to feed, chauffeur and entertain. We want to build thriving relationships with our spouses. We crave adult interaction and want to spend time with our friends and extended family. Time is always a factor. And time is one of the biggest reasons busy mamas don't want to try macro tracking at first.I'm right there with ya, mama. I'm a mom to three kids who all play competitive spots (aka we're at practices, games and competitions year-round!) My husband is a firefighter and spends days away from us every week. Plus, I run my own business! I don't have time for things that don't work. And I know you don't either.But mama, what if I could help you get your time back?What if serving a nutritious home-cooked meal was more efficient than going through the Chick-Fil-A drive-thru?What if you could spend more quality time with your husband because you weren't worrying about what you had to cook for dinner?What if you could enjoy a night out with your girlfriends without being so preoccupied with what you ate or drank and how it would show up on the scale tomorrow?If macro tracking could help you free up your time to spend it with the people who matter most to you, would that be worth it to you? Here's how it works.Macro tracking takes time to learn, but then it's simple.Many of the mamas I talk to use time as an excuse for not trying macro tracking. And as I said, I completely get it! Up front, macro tracking seems like it's going to be way too time-consuming. But I can tell you that it was one of the best things I've done to get my time back.The reason macro tracking seems so time-consuming up front is that it's something new! Just like anything else, you have to allow yourself time to be a beginner.One of the reasons it can take more time, in the beginning, is that you're learning to look at food in a new way. Most of us were taught to meal plan by whatever ingredients we had on hand or whatever looked or sounded good in the moment. When you macro track, you start thinking of your food as nutrients: protein, fat and carbs.Meal planning as a macro tracker is like balancing a budget. You don't just spend money all day and hope to stay within your budget! You have to set yourself up for success. You have to go through what you're going to eat and make sure it all fits into your nutritional budget.However, once you've done this, it sets you up to save time for the rest of the day!I remember before I was macro tracking, I would spend my morning stressing about what I was going to eat for breakfast. Then I'd either get too busy and forget to eat, or I'd snag a few bites of my kids' abandoned breakfast and call it good enough.Then lunch would roll around and I'd stress over what to eat. I'd dig through the fridge to find something that was edible - there was never anything. So I would end up just heating a few extra dino nuggets for myselfThen I'd stress the rest of the day about what in the world I was going to cook for dinner. And because I couldn't think of anything, I'd order a pizza. Then, I'd eat half of it because I hadn't eaten anything all day. And I would end my day with more junk food because I was starving, exhausted and stressed!It was a never-ending cycle.But once I learned how to macro track and how to budget my food throughout the day to give me energy. I spend 5-10 minutes each night creating my plan for the next day.Each night, I plan my breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. I always plan a dinner that my whole family will eat because I don't cook separate meals! And then each day is a breeze! When I go into the kitchen, I know exactly what I'm going to eat. I know that I have the ingredients on hand and usually prepped ahead of time because I took the time to prepare.I don't have to live in constant stress about what I'm going to eat and how it's going to affect my health because I have a plan. When I first started it took me a little longer to do this, but now it's second nature. And I'm beyond grateful that I have so much time back (and so much less stress!)This is how macro tracking gave me back my time! And not only do I not waste hours of each day thinking about food, making food, and then making more food because my kids won't eat what I cooked. But macro tracking took the mental load off of me too! I'm no longer constantly thinking about food! It's been an amazing byproduct of macro tracking, but it's not even the best part!Macro tracking is about more than just weight lossMost women get into macro tracking because they want to lose weight. That's what got me into it, and I bet that's why you're here reading this blog.I lost weight macro tracking. I built muscle macro tracking. I go on vacation and come back at the same weight because of macro tracking. But that's still not the best part of macro tracking.The best part of macro tracking was that it taught me what healthy looks like for me.It taught me that I didn't have to eat boiled chicken breasts and salads all day just to be healthy!I finally learned how to eat the foods I loved, like peanut butter, tacos and ice cream sandwiches in a balanced way. Oh, and I got to keep having my coffee and creamer too. That was a big one for me.Plus, on top of finally understanding my own nutritional needs, I learned how to teach my kids about food!I was a two-sport college athlete who survived on Taco Bell and Top Ramen. I was the athlete who could eat what she wanted because I spent so much time in the gym. But the second I stopped playing, it caught up to me.That's not happening to my kids.They're athletes. As I mentioned before, they play year-round sports. My son is already a two-sport athlete. But my kids have a leg up on me. They understand their nutrition because I taught them what I learned!When they were little and I was just diving into macros, I taught them everything I could about nutrition. They could tell you that carbs gave you energy (and I'd have them run in place when I taught them.) They knew fats kept you full (they'd rub their tummies to pretend to be full.) And they knew protein made them strong (and they'd tell you that as they flexed.)Teaching my kids these things when they were little helped them stick as they grew up. Now, my kids are getting a little older and they know what to reach for when they need a pre-practice snack. They know that when they're sore after a long week of practices, they need protein and rest to rebuild their muscles. They know how to fuel themselves for a weekend tournament.Yes, I got into macro tracking to lose the baby weight. To feel like me again. But it's not just about weight loss anymore. It's about feeding my body so that I feel good and it's about teaching my kids how to do the same. Because the last thing I want for my daughters is to go through what I did, and mama, I know you want that for your kiddos too.You want to set them up for success. Being a little bit selfish with your time or money right now so that you can learn how to eat a balanced diet that helps you feel amazing in your skin, is going to have huge dividends. Invest now and let everyone around you reap the rewards!Let's talk about your goal and how we can work together to reach them! Let's chat, Schedule a Free Discovery Session here: http://bit.ly/DiscoverySessionKmoreHave a question? Email me here: Krista@KmoreMacro.comFollow me on IG: @kmoremacroJoin my Busy Mom Simple Nutrition FREE Fb group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/BusyMomSimpleNutritionLove Free Resources Go Here: https://theunraveledmama.com/resources
The amount of raccoon rage is barely containable as the girls dumpster dive into the unfair ELEVEN-DAY HONEYMOON that has Top Ramen and Robyn breakdancing into the sun and surf as THREE WHOLE OTHER WIVES -- who only ever got to take ROAD TRIPS FOR HONEYMOONS -- stay salty back on the couch, spitting venom and jealousy into the blank Mormon void. Moving onto Plathville, the girls watch in horror as Barry makes his final transition into full-on robotic form as he bee boop bops around the kitchen sizing up a tall, strapping Jamaican who is more likely than not thoroughly boning his sweating, pirouetting, drunk-driving wife. Come forth and feast upon the trash, fellow raccoons! Follow RTC on IG: https://instagram.com/realitytvcringe
Wake. Feed. Wrangle toddlers. Curl hair. Watch The Good Wife. Give Fred a life of infant luxury. That's Kelly's maternity leave so far. Oh — and let's not forget nursing while podcasting! If you're posting attention grabbing yet vague statuses on social media, or annoyed by someone else who does, you might find today's millennial word of the day — ‘soft launching' — useful. Lizz is bringing back another feral freeway — her counterpart to Kelly's driveway dump — where she tells us about the reels she watched this week and viral trends she's following. Up this week are tart cherry juice for sleep, doubting that makeup influencers are really in such a rush, and the 10 pumps of foundation trend. Kelly's sharing her favorite newborn baby products in her driveway dump today. She couldn't live without The Shusher, her Halo bassinet, Kyte PJs, and muslin washcloths for Fred. Katie Perry is hopping on the mocktail train and Kelly's ready for a taste drive. A Dyson airwrap recap reveals how Kelly really feels about the (dispensable) hair tool. And Kelly and Lizz answer the question: Is Target overrated lately? Giving equal parts family-essentials and personal splurges, Kelly and Lizz share their last three transactions. Lizz purchased a new pair of the only shoes she wears — Hokas, a washable nursery rug from Rug USA, and maternity biker shorts from Amazon. Kelly went all out with her Tupperware sippy cup buy, matching Hill House dresses for her and Hattie, and a tripod she picked up after being inspired by @cecilybauchmann's everyday content on Instagram. When it comes to height and confidence Lizz has always been the six foot girl wearing six inch stilettos while you'll catch Kelly slouching in the corner. On today's advice segment, the gals give a mom advice on how to support and celebrate her tall five year old. Today's ditch the drive-through comes from Britney — an orange chicken dish that comes together quickly. You'll need a frozen snap pea stir fry mix from Walmart, chicken, Top Ramen, and Panda Express orange chicken sauce to pull this one off! In short and sweet industry news, Consumer Reports names their Top 10 picks of 2023 Cars and include the Toyota Corolla Hybrid, Subaru Forester, and Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid in their lineup. → To share your ditch the drive-through recipe with us, call (959) CAR-POOL and leave us a message! → Want our advice on literally anything? Shoot us an email for a chance to get your questions featured on the show at hello@thecarmomofficial.com Follow the Carpool Podcast on IG Follow the Carpool Podcast on YouTube Follow Kelly on IG Follow Lizz on IG Visit thecarmomofficial.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Due to Technical Difficulties previous audio has been lost to the new Dark matter Black Hole... Top Ramen or Maruchan? History or Science? Can you name ten presidents? On this shorter episode we catch up (or mustard) on our current reads and TBRs! What books are you looking forward to releasing in 2023 and do you think the word "Quantum" was said too many times in Antman? Be sure to pick up your copy of Star Wars: Lost Stars by Claudia Gray. Thank you all for following, listening, and reading along with us!! Don't forget to send us your quotes of the week! Hit us up on Instagram/Twitter or Gmail (below) with any and all of your thoughts on this week's episode and check out our TikTok for more Bookends content. Enjoy and join us next week for more book-talk! Instagram: Bookends_With_Friends TikTok: bookendswithfriendspod Email: BookendsWithFriends@gmail.com Twitter: @BookendsPod
0:00 START 8:32 RATCHET SPONSORS 12:00 RIP GANGSTA BOO 17:00 BEST MOVIES OF THE YEAR 36:54 WEAKEST MOVIES OF THE YEAR 47:02 WHAT BBC WANNA SEE 2023 ► EMAIL US HERE: bbcontentclub@gmail.com ► Instagram: @moses_primm @mrjaywashington @chris_please
As we wrap up another season catch up with the Pak over the last couple of weeks. Halloween shenanigans and all. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mondo-swanson/message
It's Halloween! And to celebrate, we're giving all you ghosts and goblins a special treat with the best podcast about Kendrick Lamar and the 115th greatest album of all time, Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City. Before we get to the album, this episode kicks off with a list of the best scary songs straight from the big lake they called Gitche Gumee and a discussion of great Halloween costumes. We also talk marching band music, live-action remake movies, and Twitter likes. Then at (1:01:00), we're putting some hot sauce all up in your Top Ramen when we discuss Kendrick Lamar and his first major label album Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City. We discuss Kendrick's ability to tell concise stories, album guest appearances, and the best songs written and produced by the Neptunes. And trust us, our milkshake will bring all the boys to the yard! Buy a shirt here every cent goes to charity Call the beck line at 802-277-BECK Next week, join us for a stroll down fascination street when we become the best podcast about The Cure, and the 116th greatest album of all time, Disintegration.
from the popular podcast! WHATS UP FOOLS!?, ESTAN READY bros!, & LOS PODCASTERS DEL NORTE! Comedian @Martin Rizo drop by to kick back with ya boys & chop it up about his recent performance at the super poppin @Ave 26 Night Market CHICANO COMEDY FEST in Pico Rivera Sports Arena, some horny LYFT stories, road dogging it con chorro, South Gates doctor strange & the mijoverse, a PSA about FICHERAS, being a content SICKASSFOO, pandemic born comedy shows, wholesome pranks only... AND WE ALL DO AN IMAGINEfoo
Join me this week on Frontline Static, as I had the opportunity to interview Josh who is an EMS pilot. He talks about how he got into EMS, from the pilot side, and the standards now to get into it. He also offers his advice on what makes the best team member, and we both address what about this job is nothing like we thought it would be. Learn what makes a good clinician that has nothing to do with knowledge and experience, and find out how we as team members, quickly become close knit after some of the hardest moments together.
