Soul Forge Podcast

Ear Today, Gone Tomorrow - 267

When your life is a disaster, there are only so many options to turn things around. This episode does not provide any answers. However, brother Robin leads a fairly amusing life. He sums his life up as a disaster. Is this true? I have known him for his whole life, and I would have to agree with him on this point.

The good news is that Robin's mental health is in a good place. He is not sad, Nor is he depressed. Even though he does not have a job or any money, he is still feeling pretty optimistic about his future.

It has been quite awhile since Robin has appeared on Soul Forge Podcast. We are getting an update on his life. His living situation, his kids, and his proximity to family. We discuss his job loss drama. Job loss is a recurring theme in Robin's life.

We wrap up the episode with some wrestling talk. Robin recently suffered a mangled ear and a concussion. He almost had a chance to wrestle with the Cowboy James Storm. Robin's son recently got a chance to watch his dad in the ring. All in all, we get a lot of fun stories from Robin. And some possible hope for the future.

This week's podcast promo: The Con Guy

 

Roommate from Hell - 266

The most common reason for sharing housing is to reduce the cost of housing. In many rental markets, the monthly rent for a two- or three-bedroom apartment is proportionately less per bedroom than the rent for a one-bedroom apartment (in other words, a three-bedroom flat costs more than a one-bedroom, but not three times as much). By pooling their monthly housing money, a group of people can achieve a lower housing expense at the cost of less privacy. Other motivations are to gain better amenities than those available in single-person housing, to share the work of maintaining a household, and to have the companionship of other people. 

A roommate is a person with whom one shares a living facility such as a room or dormitory except when being family or romantically involved. Similar terms include dormmate, suitemate, housemate, or flatmate ("flat": the usual term in British English for an apartment). Flatmate is the term most commonly used in New Zealand, when referring to the rental of an unshared room within any type of dwelling. Another similar term is sharemate (shared living spaces are often called sharehouses in Australia and other Commonwealth countries). A sharehome is a model of household in which a group of usually unrelated people reside together. The term generally applies to people living together in rental properties rather than in properties in which any resident is an owner occupier. In the UK, the term "roommate" means a person living in the same bedroom, whereas in the United States and Canada, "roommate" and "housemate" are used interchangeably regardless whether a bedroom is shared, although it is common in US universities that having a roommate implies sharing a room together.

This is Krista's story about helping out a friend. That friend turned out to me a nightmarish roommate. Get ready to laugh and cry on this exciting episode of roommate from hell!

The Moody Blues (S.A.D.) - 265

Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is a kind of depression that appears at certain times of the year. It usually begins in the fall when the days get shorter and lasts through the winter. SAD doesn’t only happen in the colder months though. A less common form of seasonal affective disorder affects people in the summer months and usually starts in the spring. It isn’t really clear what causes SAD, but it’s thought that winter SAD may be caused by lack of sunlight. But this may not be the whole answer, as it’s also thought to run in families: 13–17% of people who develop SAD have an immediate family member with the disorder.

• Adults—are at higher risk of SAD than children and teenagers. After the age of 50, the risk of SAD starts to decline. Researchers aren’t yet sure why.
• Women—may be more likely to experience SAD. Some research found that women may be up to nine times more likely to be diagnosed than men.
• People in more northern countries or cities—are more likely to experience SAD than those who live close to the equator. The amount of daylight you receive changes as you move north, and that change is thought to be part of SAD.

If you think you might have seasonal affective disorder, talk to your doctor. Your doctor can help rule out any other causes for your symptoms, like thyroid problems or other types of depression.

Also in this episode, we read some listener feedback. Bill has been writing into the show for some time, and always has good insights and questions. This time, we are answering these questions and giving advice. We are talking about how to deal with women. Specifically, Bill is interested in how to appropriately give a lady a compliment. It is difficult to say how useful our advice is, as it is only from our perspective. We are not doctors and have no medical training. Our life experience is the only thing we have to rely on.

