The Soul Forge Podcast

Mint versus loose. Which is better? How do you choose to present your collection? Is there really that much of a difference between mint and loose collecting? All that and more on this week's exciting episode of The Soul Forge Podcast! But first, an update on my Hot Wheels collecting. I have been steadily on the hunt for new and unique die cast cars. YouTube has been a great source of information. People have different tastes in vehicles. It seems as though many collectors do not like the fantasy casts. Instead they prefer to only collect real-world models. This hobby can make one quite obsessive. So, mint or loose? What terms do we need to be familiar with? MOC : Mint on card MIB : Mint in box MIP : Mint in package HTF : Hard to find VHTF : Very hard to find Carded : Figure is still on original backing card. Boxed : Figure is still in original box. Loose : Figure is no longer in it's original box or card. Complete : Figure has all of its original accessories. Punched : The hole used to hang the card on a peg in stores has been knocked out. Unpunched : The hole used to hang the card on a peg in stores has not been knocked out. There can be many reasons for why someone will keep their action figures MIB/MOC. Some people just like the way the packages look. Many action figures made today are highly detailed, but also are in detailed packages. Others like to keep them MIB/MOC because action figures are worth way more when they are in original packages. The better the condition of the packages, the better the price will be if you ever decide to resell your action figures. Loose figures will allow you to take them out of the package and “play” with them. You can put your figures in different poses and post them online on blogs or forums. They take up way less storage space. The downside to loose figures is that they lose their values very fast. The best option (if you can afford it) is to buy 2 of everything. This way, you can display your collection both way and never have to decide! This week's podcast promo: Earth Station One  

Searching for joy is a necessary part of life. There are many day to day things that can bring you down. Sometimes you must actively seek out joy. On this week's episode of Soul Forge Podcast, Shawn and Amanda are doing their best to find the joy in the every day aspects of life. What exactly is joy? According to the dictionary, joy is: the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation. However, in regards to the podcast, joy is simply the act of feeling good. Origin of joy: First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English joy(e), from Old French joie, joye, from Late Latin gaudia, neuter plural (taken as feminine singular) of Latin gaudium “joy,” equivalent to gaud- (base of gaudēre “to be glad”) + -ium-ium   Amanda finds her joy through random acts of kindness. Making others feel good helps her to feel good too. Martin Luther King Jr. once said the “surest way to be happy is to seek happiness for others.” New research published by a team of psychologists at the University of Missouri-Columbia suggests that King’s words are as true today as they were a half-century ago — that our own happiness is, in large part, influenced by the kindness and generosity we show to others. Amanda just might be onto something here. We also talk about how our words can influence our moods. For instance, Shawn often says he is observing or describing. This is a more positive spin on the act of complaining or whining. Amanda thinks Shawn is actually whining, but he believes he is explaining or observing. What do you think?   This week's podcast promo: Earth Station Trek

Expectations are what we think will happen, while reality is what actually transpires. While we hope these two will match up, they often don't. This disparity of expectations vs. reality can often lead to feelings of discontentment and unhappiness.  Expectations refer to the beliefs that you hold about the outcomes of events. While these expectations can play an important role in determining what happens and can contribute to goal-directed behavior, they can also lead to disappointment when reality does not match up to what you had hoped would happen.  People are surprisingly bad at predicting what will make them happy. This means that your expectations might cause you to think that achieving certain goals will bring joy and contentment, but because these predictions are often wrong, you might pursue the wrong goals. Your expectations can get the better of you when you expect more than what is realistic in a given situation. You might expect your partner to live up to what you see in romance films. You may expect your job to be an idealized version you dreamed about as a child, or even your life to match what you see on Instagram. Expectations can create significant stress when they don't match up with reality. Also, consider how social media can greatly contribute to this. You compare our own worst moments (those not deemed to be shareable online) to others' best moments, which very often are filtered to seem perfect. When you find that what is happening is not what you expected, actively look for the positives in what you have. You may find that once you get over the disappointment, you have something you didn't initially realize you wanted. This helps you to be more appreciative of what you have. This week's podcast promo: Drinking with Authors

