Soul Forge Podcast

The 7 Year Itch - 331

The 7 Year Itch is here to celebrate the seventh anniversary of the Soul Forge Podcast. Shawn and Leah cover a variety of topics this week, while also marking this monumental occasion. Come celebrate 7 years with us.

Our first topic of conversation is all about new beginnings. After a fun preamble about 7 years of forging our souls, and more than 10 years of podcasting, we are talking about new ideas. Soul Forge began as a way for Shawn to heal from years of loss and trauma. The podcast became a place to talk about the things and ideas people generally avoid.

Shawn and Leah want to slowly retire Soul Forge. They wish to create something new. Something that belongs to both of them from the very beginning. They are workshopping ideas and names for this new podcast. If you have any ideas or suggestions you can email them at soulforgepodcast@gmail.com

Speaking of new beginnings, Shawn and Leah are looking at buying a house together. A house that is theirs together without any previous history. Their house is up for sale, and their have been many showings. Furniture shopping has begun. They need a new dining room set, as well as a bedroom set. Do they get a king or queen sized bed? What do you think?

The Amore fashion show (as mentioned on episode 329) happened last week. Shawn and Leah attended the event and their thoughts are revealed here. San Diego Comic-Con was this past weekend. There were many Marvel and Star Trek reveals. Inside Out 2 became the highest grossing animated movie in history.

Leah has some new items in her Etsy shop. Find her store by searching collectandcaston

Shawn listed a few new items on Etsy, and they can be found at rustedrobottoys

This week's podcast promo: Cosmic Pizza Podcast

What About Bob - 330

What about Bob Newhart and Shannon Doherty? These are two of the major celebrity deaths the world experienced recently. Back when Shawn was hosting the Rusted Robot Podcast, each episode began with that week's famous deaths. Although that pop culture podcast ended more than three years ago, it is never far from Shawn's memory.

This week, Shawn and Leah jump from topic to topic. There is a lot on their minds. Since two weeks have passed since the last episode, they have a lot of catching up to do. Minor topics include the end of the LCBO strike (which means we can buy our booze again), and the 55 year annivery of the first moon landing.

Mike and Judy sent Shawn and Leah some wedding gifts this week. A huge thank you goes out to this amazing couple for their kindness. For those who don't know, Mike is the head of the ESO Network.

Leah and Shawn are getting more familiar with their Jeep. They took part of the roof off and drove around in style. There is more that can be modified, but that is all in good time.

President Joe Biden has left the race. He will no longer be seeking re-election. As of our recording, the Vice President was not yet the nominee. Although they don't know a lot about United States politics, Shawn and Leah do have a bit of a chat.

The main topic of conversation this week is the house. Shawn and Leah have been doing a lot of prep work. There have been multiple dump runs, as well as donations going to Value Village. They have painted, decluttered and put new carpet on the stairs. Large beds have been replaced by smaller beds to make rooms appear bigger. And Leah wants to know what the animals will think about moving.

This week's podcast promo: Cigar Nerds

Boobs, Burgers and Beer - 329

Boobs, burgers and beer! These are three things that almost everyone loves. This episode tells you all about the upcoming fashion show hosted by Amore: For Your Pleasure.

On this episode of the Soul Forge Podcast, your host Shawn goes on location for a chat with Gaelyn, the owner of Amore: For Your Pleasure. For those not in the know, Amore is the premiere adult toy store in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Shawn and Gaelyn discuss the upcoming fashion show.

This is the ultimate sexy lingerie fashion show. There have been four or five previous shows. Every year, the event gets bigger. Starting from humble beginnings in the store, the event has now moved to the parking lot across from Jay's Piston Broke Pub.

Boobs, burgers and beer is the theme of the fashion show. The event is a twofold event. Partly to help celebrate pride week, it is also a customer appreciation event to give back to Amore's customers.

The fashion show is held on Wednesday (hump day) and runs between 3 and 10pm. This event is rain or shine. The BBQ is free. There is a cash bar as per regulations. Multiple vendors will be on site. A DJ will provide music and you are free to dance. Games will be held and you can win Amore Bucks to spend in store. The Vendors will be selling jewelry, cookies, soaps and more.