Tips to Ease Your Winter SAD Symptoms

• Spend more time outdoors during the day
• Try to arrange the spaces you spend time in to maximize sunlight exposure
• Keep curtains open during the day
• Trim tree branches or hedges that may be blocking some of the light from getting into your home
• Move furniture so that you sit near a window or, if you exercise indoors, set up your exercise equipment by a window
• Install skylights and add lamps
• Build physical activity into your lifestyle preferably before SAD symptoms take hold. Physical activity relieves stress, builds energy and increases both your physical and mental well-being and resilience
• Make a habit of taking a daily noon-hour walk, particularly if you commute to school or work in the dark hours of the day
• When all else fails, try a winter vacation in sunny climates—if the pocketbook and work schedule allow. Keep in mind that the symptoms will recur after you return home
• Try to resist the carbohydrate and sleep cravings that come with SAD

This week's podcast promo: But First, Let's Talk Nerdy

 

Doom Box Patrol - 264

Doom Box Patrol is another fun conversational episode where we learn about a few weird and random topics. You are going to learn what a doom box is, how it relates to ADHD and what to do about these boxes. We are also going to cover parenting, being a GEN-X kid, trauma, and more!

Doom Boxes – whether created accidentally or on purpose – are a space to stash items together with the intention of organizing them later. Most Doom Boxes though remain in use for years to come, and they become the go-to storage place for old receipts, spare parts, and memorabilia. Doom boxes are boxes containing random items that have been stored together because they don't have their own place in the home yet. Rather than signifying a gloomy or disheartening situation, 'Doom' is actually an acronym in this context (Didn't Organize Only Moved). They become an interim storage method and might be part of an intial attempt to organize a bedroom, office or living space.

People with ADHD are more likely to possess a Doom Box because they have strained executive function, which is the cognitive process responsible for essentially all self-regulation. This can drastically impact one's organization skills.

Also in this episode, we talk about my tendency to procrastinate -- especially when it comes to moving houses. Not unpacking has become kind of a coping mechanism. This ties nicely into our chat about childhood trauma and parental issues.

The latter half of this episode deals quite a bit with parenting. Is it wise to be the better person, or should you allow yourself to be petty for the momentary satisfaction? This and many other questions and brought up and discussed.

This week's podcast promo: Blurred Nerds

Meteor Shower by Steve Martin - 263

Let's Put On A Show! presents Meteor Shower by Steve Martin.

There is a new theatre company in Sault Ste. Marie and their first play will be a comedy written by Steve Martin. Leah Frost and RJ Renner are directing Meteor Shower. You can see the show from October 21st to the 23rd. There will be three showings.

On this episode of Soul Forge, Shawn talks to Leah and RJ about their theatrical origins and the origins of the new theatre company. We learn about where the company name comes from, and the need for community involvement in this new endeavour. Let's Put On A Show! will be doing more traditional comedies and dramas, as opposed to musicals. They chose this particular play for its humour as well as its more modern setting.

About the play: Corky and Norm are excited to host Gerald and Laura at their home in the valley outside Los Angeles to watch a once-in-a-lifetime meteor shower. But as the stars come out and the conversation gets rolling, it becomes clear that Gerald and Laura might not be all that they appear to be. Over the course of a crazy, starlit dinner party, the wildly unexpected occurs. The couples begin to flirt and insanity reigns. Martin, using his trademark absurdist humor, bends the fluid nature of time and reality to create a surprising and unforgettably funny new play. 

Get your tickets at: https://lets-put-on-a-show-108707.square.site/?fbclid=IwAR3SfxpMrFXSlLAkLcfxJ-y6jzaOs3IvzhthfeelMVULrJCpPasE80GaXxQ

Let's Put On A Show! would like to thank Mom's Kitchen, Stephanie's Joy, Sault College and The Tech.