Hot Wheels are my latest micro obsession. What is a micro obsession? Those who know me, are aware that my interests vary far and wide. You never know what might hit my radar and become my next mini obsession. Last year it was prepping for the end of the world. This year, it's Hot Wheels! For more than five decades, Hot Wheels has provided adrenaline-fueled vehicle play that ignites the challenger spirit in every kid with the most outrageous and innovative cars and track systems. Hot Wheels was born when Mattel co-founder Elliot Handler challenged his design team to create a toy car that was cooler and performed better than anything on the market. They answered with the first-ever trackable toy car. This episode details my early history with Hot Wheels. From smashing my brother's cars to buidling towns. The price was so reasonable every kid had a ton of cars. We used to call them Dinky Cars. However, Dinky was a completely separate brand. Hot Wheels are my newest micro obsession. I have been learning all about the history of the toy line. I have also found out about treasure hunt and super treasure hunt vehicles. Thanks in large part to a slew of YouTube channels, I have gained just enough knowledge to be dangerous. This week's podcast promo: Cosmic Pizza

You're gonna die. I'm gonna die. We are all going to die. That is why it is important to think about end of life planning while you still can. You're gonna die. Therefore, it is up to you to plan how you wish to be taken care of. Preplanning your final arrangements can save your family and friends from having to make decisions at a difficult time. It also gives you time to make the right choices. The person you name in your will to handle your affairs (for example, your estate trustee) can change your plans at the time of your death, so it is important to discuss your wishes with him or her and your family members or friends. This week on the podcast, Amanda is here to remind us all that we are going to die. She pre-planned her and her husband's funerals. Because she knows you're gonna die, she has much to say on this topic. The main take away is that pre-planning your funeral arrangements saves those left behind from having to do it during their grief. It also ensures you get what you want. Remember to keep all important documents in a safe place where your legal representative(s) can find them easily and give a copy to the person who will likely make the arrangements. Keep in mind that your representative may not be able to have a safety deposit box opened until after the funeral. At death, your legal representative should take your pre-arrangement documents to your chosen provider and any receipts or other evidence of payment. The service provider will review the contract with your legal representative and let him or her know if there are any extra costs to be paid at that time. This week's podcast promo: Cigar Nerds

It's a mixed bag of topics this week. There is no theme holding all the thoughts together. What will Shawn say on this week's episode? No one knows--not even him! Prepare yourself for a cosmic adventure to nowhere! Valentine's Day was this week. How did you spend the day? Is it Single Awareness Day? Did you go to a fancy restaurant? I spent the day at work, followed by an evening of watching TV, eating chocolate and relaxing. Melissa went to Mexico with her family. We celebrated earlier in the week. Television and movies are fun. I used to host a podcast all about pop culture and movies and toys. I am currently enjoying The Last Of Us. We are only 5 episodes into the series and it is really great so far. I haven't played the video game it is based on, but that doesn't seem to matter. The third and final season of Star Trek: Picard premieres this week. I have been eagerly anticipating seeing the reunion of the Next Generation crew. My brother Robin and I are going to see Antman and the Wasp: Quantumania on Thursday. Who doesn't love Paul Rudd? The situation with my dad has improved recently. Things had been tense for quite some time. He recently reached out. We have been doing coffee and having visits. All in all, it has been quite pleasant so far. Check out Rusted Robot Toys. It's my pop culture shop on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/RustedRobotToys This week's podcast promo: But First, Let's Talk Nerdy

Love? Loss? Heartache? Anger? Sadness? Brother Robin visits the Soul Forge to celebrate his 37th birthday. Robin has a few things to talk about. Is he ready for the end of society, or can he turn his attitude around? Seasonal depression might be to blame for Robin's sadness. It could, perhaps, be his recently ended situationship. Right now, he is on a 2 forked road. Sharing memes about healing while waiting for the world to end. Most things in Robin's life are actually fairly positive. He has a place to live; family and friends who love him; a new vehicle, and a decent job. Money problems have always been an issue for Robin, but things are looking up. His job at Best Buy appears secure for the foreseeable future. Why is Robin ready to let the nukes fly? This mainly seems to stem from his recent breakup. He was not in a fully fledged relationship, but it seemed to be heading that way. This was the girl of his dreams. When she called it off, he was devastated. He is doing everything possible to feel better and move on. Robin is ready to let the nukes fly, but he is also trying to heal. Much like I felt after the breakup of my marriage, Robin is sharing memes about positivity, inspiration and healing. He knows he will get through the tough times, and yet he is tired of getting through the tough times. Tiktok is Robin's release valve. He has been seeing angel numbers and a ton of Tarot videos. Recently, he has turned to making his own videos. There are several methods Robin is using to heal and cope with life. Find him on TikTok under the name Robino Heat. This week's podcast promos: Metal Geeks, Best Saturdays of our Lives

