• Flippin' It (Discussing the "Crisis of Male Culture")
    Jan 2 2025

    We start today's episode off discussing house projects, working on your own home and Bob Villa's affect on the modern housing market. Doug discusses the red flags you should look for when purchasing a home that indicate that the house has been flipped. The fellas discuss the phenomenon of only fixing up your home to sell it as opposed to re-appreciating your home every few years in order to breathe new life into the same space.

    The conversation turns to the concept of designating creative spaces for ourselves in our lives. Doug discusses how he spent his younger years trying to prove to himself that he was an artist because he grew up in a world where no one was an artist. Doug and Ian discuss the importance of encouraging your children's creative impulses and how designating creative spaces within our lives can help them feel more connected to those creative parts of themselves.

    We share our new audio intros from our friend Ezra and discuss our thoughts on them. Doug brings up the potential genetic defect behind white people "clapping on the 1" and the fellas debate whether mayo consumption may or may not be the culprit.

    Ian discusses a recent interview he saw featuring Scott Galloway and shares his thoughts. The conversation turns to modern masculinity, fake masculinity and the current "crisis of masculinity" in our culture today. Is it a lack of masculine leadership? Is it a lack of modern rites of passage in our culture? Share your thoughts in the comment section.

    Today's talk ends with a short conversation at the intersection of black conservatism and gay/trans issues. Ian drops some wisdom in this segment.

    We round out today's episode with another round of everyone's favorite international quiz show: "Which Side Of The Border."

    Enjoy the show!

    If you're enjoying the content, consider subscribing to our channel. Thanks!

    #manhood
    #friendship
    #beyourself
    #creativespaces
    #creativekids
    #masculinity
    #mentorship
    #familyman
    #ritesofpassage
    #homerepair
    #manlyman
    #fatherhood

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    1 hr and 55 mins
  • The Banjo Hamstring (aka The Golden Retriever Privilege)
    Dec 19 2024

    In this episode, Ian and Doug start by discussing a topic that haunts so many aging men... balding. What's the best decision to make when the time comes for you? Do you shave it? Let it grow out, like a wise old man on a mountaintop? Do you wear hats? What's your approach to balding? Whatever you do, we support it! Doug also tells a short story about how he had no idea that he had curly hair until he was in his mid-twenties.

    Today's conversation takes a natural turn from balding and aging into death, everyone's favorite topic. Doug tells Ian the storyline to the book, "Tuesdays With Maury" and the duo discuss what steps they've been taking to manage their individual health, with aging in mind. What sort of things are you doing to make sure you're maintaining your strength as you age? Ian tells us about how choosing to ride his bike and take public transportation recently has exposed him to the "Gym of Life."

    Ian and Doug discuss the effects that exercise has on their mental health. They also discuss seasonal effective disorder and how winter can be very challenging for some people. Are you heavily effected by the weather? What sort of things do you do to help yourself during the darker part of the year?

    Today's episode is rounded out by everyone's favorite trivia game, "Which Side of the Boarder."

    Enjoy the show!

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    1 hr and 21 mins
  • Ian's Pursuit Of Happiness (Choosing To Rely On Public Transit In A Car-Focused Society)
    Dec 5 2024

    To start this week's episode, Ian takes us through his decision to sell his car and rely on his bike and public transit to get around his neighborhood in Toronto. This launches the fellas into a conversation about our human programing to select comfort over everything else. Doug discusses his decision to start growing his own food 16 years ago and how that decision completely changed his life. He tells a story about how his first trip to Whole Foods led to his discovery of self-reliance. Let us know your thoughts by responding to a question below.

    The conversation changes to dating when you're married and how to approach intimacy as you get older. As we get older, our priorities can sometimes shift from romantic to sleepy and not only is that ok, it's also pretty funny.

    Next, Doug tells another Sauna Story titled "The Small Talker" or "What Do I Gotta Do To Let You Know I Don't Want To Talk To You."

    We end this episode with another round of everyone's favorite game "Which Side Of The Border."

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    1 hr and 22 mins
  • Long Balls Matter (Male Mentorship and the Modern Man)
    Nov 21 2024

    In today's episode, Ian and Doug discuss The Underground Freedom Train and how Canadians celebrate it's history. Doug and Ian get into their own ancestry before Doug hits us with another Sauna Story. The fellas discuss the stigma of mental illness in men and how most of us don't quite understand mental illness or how to help our friends struggling with it. They also discuss eldership and the lack of positive male role models, ego and it's effect on men and modern man's role in feminism. The episode ends with another round of "Which Side of the Border.

    Thanks for listening and enjoy the show!

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    1 hr and 38 mins
  • Ch-Ch-Changes (How Transition is Unavoidable in Life and How to Best Lean Into It)
    Nov 7 2024

    In today's episode:

    Ian begins with a story about a local man who seems to have it all figured out... or does he? Doug and Ian discuss how the grass can sometimes seem greener based on where you're standing. Doug shares the inner monologue of an aging tradesperson. How do you know when it's time to move in a new direction? When should one transition?

    The conversation turns to the topic of "transition / transitioning" as Doug and Ian each share elements of transition in their lives lately. Ian takes us through his recent decision to rely on public transportation instead of his car. He brings us into what it feels like to be a black man riding on a bus with his family, stressing how social stigmas are everywhere and can sometimes sneak up on you. Doug dives deeper into his thoughts of "what to do with the next 20 years."

    Enjoy the show!

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    1 hr and 27 mins
  • School Board Survivor - Ian Tells a Story About His School Board Experience
    Oct 24 2024

    Welcome back to the show!

    In today's episode, Ian tells us a story of how he survived his recent run as School Board President. He breaks down what he learned and what challenges he had to overcome in order to get through a new position with a lot of expectations. The fellas discuss the concept of replacing "I" with "We" and how that can affect your health and mental wellness.

    They also discuss Doug's moldy HVAC systems vs Ian's funky Birkenstocks, why Doug can't smell mold and why he thinks roaches are more polite than we give them credit for. They wrap up their discussion on the topic of education, the education system and how the cultural we grew up in affects the role education plays in our lives.

    Today's show ends with another addition of "What Side Of The Border," everyone's favorite new game show about the slight differences between Canadian and American cultures.

    Enjoy the show!

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    1 hr and 37 mins
  • Daisy Dukes Of Hazzard
    Oct 10 2024

    In this week's episode, Ian takes a break from a Canadian getaway to touch base with Doug. They get into how marathon runners must be offensive to the people who risked their lives to first domesticate wild horses, how being too hard on yourself can be detrimental to your mental health and how to trust yourself as an artist. Doug tells us a story about his dad's tragic inability to remember where he put his keys and Ian shares a couple of interesting pop-culture topics.

    #mentalhealth
    #friendspodcast
    #comedy
    #friends
    #awareness
    #art
    #canada
    #america
    #mentalking
    #trustyourself
    #familystories
    #storytelling

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    1 hr and 8 mins
  • Sauna Etiquette
    Sep 26 2024

    Welcome back to the show! In today’s episode, Ian and Doug discuss a recent experience at a demolition derby which leads Doug to tell a story about a knock-down, drag-out brawl he lived through at a rodeo in Nicaragua. They also discuss modern rites of passage and proper sauna etiquette before playing they’re favorite quiz game “Which Side of the Border.” Make sure to check out the video versions of these episodes on our YouTube channel. Comment on the videos and tell us about your experiences.

    Enjoy the show!

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    1 hr and 10 mins