Dr. Buske thought he knew what it took to be successful in dentistry. He put in plenty of hours, took all the right courses, and had the student debt to show for it. All of that meant nothing without good patient flow. He barely had enough new monthly patients to pay his bills. Frustrated, burnt out, and living off of top ramen, this isn't what Dr. Buske had signed up for. He was ready to throw in the towel on dentistry. Until he read an article by Dr. Bruce Baird, reached out to him, and actually got a reply. The two met up and Dr. Buske was real and raw about why he was ready to call it quits. Dr. Baird was running the Productive Dentist Academy, and he was certain it could be the turning point Dr. Buske needed. How to Get Involved: Are you ready to lead authentically, live abundantly, and love always? Are you held back from this by a lack of community, certainty, or courage? The Be The Man Conference could be the key to unlocking your full potential in all areas of your life, from faith and family, to fitness and finance. This men's only, 3-day retreat, will transform your mental health, your leadership, and your life. For more information, and to reserve your seat, visit bethemancon.com. Enter promo code “limitless” for a special bonus at the conference. Join Dental Syndicate HERE --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/ididntsignupforthis/message
In episode 021 Easy Beef Ramen: Susie takes your traditional (inexpensive) Top Ramen and makes it into a delicious dinner. Including flank steak, a savory broth and broccoli. Easy enough for a weeknight dinner! Full Show Notes https://momsdinner.net/episode-021-beef-ramen/ Tips Shared Prep all your ingredients before you start cooking, it comes together really fast! Use the edge of a spoon to peel the ginger, or use the frozen cubes of ginger from Dorot Gardens Leftover ginger can be frozen for up to 6 months. Flank steak should be cut against the grain to keep it tender. Use frozen broccoli because of the quick cooking time. Recipes Mentioned Easy Beef Ramen Instant Pot Beef Ramen Crispy Brussels Sprouts with Sambal Aioli
Support our sponsor! https://MagicMind.co/dark Use promo code DARK for 20% off. Email your Magic Mind receipt to KATSAfterDark@gmail.com and we'll zoom you into the show to hear how Magic Mind has changed your life! More from the team: Shapel Lacey Shapel's World: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0JQcEd46e4&ab_channel=ThicccBoy Cattien Le https://unrulyagency.com/Catle/ Chin Suyi https://www.youtube.com/c/ChinSuYi Nick Davis Check out his other podcast, Another Podcast Show: https://www.youtube.com/c/AnotherPodcastNetwork
We briefly discuss the fallout from the smack heard around the world. We also list the top cocaine celebrity vag list. And the craziest things that we've done for or about a female. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/sarcastic-bastardz0/support
Growing up, Eric Dragonetti admired planes and saw himself becoming an aerospace engineer, designing jet engines. It wasn't until he was touring colleges that he thought he might actually want to be a pilot instead. After 4 years at University of North Dakota, Eric graduated as a certified flight instructor. From there, he built his hours towards becoming an airline pilot. Eric loved flying commercial, until Covid came and shook things up. While furloughed, Eric decided to do enough private lessons to pay the mortgage and eat Top Ramen. When he did return to his commercial role, he realized the aviation market just wasn't the same and no longer worked for him. The decision was clear, it was time to start his own flight school. What You'll Learn: What a discovery flight is and how to arrange one. How a chance meeting led Eric to attend University of North Dakota. The two biggest struggles Eric had when it came to starting a business. How top of the line avionics change the experience. Favorite Quote: “When you have a dream, you wanna go for it, you work for it.”
James Malinchak is known to many as the “Big Money Speaker,” because of his success as a speaker, a motivator, and an inspiration to those who hear him. When I use the term “unstoppable” I refer, as regular listeners know, to a mindset that people adopt that helps them move forward even in the face of extreme adversity. James discovered early in life that he would have to adopt his own unstoppable mindset if he wanted to survive and succeed first in the world of finance and then as a speaker who could coach and inspire others to raise their own sights. Mr. Malinchak has been an extremely popular speaker in the college speaking circuit. Not only is he a quite sought-after speaker, but he does make money speaking at colleges and elsewhere. His secret is simple. “If you don't ask for what you are worth then you will never get it.” James has appeared on the Television show, Secret Millionaire. He will tell you about his experiences and through them you will get to meet a man whose life philosophy is refreshing, positive and unstoppable. I look forward to hearing your comments after you listen to James. Please email me at michaelhi@accessibe.com and tell me what you think of this interview. Some directories do not show full show notes. For the complete transcription please visit https://michaelhingson.com/podcast About the Guest: James Malinchak is recognized as one of the most requested, in-demand business and motivational keynote speakers and marketing consultants in the world. He was featured on the Hit ABC TV Show, Secret Millionaire and was twice named National “College Speaker of the Year.” James has delivered over 3,000+ presentations for corporations, associations, business groups, colleges, universities and youth organizations worldwide. James can speak for groups ranging from 20-30,000+. Giving back is a big part of James' life as he has raised over $1,000,000 for various charities and organizations and has donated thousands of dollars of his own money to help others. As a speaker marketing coach and consultant, James is the behind-the-scenes, go-to marketing advisor for many top speakers, authors, thought leaders, business professionals, celebrities, sports coaches, athletes and entrepreneurs and is recognized as “The World's #1 Big Money Speaker Trainer and Coach!” For more information & FREE Training, visit: www.BigMoneySpeaker.com About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app. Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes UM Intro/Outro 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us. Michael Hingson 01:22 Well, hi, everyone. This is Mike Kingston, welcome you to another episode of unstoppable mindset. Glad you're here and hope you will enjoy the show. We have, I think a fun and exciting guest. Just listening to information about his company, big money speaker. Well, you can't get more exciting than that. Can you James? James Malinchak 01:42 So it's it's better than little money speaker. Michael Hingson 01:45 That is true. So everyone meet James Malin. Check and James were really pleased and gratified that you came on the podcast today. James Malinchak 01:53 Thanks for having me, Mike. I appreciate it and hope to inspire some of your your great listeners. Michael Hingson 01:59 Well, we're glad you're here. Well, let's let's start off and see what what we can learn. So you, you've been in the speaking business as well. But tell us about your last little bit. When you weren't obviously you were born like the rest of us. And where does it go from there? James Malinchak 02:14 I was born in a van down by the river, right? And now what every motivational speaker says. Michael Hingson 02:18 Either that or you were born in a log cabin. Yeah. James Malinchak 02:22 Yeah. No, I grew up in a tiny steel town outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania population of about 6000. Great folks. We didn't have much grown up dad was a steel worker and mom was a lunch mother serving lunches to us kids at school. So I had some big dreams and goals. And one of them was the play college basketball. So I accepted a basketball scholarship to the University of Cincinnati, right out of high school. And then my coach had gotten relieved of his duties, which is a great way to say he was fired. So I ended up transferring and playing in Hawaii. And unfortunately, in an exhibition game, I caught a pass twisted my knee and ripped up my knees. I was I was done. And so I moved to Los Angeles. My career, dreams of playing pro basketball were done. And I moved to Los Angeles and started my career as a stockbroker. I worked for a major Wall Street investment firm, and won some awards. They're very early in my young years, my first year starting out opened up about 200 Some accounts. And so my phone rang one day. And it was a gentleman, he said, Hey, my son works with you there in the office. And he said, You just really smashed it did really well, I'd love to have you come and talk to my employees. And I said, I don't I don't really speak and do that kind of stuff. I'm just an advisor. And he said, Well, we only really need you to talk for about 40 minutes. And so I don't really speak or do any of that kind of stuff. You know, I don't even know what that means. And he said, and I'll pay $5,000. And I said I speak I speak. I speak. Michael Hingson 04:01 Hallelujah. James Malinchak 04:05 Mama didn't raise no for Mike. Yeah, somebody wants to pay you to show up and talk your yo, you're saying the same stuff anyway. And now they're going to pay you. I said, I mean, I don't know what this means, but I'll do it. Easy. Yes. So I went and did it. And on a scale of one to 10 I was probably in my mind that was a negative two. I mean, I thought I was so awful. You know, just a bad presenter. And he came up and he said that was great. And I'm like, Who were you watching? You're watching me because I was terrible. He said, Well, this first lesson I got he said you might not be a good orator presenter. But you're great at telling your story with your message that inspired my folks to want to be better. I'd like to actually have you come back and do it for a couple different divisions two more times and and would it be okay if I paid you the 5000 bucks each time and I was like Yeah, okay, like really? You thought I was good? He said, No, you weren't like good presenter, but your information was really good. And so I did. And, and I couldn't believe it. I was like, holy cow. I did three talks, and they paid me 15,000 bucks. So guess what I did, Mike. I did a really smart thing, buddy. I went quit my job. Michael Hingson 05:23 And you learn how to be a better presenter, right? James Malinchak 05:26 Well, let me tell you what I did learn. I learned that. Bookings like that don't fall out of the sky. No. And I was very blessed and lucky on those three, because I blew through my life savings. And I was so financially destitute and broke that I was forced to work in a video store Montrose video in Montrose, California, and I made seven bucks an hour. And I lived in an apartment that had bars on the windows, and it was $400 a month to rent the apartment in Los Angeles. Yeah. And so yeah, a Top Ramen noodles, a pasta diluted with pot with a spaghetti sauce diluted with water, because it would last longer. And I did that for three years. Because I didn't realize I was running a business, you know, and I thought magically cheques were just gonna fall out of the sky for me, and that never happened. So I was on the phone with a mentor. And he was worth about $500 million. And he knew me since I was a kid. And he said, Hey, you know, you can have the best most impactful message in the world, you can have the biggest heart and want to change lives and help people. But if you don't learn how to run this thing as a business, you're gonna be in for rough roads. And so if he told me to eat the pencil, and it would make me successful, I would do it because he pretty much everything he's told me has worked in my life. So I went on, I started learning the business, and how do I do this. And, you know, and that's why my logo today for big money speaker on my shirt is a coin. Because I always say there's two sides of the coin, in speaking or for any business, number one you have what you do to serve people and help people and make a difference, or your message or your information. But then there's a flip side of the coin, it's called the business of speaking. And so once I've mastered the business of speaking and didn't worry about whether I was a great presenter or anything, that's when I went from zero and then book 40 talks the next year, and then 100 talks, the paid talks, not free talks, paid talks the next year. And then never when I was doing full paid speaking that ever book less than 100 paid talks and my busiest year, as I did 157 locations, 157 locations in some locations, I got six checks, or five checks like Valencia Community College in Orlando, Florida has six campuses. So when I went to Orlando, one location, I spoke six times and got six checks. So that's how I did it. Now I've done over 3000, some paid presentations, and very blessed that I've met a lot of cool people and hopefully in some way help them. Michael Hingson 08:06 And, you know, that is what it's all about. And the reality is a lot of people don't view speaking is a business. And a lot of people who speak don't use speaking as a business. I actually had a conversation with someone that's involved with authors. And we were we were talking about authors and speaking and she said, The problem is we book authors, but you got to understand they're not professional speakers. And I said, you're viewing you're booking authors to speak, of course, they're professional speakers. What am I missing here? James Malinchak 08:44 Well, if someone got paid to show