I went viral this past week. I walked into Walmart and saw that they were adding coin receptacles to their shopping carts. Pulling out my phone, I made a quick Tiktok video. After uploading the video to the service, I thought nothing more about it. Somehow, it attracted a lot of attention from the Tiktok community. Three days after I posted the video, it had 5 million views. A week after posting the video, it had amassed 10.5 million views and more than thirty thousand comments. Going viral is an online phenomenon that any active Internet user is most likely already familiar with, at least to some extent. When the word viral is used to describe a video, it doesn’t refer to the type of content but rather to the way in which it gains popularity. A video goes viral by quickly amassing millions of views due to social media users sharing it with their friends and/or followers. And the more people share, the higher the number of views. In short, a viral video is a video spread by users who share and like it, thus increasing its number of views and making it reach viewers outside the original target audience group. Due to the fact that sharing is a key element of creating viral content, it’s mainly encountered within the world of social media. When you manage to make your video go viral, there are really no limits as to how many people can actually watch it. A sensible assumption would be that the potential audience could even consist of as many people as there are users of a particular platform. This is, of course, only a theoretical scenario, but still, it’s not exactly accurate because viral posts and videos tend to travel between different social media platforms. My viral video: https://www.tiktok.com/@soulforgepodcast/video/7192661184481430790 The Daily Dot article: https://www.dailydot.com/irl/walmart-dollar-shopping-cart/?fbclid=IwAR1oWtz6eZq9WblRCq8hDIP6VOHiVMAYoOZQeP3nFUCqoHySbeWfc7ssTJQ Support the podcast: https://ko-fi.com/rustedsoul This week's podcast promo: The 42 Cast

Time, life and aging. Time moves quickly, but where does it go? The seasons of life keep on turning. Before you know it, you have become an older person. This week on the podcast, Shawn and Melissa talk about aging and growing up. This topic came up because of an article Melissa shared with Shawn. The article was about suddenly finding yourself in the last quarter of your life and not really knowing how you got there. Aging, aches and pains, and wrinkles appear as if by magic. You're dying your hair to hide the grey. You look for an adult and then realize you are the adult. Also in this episode: stop saving things for good. Good never comes because good is all the time. Change your mindset from 'I have to' into 'I get to'. Don't let fear hold you back from living your best life. Tell your people that you love them. Wear your favourite outfit. Do the things. Here is the article/post that is responsible for this episode: You know …… time has a way of moving quickly and catching you unaware of the passing years. It seems just yesterday that I was young and embarking on my new life. Yet in a way, it seems like eons ago, and I wonder where all the years went. I know that I lived them all. I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my hopes and dreams. However, here it is …… the last quarter of my life and it catches me by surprise. How did I get here so fast? Where did the years go and where did my youth go? I remember well seeing older people through the years and thinking that those older people were years away from me and that I was only on the first quarter and that the fourth quarter was so far off that I could not visualise it or imagine fully what it would be like. Yet, here it is …… my friends are retired and getting grey - they move slower and I see an older person now. Some are in better and some worse shape than me but I see the great change. They’re not like the ones that I remember who were young and vibrant …… but like me, their age is beginning to show and we are now those older folks that we used to see and never thought we'd become. Each day now, I find that just getting a shower is a real target for the day! and taking a nap is not a treat anymore, it's mandatory! because if I don't of my own free will, I fall asleep where I sit! And so …… now I enter into this new season of my life unprepared for all the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability to go and do things that I wish I had done but never did! But at least I know that, though I’m on the last quarter and I'm not sure how long it will last, that when it's over on this earth... it's over. A new adventure will begin! Yes, I have regrets. There are things I wish I hadn't done …… things I should have done but truely there are many things I'm happy to have done. It's all in a lifetime. So, if you're not on the last quarter yet, let me remind you that it will be here faster than you think. So, whatever you would like to accomplish in your life do it quickly! Don't put things off too long! Life goes by so quickly. So, do what you can today, as you can never be sure whether you're on the last quarter or not! You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of life.... so, live for today and say all the things that you want your loved ones to remember - and hope that they appreciate and love you for all the things that you have done for them in all the years past! ‘Life’ is a gift to you. Be Happy! Have a great day!   This week's podcast promo: Thunder Talk