July 24 is the date of this amazingly fun event. Running from 3 until 10, there will be two fashion show. The first will be held at 4pm and the second starts at 7:30. The models range in size from extra small to 5x.

The Facebook page for the event is: https://www.facebook.com/events/791140943217995?active_tab=about

This week's podcast promo: Watchathon of Rassilon

What We Leave Behind - 328

What we leave behind is not nearly as important as what we take with us. At least, when it comes to moving or down-sizing. This is nothing to do with the legacy of our lives. This week the podcast tackles the topic of finding a new home.

Leah's dad is moving. Gord currently lives about a 20 minute drive from his wife. The wife is in a nursing home as her health is poor. Every second day Gord drives 20 minutes down the highway to visit. Gord is 78 years old and his health is also deteriorating. Luckily, Gord's wife owns a home only minutes from the healthcare facility she lives in. We are moving Gord to his wife's old house.

Arranging this move for Gord has been a long process. First, we had to let the tenants know it was time for them to go. Convincing Gord to leave his current home has also been quite the event. Now, we are painting and repairing the new place for him to stay in. Gord and his wife are big time smokers. Three packs a day is not uncommon. All of their possessions are smoke-filled damaged. There is almost nothing salvageable. Only the essentials will make it to the new house.

In other news, Shawn and Leah are looking for a new place to live. Currently, they live in Leah's house. There is not enough room for all their combined possessions. Nor is there room for guests. Therefore, the search for a new home is underway.

After seeing so many houses for sale, we have drawn some conclusions. Your grass needs to be mowed. Decluttering your house, and cleaning up is extremely important. Opening windows goes a long way. A fresh coat of paint won't hurt anything.

As for moving, decluttering and getting rid of things you haven't used in years is a great idea. Use totes instead of cardboard boxes. Memories are in your head, not in your stuff. Take a picture and chuck out useless or extra items. What we leave behind or throw out will not be missed.

This week's podcast promo: Tales From Hollywoodland

The Chicken King - 327

The Chicken King presents Grampy D's original recipe.

This week the Soul Forge Podcast crew is on location. We find ourselves at Bruni's Fine Foods for a taste testing. David Poluck from Northern Jewellery and Crafts is the Chicken King. He has created a unique chicken coating mix. The event and subsequent interview are detailed in this episode.

In David's own words, the idea for a deep fried coating mix began with a conversation:

"In a world saturated with fast-food chains and pre-packaged coating mixes, it all began with two friends who found themselves in a discussion about something more when it came to fried chicken. Dissatisfied with the limited options available whether it was the greasy offerings from chain restaurants or the uninspiring coating mixes he found at his local grocery store I made a decision to take matters into my own hands and embark on a journey that would eventually lead to the creation of Grampy D’s original Recipe’s"

David tells us about his childhood influences and the cooks in his life. Creating an easy, yet not greasy coating mix takes time. Four and a half months and many chicken dinners later, the recipe was perfected. Designed for bone-in chicken, you must reduce cooking time for boneless poultry.

At this tasting event, we sampled air-fried, deep-fried and oven roasted cooking methods. About 15 people participated in the event. Their thoughts are recorded in this episode. There is also a fish coating mix that we did not try.

You can buy Grampy D's coating mix in a variety of places. Here in Sault Ste. Marie, it is available at Bruni's Fine Foods, Pino's Get Fresh, RJ's Market and Northern Jewellery. Algonquin Outfitters sells the product, and it can also be found in Sturgeon Falls as well as on Amazon.

Phoebe from Eat At Sault Ste. Marie was also at the event. You can follow her page at https://www.facebook.com/Eatssm

Follow and learn more about David and his businesses at https://luraygems.com/

Soul Forge Podcast can be found at http://www.soulforgepodcast.com/

This week's podcast promo: Monster Attack

Bridgerton, Bacon, The Boys and More - 326

Food, History, television shows, work, feedback and more on this week's episode. No topic is too obscure for us to cover!

The weather is our first mini topic. A veritable heat wave has descended upon us. From hail to humidity, no one is safe from these extremes. Some days it feels as though we are sitting here melting.