up and talk them their professional, not Michael Hingson 08:49 exactly. That's what I would say. I remember the first speech I gave, I don't know how much you know of my story. I'm sure Michelle told you some. But we were in the World Trade Center on September 11. And came out and the media got the story. And a couple of weeks later, we got a call from a gentleman in New Jersey, and he said, I'm a pastor in a church. We're just holding an evening ecumenical service for all the people who were last in the World Trade Center, who are from New Jersey. And we'd like you to just come and take about five or six minutes and just briefly tell your story. And, you know, we can't pay or anything. By that time, I had actually started getting calls from people who said, We want to pay you to come and speak and of course, my belief was being in sales. Why do I want to sell computers when people want to pay me just to talk, you know, but but I said I would come in and speak to this group. And this happened before any of the paid presentations actually took place. But I made the mistake. I love to say it that way of asking him how many people are going to be at the service, probably 6000. So my first speech was a brief one, six minutes, but to 6000 people in an open air service in New Jersey, and it was fun. And hopefully we moved people and it kind of went from there. So I know exactly what you're saying. James Malinchak 10:11 That's fantastic. Congratulations on that. Michael Hingson 10:13 It was it was a lot of fun. And you know, it is in part about serving people, but it is a business as well. And it's great when you can, can put the two together. James Malinchak 10:25 Absolutely. That's why I say there's two sides of the coin. Right, right. And by the way, not just for speaking, but for any entrepreneurial business out there, I've done 2000 2000 plus one on one consulting for business people. And it doesn't matter what they're in, whether they're a dentist, whether they are running a seminar company, whether they're opening a chain of restaurants, you know, there's the one side where you serve folks, and you help them and you make joy in their life with your restaurant with your food, your service, but don't flip side, there's this thing called the business of you got to figure out how to get people to come to your restaurant, how to get them to keep coming back how to get them to talk and refer others how to set your restaurant up to run on systems, you know how to hire retain great people. I mean, that's all business that has nothing to do with the first side of the coin that has everything to do with running a business. Michael Hingson 11:18 So you learn a lot of that, I would assume and developing that mindset from the fact that you were in an investment firm for a while that that had to have an influence on all that. I would say James Malinchak 11:30 yes, a little bit, but not really a lot, because that's not an entrepreneurial business. That's corporate America. Sure. Right. And so, you know, they're trained, I always say that, you know, they're trained a lot to do the same thing. And deliver, you know, you go from one office to the other, all the managers are saying the same thing, doing the same thing. So it's pretty much corporate run, coming down from the shareholders and the board and CEO, CFO C level execs. So when I ventured out, I'll tell you the big one of the big mistakes that I made with speaking when I've ventured out into speaking, I didn't realize it was an entrepreneurial business, I just thought, Oh, this is fun, I get to speak and talk to people and this guy paid me money. So this is pretty cool. And I never realized that this is no different than a flower shop and opening that or, you know, restaurant and opening that or a chiropractic office and opening that. You know, a lot of times folks get into speaking and don't realize that it is a actual real business, a real professional business. And that was my one of my big mistakes in the beginning is not grasping that I just thought this is the coolest thing in the world. I get to speak and get paid holy, wow. I never thought of it as a real business. Michael Hingson 12:50 But nevertheless, with with the training, you had your your mind, internalize that. And you came to that realization that it was a business. James Malinchak 12:59 Yeah, very quickly, I realized. And then the other thing I realized is like me and it's no one's fault. They've never been taught this. Most speakers, authors, trainers, coaches, if you will never actually run it as a business. It's a hobby. And they don't have systems in place. They don't have a prospecting tool. They don't have referral mechanisms in place. You know, they don't have upsells downsells cross sells, and I didn't either, and it's all because we're never taught that. I work with a lot. I coach a lot of celebrities now and a lot of pro athletes. I just met I was in. You mentioned trade centers. I was in San Diego speaking it was myself. Emmy award winning TV host Leeza Gibbons, good friend of mine that I've helped and Nick Lowry used to be the kicker for the Kansas City Chiefs all time leading kicks kicker for the Chiefs all time leading scorer Hall of Fame. And I had a chance to have lunch with a guy that played for the Yankees and one four World Series. He knew I was speaking he saw me on social media, he asked if we could meet for lunch and coffee. And we talked and, you know, it was the the same sort of situation. He's like, you know, I played for the Yankees and won World Series play with Gary Jeter or Derek Jeter, and all these you know, talk Yankees, and Steinbrenner, you know, learned a lot. And I want to get into speaking and I said, Well, you do know you're running a business, right? And it's wonderful. You played for the Yankees and won all these World Series. But that doesn't mean you're going to get booked. What means you're going to get booked is when you actually reach out to the people who have the budgets and make decisions and actually get them to book you. And then get them to book you for four talks instead of one and then get them to book you for four talks plus consulting and coaching for their C level execs after and they said that's all business thing. You know, and so that's what I try to impart on people now is right out of the gate, because I told him I said you're gonna you're gonna have a good message about winning World Series and all the stuff you went through and the ups and downs. But if you don't learn this stuff, stuff, all that stuff is never going to be able to share be shared and impact people because you won't know how to get to decision makers, and you won't know what they're looking for, you won't know how to let set fees, then you won't know how to roll it into $100,000 Follow up consulting contracts, etc. And so that and that was that was something I was never taught. And that's something I don't think people are taught. We just get into it. Hey, you got a great message, go talk. Okay. So I really try to impart the entrepreneurial business knowledge that I've been blessed to gain over the years that has helped me go from working in a video store making seven bucks an hour to literally generating millions of dollars as a speaker. Michael Hingson 15:42 Well, speaking of millions, you were on ABC Secret Millionaire, I remember that show. And I throw a blessing. I think I remember watching the one that you were on. But tell us about secret millionaire and it's not on anymore. That's too bad. But anyway, James Malinchak 15:57 well, so there'll be touch on that the reason it's not on is because people started figuring it out. And see what happened is that you don't realize this unless, because all you see is me on television. And I'll get into the show piece in a second. But what you don't realize is that got 15 to 20 people around me, I have one guy who his whole job was to control the microphone. And like he would say, stop, stop, stop, we got to stop filming and be like why? So there's a plane, like, you look up and it was the plane like 30,000 feet and like nobody could see it or hear it. But he could pick it up, which meant it was going to be picked up on television. Right. So that was his whole job. We had people there, their job was to just carry the reflector boards to reflect the light to make sure that there were no shadows on my face as I was walking. I mean, so there were a lot of people around us doing this. So it's not like you could just show up in a town have 15 to 20 people around you with security police, you know, big lights, cameras, like on all angles of the street four cameras and, and not know something's going on. Michael Hingson 17:09 What was your first clue? James Malinchak 17:10 Yeah, exactly. So that's the reason why the ratings were fantastic. As a matter of fact, when I was on, we had over 10 million people that watched it that night that I appeared and to put it in perspective, Trump's apprentice Donald Trump's the apprentice was on that night and had 7 million. So we I had 10 million on mine, you know, which was so in other words, like the ratings weren't great. But they were people were starting to figure it out and trying to get on TV, because they knew that the you know, they would be awarded money if they were so it just it deflated the essence of the spirit of the show, which was. So for anyone listening, imagine if someone came and grabbed you by crane picked you up out of your current element and dropped you somewhere and said go ahead and live. And by the way, you're not allowed to have any credit cards, no watch, no cell phone, no outside connection, no internet access, no outside connection to the world. They want you to be fully present in the moment. And imagine if they then said, and for this entire eight days, while you're going to be here, we're going to give you a check to live on. And it's $44.66. Now go live. And we'll see you later. And that's what it was it was taken me out of my current entrepreneurial element, with no resources, dropping me in a place. I had no idea where I was going, which happened to be Gary, Indiana. Oh, boy. Yeah, if anybody knows anything about Gary, two things, number one, Michael Jackson and the Jacksons grew up there on 223 Jackson Street. And number two, at the time I went there, it was the number two murder place in the US. And I had no idea I thought I was going to Indiana to milk cows on a farm. That's all I that's what my perception of Indiana was. And so, and basically they put me there and my purpose was to go through their town. Look for amazing people working for organizations who were changing lives and making a difference. Friend them, start working for them in their, their charity, and then volunteering. And then at the end of my time, when I'm going to leave town I go to them. And I say, Mike, thanks so much for having me here and your charity, allowing me to come into your family and start helping folks and to work side by side. I really appreciate it. I have to head out of town now. But before I leave, there's something I haven't told you. And that's my whole acting. That's the only thing they told me I had to do. So that's my acting move. I had to say that and then pause so my acting move, but big debut of acting was I paused I'll do it again for anybody didn't hear. There's something I haven't told you boom, there we go. I had to pause for three seconds. Everything else was real, except they instructed me. I had to pause for three seconds after I said that, so, and then I rebuild my identity. And the reason for the pause is they wanted to get the cameras on people's faces to catch the what? Like, what? Oh, no, what's going on? Like, they want to catch that shock. And so then, then I just told him, I said, you know, I think what you're doing is amazing, you're impacting people's lives, you're making a difference. And I open up my checkbook, and I start writing them checks. To help further their mission, I wrote over $100,000 worth of checks to them. And hence the term secret billionaire. So that's the whole essence of this show. And Mike, I'll just say the last thing is this. One of the true blessings in my life, I met, not people I met angels, people are just serving and doing good to help the fellow man and fellow woman for no other reason than to help them true angels, Great Spirits of serving. Michael Hingson 21:04 And that kind of thing is always wonderful and a blessing to encounter. And and define that there are people who are committed to doing that, and they do it very selflessly. And they get they get rewarded for it in various ways. And a lot of times, probably the investment world doesn't understand the rewards that they get. James Malinchak 21:25 Well, so you're 100% right, my friend. When I was doing the media, I mean, I must have done five 600 media appearances to promote the show, maybe 1000. I don't know I did so many of them. I remember one one time we did. 300 was booked for 300 radio shows like satellite tours where I might I probably did 5080 shows in a day, you know, five minutes here, two minutes here, four minutes here. But that was on the Grammy red carpet. I mean, with all the celebrity Will Smith is right next to me, Justin Bieber, the Oak Ridge Boys, Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise. I mean, everybody's right there. And so when I would do these interviews, no matter where it was, or to who it was, people would always say, so what was it like to be on that show? And I said, Well, it's called Secret Millionaire. And I appreciate the fact that it's kind of labeled around someone like me, the entrepreneurial millionaire guy, but this show is not about me, this show was about these unsung heroes, who are finally going to get their due and be recognized for the amazing