Let's take another look at minimalism. In the first year of the podcast we took a dive into that world. In fact, we did two episodes about the minimalism journey. You can find those on episodes 25 and 50. Well, it's been 5 years since our last look. That means it is time to jump back in and see how our journey has gone. Did minimalism become our new normal? Have we utterly failed? You will learn the answers to these questions and more on episode 274! Minimalism is a tool that can assist you in finding freedom. Freedom from fear. Freedom from worry. Freedom from overwhelm. Freedom from guilt. Freedom from depression. Freedom from the trappings of the consumer culture we’ve built our lives around. That doesn’t mean there’s anything inherently wrong with owning material possessions. Today’s problem seems to be the meaning we assign to stuff: we assign too much meaning to things, often forsaking our health, our relationships, our passions, our personal growth, and our desire to contribute beyond ourselves. Becoming a minimalist slows down life and frees us from this modern hysteria to live faster. It offers freedom to disengage. It seeks to keep only the essentials. It aims to remove the frivolous and keep the significant. It values the intentional endeavors that add value to life. In addition to another look at minimalism, this episode also talks about the quest for new toys. No one ever said downsizing was going to be easy. So in that regard, finding the best deals, getting rid of the things we don't need, and watching a lot of quality television is a part of the journey. This week's podcast promo: The Epsilon Three

The G spot. What is it? Where is it? Find out all about the G spot on the 273rd episode of the Soul Forge Podcast. This week on the podcast we are at Amore For Your Pleasure. Amore is the premier adult store in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Amore's owner is Gaelyn MacKenzie Gaelyn is better known as G. She has been the owner/operator of Amore for 11 years. The most important aspect of her business is making her clients feel seen and welcome. This is not a sex shop. This is an adult store. For a long time, the term "sex shop" invoked a certain image – a seedy place with a neon sign, shelves stacked with porno mags and blow-up dolls and a peep-show booth in the back where mostly male patrons watched X-rated movies for a fee. Amore is a bright and friendly place that is welcoming to couples, women, LBGT people and men. Men are becoming more comfortable and open. Gaelyn makes sure that her store is a safe space. There is no judgement. Questions are encouraged. There are 5 categories of products at Amore. 1. Novelty items such as fun party stuff. 2. Videos. 3. Lotions, lubes, massage oils and bath products. 4. Toys and lingerie. 5. Fetish and fantasy. Amore is located in the west end of Sault Ste. Marie. It's right at the corner of Korah and Douglas. Find them on Facebook at Amore For Your Pleasure. This week's podcast promo: Monkeeing Around

Best of 2022 lists are everywhere. Here is another one! The first episode of the new year sees Shawn and Krista looking back over the year that was. 2022 is a year that won't soon be forgotten. From books and movies to television and events, 2022 was quite a year! Krista's year was quite eventful. She moved out on her own for the first time in 22 years. No roommates. No kids. Just Krista. And then she started a new job. This is apparently the best job she has ever had. Her boss is also the most awesome boss a girl could want. Other than being sick for nearly half the year, Krista had a fairly decent 2022. Shawn made some major moves in the past year. After talking about it for nearly two decades, he finally made the decision to move back to his home town. Born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie, he has lived in Timmins for nearly 20 years. The decision to move was a gigantic one, but it has been positive beyond expectations. Re-connecting with old friends, and building new friendships are all part of the journey. Shawn started dating a lovely girl he has known since high school. They have even moved in together. Quite an adventurous year! His son Bishop even likes this new girl. They get along so well! Also this year, we have discovered some really great media. The Umbrella Academy and The Last Kingdom did not come out in 2022, but that is when they were discovered. Krista fell in love with Netflix's Wednesday. Shawn read his first book by Terry Pratchett. He also found an amazing flea market type store with multiple vendors called the Vintage Co-op. This week's podcast promo: Modern Musicology