We had our yard sale this last weekend. Turns out we prefer going to sales, rather than hosting them. There is a lot of prep work involved. Pricing items is quite important, and having an organizational system is key. Item placement will affect your sales. Keeping your items in line of sight is crucial.

Leah goes to a work leadership conference this week. She and her co-workers will exchange ideas, and talk about having difficult conversations. There will be skills fair full of differing booths. This is one of the very few times where Shawn and Leah have been apart for a few days.

Richard from Australia provides feedback on our restaurant review episode. This leads to a discussion about The Blockhouse, an eatery in the old St. Mary's Paper building. We then discuss the historic Canal District, the Soo Locks and the Agawa Train tour.

Our episode ends with a chat about some recent television we have been enjoying. Season three of Bridgerton was a particular delight. The Boys, The Acolyte and The Big Bang Theory are in regular rotation. There is some chatter about sequel series such at Crusade, Star Trek, Young Sheldon, and the Mandolorian.

This week's podcast promo: Monkeeing Around

Taking Care of Dad - 325

Taking care of dad for our Father's Day episode!

We start this episode with a brief history of how Father's Day began. Did you know this holiday is not much older than a century? In fact, Father's Day was introduced in 1910. Naturally, it was a response to Mother's Day and soon became associated with retail and commerce. You will learn even more in this episode.

Shawn and Leah discuss their fathers. They each have dads, fathers-in-law, as well as stepfathers. Shawn talks about being a father and a step-father. An important aspect of this discussion is their feelings towards these dads. What happened to the step-dads in their lives?

Taking care of dad is a major part of the episode. Both Shawn and Leah's fathers are in their 70s. Age brings many things with it, including loss of ability, forgetfulness and wounded pride. Imparting their wisdom also becomes important as dads age. Shawn must help his dad do the things he once took for granted. Leah is helping her father move closer to his wife.

Pop Culture and Dads!

• Robot and Frank, Darth Vader, Family Law, the dads of Disney, Full House, Steven Speilberg's take on dads, Family Ties, Roseanne, Who's The Boss?, Glee, My Two Dads, Modern Family, and Three Men and a Baby.

No one wants your stuff! When a dad passes on, what happens to their things? A brief discussion on what to do with all the stuff left behind. Who wants what, and where does it go?

This week's podcast promo: Modern Musicology

Chuck's Roadhouse Restaurant Review - 324

New ideas are brewing at Soul Forge HQ. Shawn and Leah are bringing you more excitement and adventure. The topics are going to be vast and wide-ranging. We plan to bring our listeners an enhanced podcast experience. Stay tuned for the updated format!

So, we recently got into meal prep. It seemed like a great idea to have ready-made ideas for a week's worth of dinners. An amazing meal was planned, but time got away from us. Therefore, we decided to go to a restaurant because it was too late to cook. We went to Chuck's and while we were there we discussed podcast ideas. Chuck's Roadhouse restaurant review was born! Plenty of new ideas are coming up.

This episode talks about the good and the bad you may experience at a Chuck's restaurant. We're talking about tipping etiquette, half-price apps and a whole lot more. We even had dessert this week!

From Chuck's website:

Chuck’s Roadhouse Bar and Grill has been a beacon to road travellers everywhere since 2015. We pay homage to the traditional roadhouses by providing not only a great atmosphere, but an unwavering commitment to serving the best quality food for the best price. Due to the high demand from our guests across Canada, Chuck’s Roadhouse continues to expand at an increasingly rapid pace.

Food the way it ought to be, priced the way it used to be.

Not only a statement used to represent our brand, but a mindset applied to the process in which our menu is crafted.

Quality menu items including: AAA steaks, Lobster Tail, Prime Rib Burgers, Ice Cold Draught and more, for a fraction of our competitors’ prices. We appeal to communities who look for that classic roadhouse taste, comfortable ambiance and second-to-none guest experience. We’re a brand dedicated to delivering a hospitable dining experience and creating that comfortable place for everyone to enjoy a meal, grab a drink or watch their favourite team on the big screen TV’s.

This week's podcast promo: The Flopcast