work they're doing in their community, like you said, Mike, that no one ever hears about. So I always say, you know, it was called Secret Millionaire, but it was really about all these people who were doing amazing work. Michael Hingson 22:40 And continue to do it. It's, yeah, it's a lot of fun. I worked for a nonprofit for a while I worked up at Guide Dogs for the Blind in salt shell. Yeah, and you know, it is all about doing it because you want to, and doing it because you know, you're accomplishing good things. And for me, of course, it's a little bit different than a lot of people who who work there. And of course, using a guide dog. It's, it's different. Because I'm also involved in trying to relay the message, you know, the average individual thing. So it's a blind person who's got a dog, the dog leads them around, never recognizing that the dogs job is to make sure that we don't fall off a cliff, it's still my job to know where to go and how to get there. And that's no different than you needing, needing to know where to go and how to get there. You use different cues than I do. But I give the dog that commands. And so working up at the school, even a lot of people at the school didn't really understand that. So it was and today as I travel and speak, it is all about input, at least in part, helping to educate people to recognize blindness isn't the problem. It's your attitudes and your misconceptions about blindness. That is a real challenge that we face. And the fact of the matter is that we should be inclusive as a society. James Malinchak 24:00 Hmm, no, I love that. And kudos to what you're doing to help educate all of us who don't understand and better maybe shift our paradigm because we have false beliefs or false misconceptions. But yeah, it's it's amazing. It's amazing that when you just you know, I say that the secret to living is giving and when you come from a servant's heart, and you just truly want to make a difference. My dad and mom used to always tell me when I would do something good, like win an award like basketball or something and I'd come home Hey, Mom, Hey, Dad, I got this and they say, Oh, we love you, son that so proud of you. But remember, you didn't come into this world with anything and you're not leaving with anything. The only thing you got son is the difference that you make while you're here the impact that you make, the lives you change and the legacy you leave. And every time every time I made an award like some sort of warm throughout my whole life. Oh, that's great, son. We love you. We're proud Have you but remember, let it go right back into it. So you're Michael Hingson 25:04 gonna take, you're not going to take those plaques and trophies with you when you leave James Malinchak 25:08 100%. I just gathered dust. The it's amazing. It's funny you say that because I have some of those plaques and trophies from basketball or from when I was a stock broker and they literally are in a box in a storage unit. Right? Literally, that's it had been there for years. Yeah, 20 years, some of them. Michael Hingson 25:32 I, when I first relocated to the New York area, I was there about a year and then got recruited away by a company that I had worked with some and knew the owner of. And I worked there for about a year and a half before I got recruited by quantum to open an office for them in New York, which we did in the World Trade Center. But this company, my first year out, I was number one in sales. And since I hadn't worked for the company before, they gave me Rookie of the Year plaque, which was great. And that was on my wall in the World Trade Center. When the building was attacked, of course, everything was lost. Two weeks later, this guy calls our house and I was in the city, meeting with someone at the time, of course now after 911. And he didn't know whether he's alive or dead. He talked to my wife and finally got up the nerve to say why he was calling. And she said, Well, he's in the city meeting with someone right now. And she said, you could just hear the relief in his voice knowing that I was alive. Well, we met up and he gave me this plaque, this rookie of the year plaque he worked for 9x now part of a reason. He found that plaque in the pile grounds away, counted up. And it's just it is one of those things. So it's taken on a whole lot more meaning but it still is a plaque and it's it's really still what you accomplish. James Malinchak 26:59 Wow. That's unbelievable that it survived that. You know, what a what a great Wow. I'm speechless, literally speechless. Michael Hingson 27:09 I it was amazing. When he he found it, he cleaned it all up, it was still in great shape, it still is in great shape. And it's just kind of one of those memories that you have. And memories are good things to have. So it's okay. James Malinchak 27:23 Oh, yeah, absolutely. But you know, it's the memory I don't I don't really care about the the tangible trophies and all that I have. You know, hopefully, by doing some of those accomplishments, I was able to make someone's life better that that's what really matters to me. Michael Hingson 27:39 Sure. It's, it's about what you said, it's about what you do. The rewards and all that stuff are great. And the money is great. And we do need money. And that's the way the world is set up. But still, the bigger rewards are what we do to help people and and the things that we accomplish and can look back on and say, I made a difference. Well, what I? James Malinchak 28:01 Yeah, what I tell folks all the time, I said look, and I asked a friend of mine and you may know him neato Cobain. Nieto used to be the past president of something called the National Speakers Association. And he's the president of High Point University in High Point North Carolina right now a great phenomenal, one of the best speakers ever. And they came to America with $50 in his pocket. And I asked him one time we were sitting in the back of a room, we're both speaking at a Dan Kennedy marketing event. And I asked him, I said, neato. I just Just curious, I've always wanted to ask you this. I said, you're amazing philanthropist you give you serve, you know, you're you're pretty much running this university and taking no payment just because you want to do it and help people help kids. And I said, I know money's not everything. But how would you frame it? He goes, Well, I put money right up there with oxygen. Yeah. So what do you mean? He said, Well, I mean, you gotta have it. Everything we require in life is money. And it's, it's ridiculous for people to think that like, it should be a focus. And then so I always tell my talks, like I said, look, the more money you make, and I tell speakers this all the time more money you make, the more you can give away. Yeah, there is that. The more money you make, the more you can feed people who are hungry. The more money you make, the more you can build roofs for churches, or you could build water wells, or like I have, and I don't ever really talk about my philanthropy, but I have, you know, schools I've built in Africa, for kids who were sitting on rocks to learn because they had no shelter. And I said, this, this is terrible, you know, we ought to be able to do something about it. And so I would give them a whole bunch of money. So we can build schools over there and get textbooks and get, you know, desks and so kids don't have to sit outside and the heat, but like think about it, it takes money to do that kind of stuff. All the pie in the sky. I hear what people talk about manifestation and the secret and all that I get it But at the end of the day, you got to write a check. And at the end of the day, you got to be able to buy tangible stuff. And if you don't have the money in your bank account, you can't build the school in Africa, all the wishing and hoping in the world and getting that school bill, that stroke in a check, to buy concrete to buy supplies to pay the workers to build get trucks to come over and help them build it that that takes money to do that. So I tell people all the time, make a lot of money in your profession, so that you can impact more people. Last thing I'll say is, you know, when I was helping to feed a lot of folks, you know, it was amazing because lunch meat, bread, Manet's drinks, that all takes money to buy it, you know, so that we could actually feed people, even if we made it, we had to hire workers and pay them to make the food so we could feed people. So anyone that thinks that money doesn't play into how big and well you serve, of course, you can serve with time, you can serve with talents, but at the end of the day, if you make some more money than you can help and serve and give back in a bigger way, Michael Hingson 31:17 as you should, James Malinchak 31:18 as we all should. Yeah, so I tell people make out gazillion dollars, don't keep any of that, give it away and help a lot of less fortunate folks. Michael Hingson 31:25 Absolutely. So with things like secret millionaire, and so on, you have faced some pretty challenging things in your life. How do you do that? I think some people would say, without fear. And I know that that doesn't really make sense, because of course, there's fear. But how? How do you deal with challenges like that? James Malinchak 31:47 Well, my sister Vicki, unexpectedly passed away years ago of a brain tumor. And when she was diagnosed with it, and it was about three months before she passed, I saw her in a hospital room and in a bed, you know, with medication and all these things happening, and never one time. Never once. Did I ever hear her complaint? Never once did I ever hear her say why me? Never once? Did I ever hear her, you know, say anything about that. And I thought that I watched my sister deteriorate and start to pass away. And I said, What the hell am I complaining about? This is a human being that lost her life. And there we know many people, everybody knows someone that lost a life. And so that really changed me and made me realize that why am I scared of things? She wasn't scared of transitioning out of this world into a different place. What I'm going to be scared because I haven't tried something. And by the way, psychologists tell us that human beings are born with two fears and two fears only the fear of falling. And the fear of boom, loud noises. No. So if you have any other fear in your life, that means you created it, and you manifested it. And basically, you know this, whether you think about something good or bad, it expands. So if you think about fear and nervousness, and oh my gosh, here's the thing I learned Mike, when when we say I'm scared of this, I'm worried about this, oh, my god, well, then isn't the focus on you. And so what I do, and all I do in my talks is try to share people with people what I do that works for me, and if it works for you, great, use it. If not, they've crumble up, throw it away. I'm not here to tell you that, like I have figured everything out, I just figured out a couple things for me, and maybe these will work for you. And so what I tell folks is, when you're fearful, either one you haven't practiced, you haven't honed it, you don't have your skills down. Number two, maybe it's brand new, and you haven't tried it before, right? Like first time we tried to ride a bike or something. We were fearful everything we're always first time we started a job, we were nervous. But the third thing to realize is, is if you weren't born with that, right? It's because there was two fears fear of falling and fear of loud noises. So it's Fe AR is, is you've heard this before false evidence. It's false evidence because you weren't born with it, it appears real, because you focus on it and blow it up in your mind. Right? And so then we start the fourth thing is to focus on what what if like, Oh, what if I screw up? What if this doesn't work? I'm scared because of and then you think of a negative but what if you turn that into positive energy? And said, I'm so excited about this? Because I get this opportunity to and then fill in the blank? Yeah. So change your languaging change the way you think about it change the way you act toward it. And the last thing the fifth thing I always say is this for myself. This is part of the process. Because everything I started that was brand new, I was always nervous about and fearful. That's just part of the process. Now, I'll get through this. And then I'll look back on it the same way I look back on learning to ride a bike or learning to drive a car. And I'll look back on this situation and say, What was I so nervous about that nonsense? Michael Hingson 35:22 Well, and one of the things that that I have learned, especially over the last 20 years, and internalizing September 11, and so on is we do have fears they do happen. And some of those fears can be pretty overwhelming. But they're overwhelming, because we haven't developed a mindset that allows us to look at them, analyze them, which you can do in the blink of an eye, and be able to move forward with we've got this pandemic going on around us. And I submit that a lot of the people who choose not to get vaccinated not to wear masks who claim it's all a hoax, are really reacting out of fear, rather than recognizing there is something going on here. And we can be proud proactive in dealing with it. But mostly controlling our own mindset, so that we can move forward in the circumstances, and deal with them successfully. And with the World Trade Center. There are still people who I know who are afraid to fly because they saw the airplanes hit the towers, or they're afraid of other things, they won't go into tall buildings. And they developed these fears. And as you said, they they let them expand, rather than della developing a mindset to look at how to overcome them or use the fear because they're, there's a part of fear, that's a biological reaction. But use the fear to your advantage to allow you to be motivated to move forward. James Malinchak 37:03 Right, and you can control your fear. People don't realize that but if you studied neuro linguistic programming and timeline therapy, you could step out of it. Look at it almost as a movie going by see it not actually being engaged and let your emotions be shifted by the situation. And you literally can control that. I'm not fearful, I'm looking at it. And I'm fearful because I'm in it. But if I step back and just look at it metaphorically, then what am I really fearful of it makes no sense. And I'm watching this go by instead of actually feeling it inside of me. Michael Hingson 37:37 Exactly right. And using what's going on to heighten your senses. So traveling around the stairs at the World Trade Center was not a big deal for me. But I had developed a mindset, because I learned what to do. In the case of an emergency, I consulted with Port Authority, security people, I learned the complex and so on. And I did all that because I ran an office and I knew darn well that if there were ever an emergency, especially if we happen to be in an area that was smoke filled, all you light dependent sighted people are going to have a world of hurt trying to figure out how to get out because you can't see where you're going. And then would take us normal people to get you out. So I, I learned what I needed to know. But I was the leader of the office. So it was my responsibility to do it. But what I didn't realize until later was that was developing a mindset that says, okay, things are happening. You don't have control over some of the things that are happening, perhaps. But you can certainly use all the information that you have and all the knowledge that you've gained to work through it. James Malinchak 38:41 Yeah, absolutely. 