Cats and dogs are the most popular pets in the world. On this episode, my friend Melissa makes her podcasting debut. She is the proud owner of both a cat and a dog. Her cat's name is Charlie. Max is her handsome black Lab. Cats are more independent and are generally cheaper and less demanding pets. Dogs are loyal and obedient but require more attention and exercise, including regular walks. When you can't decide between becoming a cat person and dog person, it seems like there's only one solution: be both. Of course, becoming a dog-and-cat household isn't as simple as bringing a new animal into your home and hoping for the best. There are a number of factors to consider, such as how it will affect your current pet, your home, and lifestyle. When choosing between a cat or a dog, you should consider how much time you can dedicate to the pet (dogs require more time than cats, and don’t like to be left home alone), how much you can afford to spend (dogs are more expensive than cats), and what temperament of pet you would before (dogs are more needy and affectionate than independent cats).  Cats enjoy simple games that allow them to stalk and pounce. Popular games include bouncing a ping-pong ball on the floor for the cat to jump after, rolling a crumpled ball of paper along the floor, dragging ribbon along the floor, or playing hide and seek. Dogs enjoy games that allow them to run and chase. As well as playing “fetch,” dogs enjoy playing tug-of-war, hide and seek, find the treat, and running races. This week's podcast promo: The Flopcast

Is it stress or just life that causes you to feel the way you do? This week on the podcast, we are taking a look at what has been on the mind of your host. As of late, there has been a bit of nostalgia on the mind. And as such, it might be time to look ahead to what might be coming. A return to the Rusted Robot Podcast might be in order. Shawn hosted that pop culture podcast for about 7 years. Rusted Robot was your weekly dose of geek style news and reviews. Its return might be in the forecast. Kirstie Alley's death would have been a major topic on this week's episode had the podcast still been a thing. The Etsy shop is going well. It is called Rusted Robot Toys. If you are looking for some pop culture gifts, the Etsy shop should be your first stop. My YouTube channel is also called Rusted Robot Toys. Check it out! In other news, I purchased my first hour glass this weekend. I have wanted to collect hour glasses for 30 years but never did so. Will this be the start of a new craze? Time will tell (haha)! You also get to hear the newest promos for my 3 podcasts! Is it stress or just life? That really is the question. When I lived in Timmins I was always sore. I went to a massage therapist on a regular basis. My back and legs were always in pain. Ever since I moved to the Soo I have not needed to see a massage therapist. I didn't realize until recently how much pain and stress was caused by my living situation. This week's promo: ES DCU

How to be thankful is a vital skill in society. There are so many ways in which to present yourself in the world. Being polite and grateful will allow you to get ahead. Not everyone has the skills or the resources or even the desire to show thankfulness. Those that do have the knowledge and the willingness are well set for success. Practicing gratitude can be a game-changer: it has far reaching effects, from improving our mental health to boosting our relationships with others. Living your life with gratitude helps you notice the little wins—like the bus showing up right on time, a stranger holding the door for you, or the sun shining through your window when you wake up in the morning. Each of these small moments strings together to create a web of well-being that, over time, strengthens your ability to notice the good. Building your capacity for gratitude isn’t difficult. It just takes practice. The more you can bring your attention to that which you feel grateful for, the more you’ll notice to feel grateful for! Most of us know it’s important to express thanks to the people who help us, or silently acknowledge the things we are grateful for in life. Research has linked gratitude with a wide range of benefits, including strengthening your immune system and improving sleep patterns, feeling optimistic and experiencing more joy and pleasure, being more helpful and generous, and feeling less lonely and isolated.  This week's podcast promo: Drinking With Authors

90 day fiance or long distance fiance? Perhaps it's both! This episode of the Soul Forge dives into the relationship between Dakota and Luke. We will learn their story, their trials and tribulations. Most of all, we will experience the love they feel for each other. I have known Dakota since the day she turned 8 years old. She is my son's older sister. Dakota sees me as her father which is truly gratifying. I met Luke the day before we recorded this podcast episode. They have been in a long distance relationship for almost 4 years. Luke likes to travel. One day he decided to see how far north he could get. Dakota and Luke knew each other somewhat through their online gaming platforms. Luke found himself on the way to Timmins, Ontario. He is from Arizona. Due to a combination of factors including bad weather, Luke was stuck in Timmins and they met for the first time. They really hit it off. Now, 4 years later, they are engaged. Luke moved from Arizona to Wisconsin. Dakota has been desperately trying to get herself a passport for the last year. She hasn't had any luck, yet she remains hopeful. They are applying for a fiance visa so that Dakota can move to Wisconsin. Once her move is complete, they will have 90 days in which to get married. Dakota and Luke are in constant communication. In fact, they cite communication as the key to the success of their relationship. They are always on a call. Sometimes that call is voice, and sometimes it consists of virtual reality in game mode. No matter how the communication happens, they say that it is the most vital element in a long distance relationship. This week's podcast promo: Cosmic Pizza Podcast

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  

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!

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 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