This week's podcast promo: Best Saturdays of Our Lives

Climb That Damn Mountain - 262

Climb that damn mountain. Do the things you have always been too afraid to do or try. This is the message behind this episode of the podcast. Amanda returns to talk about her recent knee surgery. Her main message or take away, is that if you want to do something, just do it. Climb that mountain. Take that trip. Start that business. Get the surgery that will allow you to live your best life.

Amanda takes time out of her recovery to share her recent experiences with us. For most of the summer she visited friends and family in Thunder Bay. That is roughly 8 hours from home. Like most of us, she needed a mental health break - a vacation from her every day life.

Why did Amanda get knee replacement surgery? Why was she awake and aware for the procedure? You will find out those answers and more in this exciting episode of the Soul Forge Podcast.

 Knee replacement, also called knee arthroplasty or total knee replacement, is a surgical procedure to resurface a knee damaged by arthritis. Metal and plastic parts are used to cap the ends of the bones that form the knee joint, along with the kneecap. This surgery may be considered for someone who has severe arthritis or a severe knee injury.

Various types of arthritis may affect the knee joint. Osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease that affects mostly middle-aged and older adults, may cause the breakdown of joint cartilage and adjacent bone in the knees. Rheumatoid arthritis, which causes inflammation of the synovial membrane and results in excessive synovial fluid, can lead to pain and stiffness. Traumatic arthritis, arthritis due to injury, may cause damage to the cartilage of the knee.

The goal of knee replacement surgery is to resurface the parts of the knee joint that have been damaged and to relieve knee pain that cannot be controlled by other treatments. 

This week's podcast promo: The 42 Cast

If Wishes Were Fishes - 261

If wishes were fishes, we would all cast our nets in the sea. This week's episode is a bit of a mixed bag. We are talking about my recent birthday weekend, but this episode includes a part of our eighth show.

Labour Day weekend is always my birthday celebration time. Most years, people are busy and my special day gets overlooked. However, this year, I had the best celebration in recent memory. My lady and I went to the USA (across the river) and got some tattoos. We did some sight-seeing and a lot of talking. The second day was spent with her family at the Kinross County Fair. She gave me a replica of the Sword of Omens from Thundercats.

Pop culture is briefly mentioned in this episode. The show is coming out on September 8th, which is Star Trek Day! I have been watching She-Hulk, The Orville, Lower Decks, House of the Dragon and Rings of Power.

Finally, the episode finishes up with a re-use of our 8th show. In that one, I talked about what I would wish for if I were given 3 wishes. I figured this topic was appropriate as it was my birthday weekend, and everyone gets to wish for something during that time.

This week's podcast promo: Thunder Talk

You Can’t Halt the Future - 260

My son Bishop comes for a visit!

Five months ago, in April, I moved from Timmins back to my hometown of Sault Ste. Marie. This move was 19 years in the making. Fear held me back. Due to a severe bout of depression I made an impulsive decision and moved back home. I hadn't seen my son since I lelt town. At the beginning of August, I picked him up so he could stay and visit with me.

Since I made the move to come back home, I have been living my best life. Whether that is due to my living situation, or because I'm on depression pills I can't really say. All I know is that I'm going to enjoy it. I wanted Bishop to see the state of my happiness. He enjoyed his visit so much, he extended his stay from 2 to 3 weeks. He would have stayed longer if he didn't need to go home to prepare for the upcoming school year.

We had a great visit. For a boy who rarely walks anywhere, he sure did a lot of it. His cousin Trinity lives about 5 blocks away and he walked there nearly every day. He was able to touch a chipmunk for the first time. We walked the Soo Locks at Whitefish Island. We played at the park and ate lots of ice cream.

I learned how chatty he is with his online friends. Many discussions were had about the future. Bishop knows he does not want to live alone. He knows he needs to finish high school in order to set himself up for success. Adulthood is a realm of fear for my son. However, after many long talks we feel as though we now have a handle on some things.

This week's podcast promos: The Epsilon Three Podcast and the Overtired Podcast