100%. And preparation, I think is a big thing, too. And then there's, there's something too, they teach at Harvard Business School that I always loved. And it's called Future Perfect planning. Right, you plan for the future. And that means good or bad. There's a great book one of my favorite books of all time, and I've read about 5000 Some books now, over the years and one of my favorite books of all time and includes listening to books on audio, I don't want you to think that I just read them. I actually listened to a lot I listened to read, if you will. But it's called the positive power of negative preparation. And it's all it's all about preparing for the negative, there's a positive force in preparing for potential negative situations because God forbid if something happens, as you know, not always are we fully prepared, but at least you have some sort of preparation, an idea of how to handle it as a situation. And so I remember reading that book about 20 Some years ago changed my life because I was like, Oh, I'm not as fearful as certain situations. If I'm preparing for them, there is a positive power in negative preparation, meaning preparing for the negative. Michael Hingson 39:55 You're not going to be able to prepare them for everything that happens but it's really developing the tools that give you the ability to deal with whatever happens, correct? Yeah. Yeah. And it's an it's something that all too often we don't do do, but it is developing those tools, that's really the big issue that we have to deal with, and should deal with. And fortunately, I did that. Yeah, I'll give you James Malinchak 40:21 an example. You know, you mentioned the terrible 911 tragedy, which, you know, God bless you that you were able to pull through that. And, man, just, it's an honor talking to you, and you're the first person. And I'll always cherish this first person that I've met in my life to actually survive that situation. So it is truly an honor to be able to know you a little bit and talk to you about it. It's a special bonus for me. But I've never flown the same way ever since. You know, I have a friend who's a when now he's retired, but former CIA agent, and I hired him to consult with me and share ideas on how you know, I'm a speaker, I'm out there, I'm traveling, like how do I protect myself with something I'm on planes all the time. And he gave me a tool or resource, if you will, like I carry what a lot of the CIA officers carry what's called Tactical ink pens, they're pens, but they're tactical, meaning that they have a steel core center, so that you can use them in any situations, and they make them through metal they you can make through, that's the only type of how do I want to say defending mechanism that you're leaning, it's really nice, and that you can actually get through metal detectors, the TSA, right. And all of all of the Secret Service people carry him all the CIA officers, and so I was able to get them through him. And so I carry those on flights in my belt. So literally, they're with me at all times. Now. The other thing is situational awareness, he taught me of knowing where the fire extinguishers are on the airplane, in case someone does do something, you can get to a fire extinguisher, blow that smoke in their face. And with your tactical pens, you'll be able to take them down, taught me techniques to take someone down and disabled people, if they have a knife or box cutters or any kind of object. Well, those are all tools, if you will, like you put it. And thank God and 20 some years, I've never ever had to do any of that. But I never get on a plane without knowing where the fire extinguishers were a matter of fact, I'll tell you this, when I booked my flight, I always took a seat near where the fire extinguishers are, in case, just in case that one time, I need to jump up and grab one of those fire extinguishers. I know where the tool is. And I was prepared by him on how to attempt to handle that situation. Michael Hingson 42:51 That is most important, the mental tool that you draw in the knowledge and the mindset that you could put that mental tool to work and do whatever you needed to do. I mean, you can think of any number of people who could have those same physical tools, but would freeze up or not know what to do to really use them in an emergency. James Malinchak 43:15 Sure, absolutely. Well, I'll tell you my mental. My mental motivation was taught by my father, I'll never forget he said I'd rather be judged by 12 than carried by six. Yes. I'd trust me, I would have no problems going through that. I don't know how you want to call that. The techniques and the system he taught me? Because what's the adverse effect? Possibly not making it or having others harmed or children harmed for no reason? So that's my motivation. Is it to sit here or do something? Yeah. And if you know what to do and have the confidence to do it, that's really important. And I'll tell you if I didn't know what to do, I wouldn't probably have that confidence. Sure. I wouldn't. I'd probably be nervous and fearful and doubt but because I know step one, this step two is this step three is this got it? You know, here, I'll tell you some LC Tom, because I think it's really important step one, you grab the magazines in the seat, rest and you put them around your waist inside of your pants, because if someone has a box, cutter knife, etc, that's the first place they're going to try and stab you. So if you have padding there, then it doesn't work. You know, second thing is you have your tactical pin in your right hand and you have the fire extinguisher in your left and you blow the fire extinguisher and you step through the smoke because they're going to put their hands up and block their face. You step through the smoke and you go right for their midsection because that's the largest part of a human being. Right so my point is this not to say like this is a self defense podcast, but But it's he gave me step by step of stuff that logically made sense therefore, not as known. Nervous, not as fearful to possibly use those techniques and engage in the system, if you will, I didn't know that, oh, I would be completely fearful and nervous. Michael Hingson 45:11 Sure. But you made a choice. James Malinchak 45:15 Yes, 100%. Michael Hingson 45:17 And that was to learn, which is what it's really all about. And by making the choice and by developing the mindset to deal with fear, and to deal with different situations, and understand as much as you could about different situations, you can live in those kinds of environments, and, and be more unstoppable to use the vernacular of the title of the podcast, but it is all about understanding what you can do and what you can I suppose there is something to be said for Harry Callahan and Magnum Force, A man's got to know his limitations, but you know, you got to really know them, and you know them best by learning them. James Malinchak 45:53 Correct? Yeah, exactly. Mike, I just want to share with you, my friend, I got about two minutes. And then I've got to jump on the next podcast that someone has. Michael Hingson 46:02 Real quick. Why is Why do you consider public speaking the highest paid profession? Well, because it's the James Malinchak 46:11 only profession I know, where you don't have to have any college or high school, even education. You don't need a master's degree a PhD, you need no actual, I hate to say it this way. But real skills, in order to do it, all you have to have is some sort of life experience or, you know, some sort of thing that you figured out that you want to share with others that would help them some sort of steps to teach them. And anybody can do, it doesn't matter if you're tall or short, rich, or poor, young, or old, male or female, doesn't matter where you came from, doesn't matter where you're going, you know, it's the only profession I know, last thing I'll say is where the the more jacked up, you've been in your past, the actual law you're gonna make. Michael Hingson 46:51 There you go. Well, this has really been an honor. And I am just as blessed to get the chance to talk with you. And I would like to find ways that we can work together and stay in touch definitely. I think it would be a lot of fun to do. And I hope that we can do it. And I think that you've offered a lot here. And you've demonstrated that you clearly are able to deal with a lot of different situations. So I appreciate you being here. How can people reach out to you or learn more about your get a hold of you? James Malinchak 47:23 Thank you. First of all, it's an honor and a privilege. As I said earlier, you really put a special imprint on my heart, being able to meet someone who went through such a historical, devastating situation in our world. So thank you for allowing me to come on and share with some of your great listeners really easy. I'm on this mission to I took my four day big money speaker boot camp, and I actually have written it into a book. And it's over 250 pages. I'm giving it all away for free. It's how I can leave a legacy and the biggest, better best way. There's nothing to pay, you don't have to get a credit card. You just simply go and download it in a digital format. And please pass it around to anybody that you think it might help. It's www dot fri speaker book.com www dot fri speaker book.com? Michael Hingson 48:19 Yes. Really cool. And people can find you that way. Is there an audio version? James Malinchak 48:24 Yes, we actually have an audio version as well. And at some point, we'll also have a video version too. But right now it's the book and then the audio book as well. Michael Hingson 48:35 Cool. So free speaker book.com Correct. Well, James Belichick Thank you very much for being here. It's been an honor. And for anyone who listens to this, please go. Wherever you get your podcasts and give us a five star rating. We would appreciate it. If you'd like to comment or reach out to us in any way you can reach me at Michael H I M i C H A E L H I at accessiBe A C C E S S I B E.com, who didn't get a chance to talk about accessiBe, but we should sometime it's a great way to make websites more usable and accessible. We got to look at your website and see if it's as accessible as it could be James. James Malinchak 49:16 Well, thank you, Mike. I appreciate it. Thank you so much, my friend for having me on. Michael Hingson 49:20 Thank you. It's been an honor. It's my honor. You beat you to my friend. UM Intro/Outro 49:31 You have been listening to the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. Thanks for dropping by. I hope that you'll join us again next week, and in future weeks for upcoming episodes. To subscribe to our podcast and to learn about upcoming episodes, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com slash podcast. Michael Hingson is spelled m i c h a e l h i n g s o n. While you're on the site., please use the form there to recommend people who we ought to interview in upcoming editions of the show. And also, we ask you and urge you to invite your friends to join us in the future. If you know of any one or any organization needing a speaker for an event, please email me at speaker at Michael hingson.com. I appreciate it very much. To learn more about the concept of blinded by fear, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com forward slash blinded by fear and while you're there, feel free to pick up a copy of my free eBook entitled blinded by fear. The unstoppable mindset podcast is provided by access cast an initiative of accessiBe and is sponsored by accessiBe. Please visit www.accessibe.com. accessiBe is spelled a c c e s s i b e. There you can learn all about how you can make your website inclusive for all persons with disabilities and how you can help make the internet fully inclusive by 2025. Thanks again for listening. Please come back and visit us again next week.
Dan Sheeks is one of the newest BiggerPockets Publishing authors, with his book, First to a Million: A Teenager's Guide to Achieving Early Financial Freedom. The book introduces teenagers to the strategies, concepts, and mindset needed to achieve early financial freedom. He is a high school Business/Marketing teacher, real estate investor, and personal finance advocate in Denver, Colorado. He and his wife have a variety of real estate investments including multifamily, single-family, Airbnb, and out-of-state BRRRRs (buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat). Dan's passions include working with teenagers, advocating for personal finance education, investing in real estate, and promoting the FIRE movement. In his 19-plus years of teaching high school, he has taught various business subjects, including financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and marketing. In this episode, Dan will share with us his passionate work how he is helping teenagers in personal finance, passive income, real estate investing, and early financial freedom strategies so they can live their best lives. Episode Links: https://www.sheeksfreaks.com https://www.instagram.com/dsheeks/?hl=en https://store.biggerpockets.com/products/first-to-a-million https://www.amazon.com/First-Million-Teenagers-Achieving-Independence/dp/1947200461 --- Transcript Before we jump into the episode, here's a quick disclaimer about our content. The Remote Real Estate Investor podcast is for informational purposes only, and is not intended as investment advice. The views, opinions and strategies of both the hosts and the guests are their own and should not be considered as guidance from Roofstock. Make sure to always run your own numbers, make your own independent decisions and seek investment advice from licensed professionals. Michael: What's going on everyone? Welcome to another episode of the Real Estate Investor. My name is Michael Albaum. And if you're watching this on camera, I've clearly got a shiny head tonight. I think it's my lighting. On this episode, I will interview Dan Sheeks, author, investor, teacher, and just someone who's full of wisdom and golden nuggets. So let's get right into it. Dan Sheeks, what's going on, man? Thanks so much for coming on the show with me. I appreciate you. Dan: You bet, Michael, great to be here. Thanks for having me. Michael: Oh, my gosh, my pleasure. So we were chatting a little bit before we recorded, we you know, hit the record button. And so I know a little bit about your story. But I would love if you could share with all of our listeners, who you are, where you came from and what it is has to do now with real estate. Dan: Sure. Um, it's not it's not a crazy exceptional story. It's… so I'll keep it short. It's… I've been in Colorado for a little over 20 years. My main gig currently is that I am a high school business teacher in a public high school, just south of Denver and a suburb. This is my 19th year doing that. And I teach classes like entrepreneurship, personal finance, marketing, stuff like that. I love my job. I absolutely love my job. I have great kids and great program. All my classes are electives. And so most of the kids that are in their want to be in there. And so it's it's fun to teach them. I bought my first property…. say 10 years ago, but I really started investing I would say about six or seven years ago, when my wife and I, at the time we weren't married, we had just started dating actually. But we both were just kind of starting to scratch the surface around real estate investing. And when, when we met, we also both found the BiggerPockets community and the Choose FIRE community and really dove like full on into those communities and their blogs and their podcasts and all that good stuff. And so luckily for us, I guess that's probably why we're married. We were really in sync with our future financial goals. And the idea of real estate investing to build wealth. So we've been hammering it ever since. Today, we own 17 units, mostly in Colorado. We have three houses out in Detroit, Michigan, or suburb of Detroit. And a little bit of variety in there. We have single family, small multifamily, we've done some burrs, we have a couple of short term rentals. We house hack, so we rent out our basement as well. Michael: Love it, love it… Dan: Most… mostly long term buy and hold properties. So that's, that's it in a nutshell. Michael: Okay, man, that's awesome. I mean, I think there's a ton there that I want to unpack. But you said at the beginning of that sentence, that's not a very exceptional story. And I'm going to push back a little bit on that, because you said that you're a high school business teacher in a public school. I mean, those words don't exist, didn't exist in a sentence when I was in school. So what is a high school business teacher? I mean, that's, that sounds incredible. Dan: Yeah, there's a lot of people say that, like, Oh, I didn't know they had those classes in high school. Michael: Yeah. Dan: And when I was in school, too, we did… we did have one business teacher, he taught typing and accounting. And that might have been it. I took accounting from him, and I really liked it. But business classes have been around, but nowadays, they're really started. There's a lot of them, especially in the larger urban schools where there's enough, enough of a you know, class size and students to to fill those rooms with with kids. So we have all kinds of classes at our school, we have, I think, seven business teachers… 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, sorry, six full time business teachers that teach a variety of classes. So most of your bigger urban schools are going to have business classes, and even some of your rural schools will have the things I mentioned, like, you know, accounting, and maybe an intro, intro to business class, computer application, stuff like that. So, yeah, they're out there, but they are usually always elective. Michael: Okay. All right. Well, I know I would have for sure jumped on that when I was in school. So I'm so glad to hear now that it's being offered. But it's so cool to hear that. I mean, you're living, like you're living and breathing what it is that you're teaching these kids, right. Dan: I teach personal finance and I teach marketing that's… Marketing is my main, the main thing I teach marketing classes, Social Media for Business and I guess entrepreneurship, too. And so in those classes, because it's a passion of mine, I will drop in, you know, a day here a day there. I call them FIRE-days, Financial Independence Days, and we'll just talk about some random strategy. Maybe it's house hacking, maybe it's frugality. Maybe it's side hustles, maybe it's passive income. And we'll just have some good conversations around it. In the personal finance class, of course, I can get more into that because it's more relevant to the actual curriculum. But even in that class, I still have to cover a lot of the basics. So there's that foundation, because when I get into things like, let's say, real estate investing, or these higher level FIRE-strategies, you know, they have to have that foundation first. Michael: Okay. And when you say the basics, what is that? Because I think so many investors, or people that are just getting into investing in general, hear that real estate's a great investment and think, okay, I gotta go, you know, I gotta go get some real estate, but maybe don't have some of those basics and those fundamentals down. So when you say that, you know, what are you referring to? Dan: Yeah, just the basic personal finance stuff would be things like checking accounts, savings accounts, brokerage accounts, the basic stock market investing, knowledge, credit cards, building a good credit score, using credit, having assets and not liabilities, things of that nature. Insurance… Michael: Okay. Dan: Pay stubs, good doing your taxes. Michael: Love it. And you recently wrote a book, right? Dan: Yeah, I wrote a book, came out about two months ago. Michael: Awesome. And what is it called? And what can people expect to find in it? Dan: Yes. So the book is called: “First to a Million” and the subtitle is “A Teenager's Guide to Achieving Early Financial Independence”. And so it covers, it covers a lot. It's actually pretty, it's kind of a longer book for a teenager, but it's a pretty easy read, I think. But it's not something that someone who read in it in an evening, it's, it's got, it's got some, some girth to it, I would say some a lot of good content. But when I wrote it, I wrote it for teenagers, obviously, that's in the subtitle, but really, it's a book, anybody who's just getting started in the early financial independence world, or, you know, that idea that, hey, I don't have to work till I am 65. The book has a lot of value for anybody. I don't care what, what age you are, it's really an introduction to that, that community, that strategy. And so you know, I wrote the book, assuming the reader knew nothing, right? They were, they're starting with a clean slate, they knew very little about personal finance. The good news is though, and I always laugh about this, because there's a lot of people out there who are very passionate about teaching adults, personal finance, and early financial independence strategies, and bless them for doing that. But I think it's actually easier what I'm doing because a teenager is a blank slate, right? They, they haven't really started bad habits, they haven't tanked their credit score, they haven't incurred a bunch of debt, they don't have any debt. And they haven't engaged in lifestyle inflation. So they're, you know, you can train them from the get go to make good decisions from, from a very early age. And so I think it's kind of easier to deal with teens and to teach them right out of the gate. So that book is really just about introducing the young person to savvy personal finance, the foundation, some of that's covered in the book, and then going into those bigger topics. Like I mentioned before it, frugality, entrepreneurship, side hustles, passive income, real estate investing, index fund investing, and there's a couple chapters in there about should you go to college? Is that a good decision or not? Obviously, teenagers, that's a big decision they have to make. Michael: That's a very big, I'm sure you've got some angry parents of folks reading that book? Because that's a question for so many people, right? It's like you have to go. Dan: Yeah. I mean, I don't have any angry parents because I don't tell anybody what to do. I just lay out the pros and cons. Like if, if you, the reader are interested in early financial independence, then here's the pros and cons of college and I ultimately say it's your choice only, you know what you should do? But a college degree isn't necessary for financial independence. And that sometimes can actually be a hindrance, because, you know, especially if you incur debt, you know, in the book I talked about if you're going to go to college, great. More power to you, but you need to find a way to do it without incurring any student loan debt. Michael: Yeah, yeah. I mean, you think about and just look at the math like an average college costs about 20 grand a year 25 grand a year. If you go put that on a down payment on a house, you could have four properties by the time you would have graduated college. Dan: Yeah, especially if you how sacked one a year you will…You'd have four properties without a doubt. And I know guys who are financially independent with four properties and the house hack to meet, so you can parallel universe there, you have someone who's graduating at 22, let's say with 100,000 / 50,000 in credit card debt, just starting their career in parallel universe, there's their, their twin who's basically at financial independence are very close. Now. They're, they're living pretty meagerly and frugally, but they can, you know, slowly continue to buy more passive income assets and grow that over time. Yeah, so it's, there's a choice. And I don't tell anyone what choice to make. It's everyone's got their personal path to walk. But I do believe everyone should be educated on the options. Michael: Totally, totally. And I mean, you're teaching this stuff day in and day out, Dan. So what inspired you to actually write a book about it? Dan: Um, it was, it started six or seven years ago, when when my wife and I found bigger pockets and Choose FIRE. Because before that, I really, I knew about investing. And I knew about savvy personal finance, but I didn't know about early financial independence. And so as my wife and I learned more and more and more, and I was reading books, and blogs, and listen to podcasts, and all that stuff. I was like, Wow, this, you know, these options that are included under the financial early financial independence umbrella, nobody knows about this stuff. It's just, it's a pretty new movement, at least the last 10 or 15 years. So I, you know, teenagers being my thing, I love working with young people. I just knew that I had to write a book, specifically for that young person, about these early five strategies, because there's nothing else out there. You know, there's nothing, there's no other book out there for young people to introduce them to these other options. Michael: Yeah. And I mean, I love that, I love that. So many people, I think, especially if talking to a financial advisor, or financial planner, get overwhelmed with all of the different options, all the different choices, all the different possibilities out there. So how do you break it down for younger folks to really understand and digest? And, and do you think that they really do? Dan: Um, I know they do. Because I've worked with so many young people who are, who are using these these strategies and these tools and these tactics to be well on their way to early financial independence at a young age. Does every kid soak it up? Don't know yet, right? Because a lot of the students in my class or in my classroom, or in my… sorry, my online community, they're probably listening to stuff and they may not, they may not employ it right away. But it's always going to be in the back of their head. So maybe 15 years down the road, they hate their job. And then that's the impetus that makes them say, you know what, I cannot do this for another 30 years. But I remember that one guy, or that one book, or that one guy… Michael: The Dan guy… Dan: Yeah. Yeah. And so let me Google that and see what that's about again, I want to look into that some more, because now they're more motivated, perhaps. Yeah… Michael: I love that. I love that. So and let's talk about your online community. What's it called? And kind of who's it for? Dan: It's called SheeksFreaks, which is kind of a funny name… Michael: I love the name. Dan: Well, it's my last name plus the word freaks in the whole, you know, the first 2 million book, the whole kind of premise, or the theme of the book is around being freakish. And same with my community. And that that is, you know, it's it's the idea that very few young people are motivated enough to spend time learning and executing personal finance strategies. It's not the norm most young people don't want anything to do with that. That was me when I was younger. So the young person, like if someone reads my book, and they're a teenager, that's, that's exceptional, right? That's, that's a book about personal finance and money that a teenager just read through. Kudos to them, but that's not normal. It's freakish in a good way, right? It's exceptional. So the SheeksFreaks community is an online community been around for about two years, it's for young people, I like to say 15 to 25, who are either beginning or, you know, maybe intermediate level around early financial independence stuff, we have several different subgroups within the community, like different topics that they can join, that they're more specifically interested in. We have like 40 of those. And so that it's just a place for young people to come together to interact and connect with likeminded young people because again, these are their freaks, they are different. And so even in their home group, there's not a lot of people like them, their best friends probably aren't engaging in the conversations that they want to have around money, but in my community, that's all that we're doing. Michael: I love it. I love it. And how do you find the conversation is best started. You know, for a lot of our listeners out there maybe their parents and have young, young kids or teenage age kids in their life, and this topic has never come up at the dinner table or never come up in life. So how do you start to facilitate? How do you start to have that conversation? You give them a book and say here, go, go get learned? Dan: Yeah, well, I think you have the, you have the conversation at the dinner table, even you just do it, right. And I mean, it should go well, before that, I think money conversation should be held in the household from a pretty early age, you know, I mean, from the get go, and it just, it becomes part of your family culture that we are open with money, we talk about our, our incomes, and our expenses and our, our financial status in our house, and you can try to make it you know, don't tell them too much, until they're old enough to understand that some of that shouldn't be shared with everybody. But you have the conversations at dinner, you have the conversations in the car on the way the grocery store, you, you have your child teenager, tween whatever, you have them sit down with you while you pay the bills, click the mouse and pay, you know, pay the bill here pay the bill there you show them where your money's coming in, you show them where the money is going out for the house. So every household is like a small little business, show them the profit and loss, show them the balance sheet. So then the checking account, the savings account, the brokerage account, explain to them what's going on there. If they don't have any interest, um, you know, just keep at it every few months, sit them down again. But if you're having these conversations around the table, I think it's going to happen pretty organically. I don't have kids that age yet, so I can't speak to it. But I can say as a teacher, you know, and use terms like financial freedom, not retirement, retirement, it's kind of boring and like light years in their future, but financial freedom, financial independence, those are more catchy click beatty kind of terms that they, they might gravitate to. And, you know, just pose a question like, son or daughter, if you won $100,000 in a lottery, what would you do with that money? Here's what I would do. You know, let them explain and here's what I would do. And what do you think would be the best use of that money? Would you split it into different buckets? And why would you do that? There's a lot of things you can do to just facilitate money conversations. That's really what you got to do. Michael: Yeah, that's a great question, that's a great question… So Dan, I would love to shift gears here and talk a little bit about your kind of personal portfolio and journey having done, you know, a handful of different things, what's been your favorite investment asset class today? Dan: Short term rentals, we have ,too you know, we're not experts by any stretch, but they do crush it, man, the, the, the increased cash flow is significant. But they are a little more high maintenance, or sometimes a lot more high maintenance. My wife just… one of our short term rentals is about an hour drive south of here in Colorado Springs, and my wife just went down today for about an hour drive down, she spent about two hours down there, she came back for an hour, you know, she goes down there and checks up on the property every, every month or so. And just to make sure things are good touch base with our, with our cleaner, who's really kind of our property manager down there in a way. Michael: Okay… Dan: Umm, so I think those are my favorite, but you know, we're not, we're not real estate investors that want to own 100 properties, we will probably buy a few more, and then we'll be good. We'll probably start paying off some mortgages and, and increasing our cash flow. And we don't want to own multiple, multiple short term rentals. That's just not in our strategy for long term wealth and happiness. And that's what it's all about, right? It's about being happy. And we live pretty frugally. So we don't need a bunch. And we don't want to be having to think about a bunch of properties. Michael: It makes total sense. And you mentioned that you and your wife are also house hacking, which I love because my wife and I are doing the same thing. And I think so many people hear what house hacking is and think oh, it's only for, you know, a single person fresh out of school, you know, can eat Top Ramen for dinner, but I mean, you're, you're a married couple doing it. So curious to know what that's been like for you both? Dan: It's been awesome. It's like getting a $10,000 a year raise every year, or just a bonus, I guess. And by the way, my wife was a public school teacher elementary for 18 years before she retired a couple years ago, was able to retire because of our our real estate investments. Now she manages our portfolio, she grows our portfolio. She's a property manager. And she has a couple of side hustles so she's home pretty much all day except when she's doing you know, managing properties and whatnot. So we have, we have a three story house and it's a three bedroom house and there's a bedroom on each floor, each each level. So in our basement, there's one bedroom, one bathroom, a living area, plenty of storage fireplace and we've kind of made a makeshift kitchen down there with the a hot plate and a microwave and a toaster oven and a medium sized fridge. And so yeah, we ran out the basement to… well, we've we just our third tenants that we've had in like four or five years, just left. So it's right now actually listed and we'll have someone moving in soon. And yeah, they just live downstairs, there's that we share the laundry with them, we share the main entrance. For the most part, they don't use our kitchen, but they can you know, if it's, if they need to use it, that's fine. But they pay us $950 a month to live in our basement. It's a nice house, right? The downstairs is a great living area. Michael: Amazing. Dan: So it's not for everyone, my wife and I are in our 40s we have a small child. I'm at work at school, you know, every day, so we only rent to females, my wife feels and I feel much more comfortable doing just females. And it's worked out great, you know, we've had three great tenants looking for a fourth, and who doesn't want an extra 10 grand a year? Michael: Totally. And so it sounds like it's a long term rental than long term basis. Dan: Yeah, we usually start out with three to six months and then month a month after that. I think all three of our tenants have stayed for at least one year, the longest, I think was two years. Michael: Okay. Man, I love that, I love that. Any plans to stop that in the future at a certain… when your kids get to a certain age after you feel like, you know, just kind of over this? Do you see that in your horizon anytime? Dan: We've talked about it, but we'll just play it by ear, honestly. I mean it. If at some point were like, you know, this isn't working anymore. We'll just say, all right, you got you got another month, here's your months' notice, and then we'll move on. Yeah… Michael: Love it. And I think, I think house hacking is like one of the best way to turbocharge just like rocket fuel for real estate investing and wealth building. I mean, it's just unbelievable what you can do with it. So any tips, tricks, recommendations to folks listening out there that are considering purchasing a house hack for themselves? Dan: Oh, I have tons and I agree with you. Michael: Awesome. I thought you might… Michael: Yeah. Yeah, Michael, I 100% agree with you that house hacking is I think by far the best real estate investing strategy for young people to get started. And I write about it quite a bit in my book. There's also a workbook that goes, there's the book First 2 Million, and there's a workbook that goes with it and in that workbook it takes, it takes a teenager over like a five year, five year period of time and gives them tasks to do every four months. And if they follow the workbook, they will own their first house sack within about four years, and when they start employing all of my strategies that I lay out. And so you know, some tips and tricks, one, if you're, if you're a teenager, you got to start saving some money. You can have a low down payment with the house set because it is a primary residence, but you got to have some cash and you want to have some emergency cash. And you want to have some initial maintenance and repairs cash, which I lay all this out in the workbook in detail, you got to have a good credit score. I tell my, the young people I work with and this is counterintuitive to I think what a lot of people say but when you the day you turn 18 I say roll out of bed, go to your laptop and apply for your first credit card. And when you turn 19, get your second one, you turn 19 and a half, get your third one and use them all, use all three, at least a little bit every month and pay him off every month. If you do that you will have an amazing credit score in no time. And I know young people who have done exactly that caveat, right. That's only if you know how to use a credit card responsibly, if you haven't been educated on that, then stay the heck away. But the young people in my community they they're very responsible with money in there. And there they are educated on how to do that. So get the good credit score, save up some money, educate yourself. That's a huge piece, read the books. I'll throw a plug in for my friend Craig Curelop, he wrote a book called: “The House Hacking Strategy”, published by BiggerPockets. Same publisher of my book, and it is a phenomenal book for someone who wants to start house hacking, and just wants that introductory book that takes them from step one to step 100. And now you're in your third house, that kind of thing. Yeah, so the, the piece of that puzzle for house hacking that will trip most young people up is the is the income history. Um, you know, a lender isn't going to want to lend a 20 year old or 21 year old or a 22 year old $100,000 for a property unless they know that they're going to be able to pay it back. And most young people don't have you know… Michael: I can't, I can't show my lunch money that I got from my parents' income. When I was in high school, that allowance doesn't count… Dan: The allowance doesn't count, you know, gifts from grandma don't count all that stuff. So… Michael: Alright, yeah. So what do most folks do? Dan: Well, young people in the workbook I kind of lay out a plan of how you can look for the young person that doesn't go to college it becomes much easier you work full time for a couple years, hopefully in a good job. And depending on the value of the property you're looking to buy, that could be all you need to do. For some people, it could be as easy as graduating from college, and just getting that first job that is aligned with your major and you don't even have to work for very long after obtaining that job. They just want to see that you have a pay stub from the job that you were in school for, and then you're good to go. But the best loophole, which doesn't work for every young person is to have a parent cosign on the mortgage. So the bank looks at their income history and credit score if needed and the young person can get in to their that first property. Michael: I love it. So it's interesting you mentioned the getting a job associate with your major my younger brother, actually shout out to you, Jeff went and did this, he graduated got a good paying job at the company I used to work for and then they told him yeah, you qualify for a mortgage because we will constitute your four year degree as a as basically earned, earned time, time and you're earning income. Yep. So he's like, sweet, awesome. So it's it's a pretty good life hack. Dan: It is, it is for sure. Michael: No, I love it. I love it. Dan, this has been so much fun man, I want to very respectful of your time. Where can people get your book? Where can they subscribe to your online community? And if you have additional questions want to reach out to you what's the best way for them to do so? Dan: Sure and thanks, thanks for having me, Michael, this has been a blast. I can talk about this stuff for hours. Yeah, if you're interested in the book: First to a Million you can get it at, at BiggerPockets.com, which is the publisher. And if, if your listeners are familiar with real estate, they've probably been to that website a few times already, if not every day. They can also find it, they can also find it on Amazon and other places. The workbook right now is exclusively at BiggerPockets.com however until I think spring of 2020. To the community for young people. There's a free version and a paid version, I'll just transparency there but the free version has a ton of value. Just go to https://www.sheeksfreaks.com/ and there's a button that says: Join the community and it'll tell you all about it. And if people want to reach out to me, I prefer email: Dan@sheeksfreaks.com but you can also reach out to me, DM me on Instagram, that works too. Michael: Awesome, Dan, this was great. So much valuable in you know, what you've been talking about in the book and the online community. I can't wait to see where you go from here. We'll definitely be in touch soon, man. Thanks again. Dan: Thanks for having me, Michael. Thanks again. Michael: Hey, my pleasure. Take care. Alright, well, that was our episode, a big thank you to Dan for coming on. And just a big shout out to Dan for educating our young people and teachers in general for all the work that you all have done. If you liked the episode, please feel free to leave us a rating or review wherever it is you listen to episodes. And as always, we look forward to seeing the next one. Happy investing…
CONSUME! Purchase! BE! In this, available for free shipping if you listen in the next 3 hours and 44 minutes episode of the STAB! show, a three pack of host Jesse Jones welcomes an Amazon Basics panel of Evan Nyarady, Corinne Nelson & Ben Feldman to share their three different FOAFs, nine Prime Day haiku, … Continue reading »
Kels talks about things she's missed from back home, some that she knew about, and some that she didn't realize that she missedPumpkin Spice SZNWhat are you guys doing with you pop?Niko rekindles an old relationship... with... Top Ramen???Social MediaFacebook: @ourdeardiary2021Instagram: @ourdeardiarypodcast2021E-mail: ourdeardiary2021@gmail.com
King Cake Baby!: oh my! Tired of being cooped up in Shepard State Park through days of rain, Meredith wanders around Lowes and Walmart for something to do, feeling like something's off. Hopefully, just the weather. She walks us through her “Camping in an RV cookbook”: Top Ramen, Quesadillas, raisin toast and butter, tea and chocolate, jazz and a drink… the list goes on. She considers the lack of Mardi Gras parades due to Covid as she shops for a King Cake to bring to her friends (she got the baby last year). For extra essays, citations of works referenced, and a transcript of this episode, head to www.timespentpod.com
In this episode I sit down with one of the OGs of the ramen community, David Chan who is also known online as Nichijou ramen. David is a fantastic ramen cook who at the time we recorded this episode had just won the contest to become Top Ramen's chief noodle officer. In this episode he goes over what that experience was like and then we get into what's he's been approaching ramen as of late. We actually recorded this episode months ago but I just got really busy with the sale of my business at the time and to be honest, I was also a little burnt out on content creation. So its a late going up, but I hope you still enjoy it and I'm very sorry David for not getting this out sooner. Follow David: https://instagram.com/nichijou.ramen Real Ramen Program: https://www.instagram.com/p/CUamyLyPpjn/ Patreon: https://patreon.com/wayoframen Shop: https://wayoframen.com/shop Youtube: https://youtube.com/c/wayoframen --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wayoframen/support
A keen empathy for consumers, a deep commitment to innovation and an open-door approach to collaboration helped the founder of Nissin Foods not only capture the hearts of billions of people when he invented instant noodles, but also helped build and sustain two iconic brands that are just as relevant today as they were 50 years ago when they launched.
Have you EVER met your Uncle Cliff? Well, give it some time, I'm SURE you'll be DROPPING by to see him real SOON. But PLEASE, before you do, TUNE-IN to this HOPE-FILLED episode of FOOD ADDICT.
In this episode Becky and I talk about the 1985 Japanese comedy, Tampopo. Directed by Jûzô Itami this film is all about Ramen! And hoo boy will this one make you hungry. We talk about the various traditions that pertain to the art of making the perfect bowl of Ramen, how true expertise can come from unexpected places, and how food can make great sex toys!
In this episode Becky and I introduce our next film (a wild one!) and share our latest themed snack and drink pairing. This time we came up with several options for a Ramen flavored popcorn. For the drink, if you are feeling brave, try mixing the ends of any open bottles of Saké you have in your bar! But for the less adventurous just a bit of warmed Saké will do. For the Popcorn either - A: grab a pouch of PopSecret, ransack a pack of Top Ramen for it's flavor pack and toss with the cooked popcorn and a tablespoon of sesame oil! or B: Crush up 1 bullion cube of your choice, add 1/2 of it and 2 tablespoons of garlic powder, 2 tablespoons of onion powder, 1 tablespoon of crushed black pepper and 1 tablespoon of ginger powder. Pop 1/4 cup of popcorn in 2 tablespoons of sesame oil. Toss the seasoning mix with the popped popcorn then sprinkle on a dusting of Nuri flakes. Enjoy!
Big deals, big dollars, and a lavish lifestyle can all be yours with a successful career in commercial real estate. Full disclosure: None of the above is possible without risking your life savings, working 100+ hours, 7 days a week, finding creative ways to get things done, and maybe even surviving on Top Ramen for 6-12 months! In this episode, Capital Rivers President Greg Aguirre welcomes Ryan Orn to share his experience making a successful mid-life career change into commercial real estate.
Slater is the manager of multiple Artists including Top Ramen. We discuss the origins of his team and how he runs it.
Screaming at a Wall Podcast - Punk Rock , Prison, Politics, Philosophy and Skateboarding
Get to know Kasper and Sick Boy as they share the start of their friendship that was formed in California State Prison. In this episode they discuss misconceptions of Prison life and how their friendship was created through skateboarding and punk rock music. They also interview ex-felon John Shin a tattoo artist out of Shogun Tattoo located in Pasadena, Ca. He talks hustle, prison tattoo guns, being a dad and Top Ramen noodles.
Screaming at a Wall Podcast - Punk Rock , Prison, Politics, Philosophy and Skateboarding
Get to know Kasper and Sick Boy as they share the start of their friendship that was formed in California State Prison. In this episode they discuss misconceptions of Prison life and how their friendship was created through skateboarding and punk rock music. They also interview ex-felon John Shin a tattoo artist out of Shogun Tattoo located in Pasadena, Ca. He talks hustle, prison tattoo guns, being a dad and Top Ramen noodles.
Top Ramen is the gourmet Ramen of all of the middle Ramen's. Does Will have COVID in this episode? YES. Thank you for watching this none COVID times video. Recess Recess forever baby! This episode is brought to you by Manscaped! Go to https://www.manscaped.com/ enter code “RECESS” for 20% + free shipping! 10:37 Relationship Talk Talks 18:08 Insignificant Thing This Week 28:02 Would You Rather? 35:28 What Did You Learn? YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCqsfamoX2n6Gn8HR-qAvlhQ?sub_confirmation=1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/recessrecesspod TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJfBLKVN/ Jason Cheny Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasoncheny/ Website: https://www.jasoncheny.com/ Will Burkart Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/willburkart/ YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY5bh5_GNRZJZlyoZaa4M5A
Sink into the floor and join The Night Club Coven as they perform a Midnight Ritual of Get Out(2017). Hosts Ricky, Travis and Angel also welcome a new witch: Billie! Ricky's Metal Recommendations: Bad Brains https://badbrains.com/ Blasphemy https://nuclearwarnowproductions.bandcamp.com/album/blood-upon-the-altar Mystifier https://mystifier.bandcamp.com/ Suffocation https://www.suffocationofficial.com/ Death Grips http://thirdworlds.net/index.php Demogoroth Satanum https://demogorothsatanum.bandcamp.com/ Zeal and Ardor https://zealandardor.bandcamp.com/music Special Guest: Billie Jo.
News That Didn't Make the News: Do you hate when your coworkers take off work?, Top 10 things that stress you out, and Top Ramen just opened a store.
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