Soul Forge Archives - The ESO Network: Recent Episodes

Soul Forge Archives - The ESO Network

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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. You should 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

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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 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 perfect. 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 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. Grampy D’s is found in Sturgeon Falls and 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 is found at http://www.soulforgepodcast.com/

This week’s podcast promo: Monster Attack

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Bridgerton, Bacon, The Boys and More!

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. Bridgerton, Bacon, The Boys and More!

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

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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. Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington, usually gets the credit for originating Father’s Day. She is said to have had the idea in 1909 while listening to a sermon on Mother’s Day, which was emerging as a holiday. 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? Taking care of dad can definitely be a challenge, but there are also many rewards.

This week’s podcast promo: Modern Musicology

Email the podcast at soulforgepodcast@gmail.com

Support the podcast at https://ko-fi.com/rustedsoul

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Chuck’s Roadhouse Restaurant Review!

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!

We recently got into meal prep. It seemed like a great idea to have ready-made ideas for a week’s worth of dinners. We planned an amazing meal, but time got away from us. Therefore, we decided to go to a restaurant because it was too late to cook. We discussed many new podcast ideas while at the restaurant. 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

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Let’s Host A Yard Sale!

We love yard sales. Hosting them. Going to them. Finding hidden treasures. There is very little not to love about a yard sale. Or should we call it a garage sale?

On this episode of the Soul Forge Podcast, Shawn and Leah talk everything there is to talk about yard sales. Soon, they will be hosting their own. Have you ever hosted a sale? Would you do so again? What is the best thing you have ever gotten at a sale? Let us know at soulforgepodcast@gmail.com

Shawn and Leah talk about some of their recent acquisitions. Leah collects and searches for vintage Disney items. Song of the South and Splash Mountain are her main focus at the moment. She actively searches for toys from the 1980s. Shawn is always on the lookout for Hot Wheels, Star Trek stuff, movies and fodder for Etsy.

Why do people collect? We break down some of the possibilities. Hosting a yard sale can be tricky. There are many things to understand and think about. Making sure you have enough change is very important. There are weather concerns as well.

Let’s host a yard sale, you said. It will be fun, you said. Remember that no one wants your old wine glasses. Make sure to price fairly, and display things in an eye-pleasing manner.

We talk about antique and thrift stores. There are some amazing YouTubers out there that have a lot of great information. Shawn recently spoke with some podcast marketers who wanted to charge a fortune for their services. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes and How Disney Built America are recent viewing experiences.

Find Leah on Etsy at https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/Collectandcaston

Find Shawn on Etsy at https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/RustedRobotToys

This week’s podcast promo: Epsilon Three Podcast

yardsale #Disney #startrek #thrift #antique #collect #vintage #toys #YouTube

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Wedding Week Adventures or our wedding in Las Vegas and our honeymoon in California.

Leah and Shawn flew to Las Vegas to get married. After spending a few days in Sin City, they drove to Cathedral City, California. This episode of the Soul Forge is a day by day recap of their adventures.

May 2nd and 3rd: The first day was a travel day. Major delays were the main topic of conversation. Mechanical problems caused a 7 hour delay in travel. The second day was much better. The couple got their marriage license. The line was huge. The heat in Nevada is very different from that in Florida. Supper at Bubba Gump Shrimp was decent.

May 4th: Wedding day finds Leah stuffed up and sniffling. The hotel mattress was uncomfortable and the temperature was all over the place. Leah had her makeup done at a beauty school while Shawn and Wyatt picked up their rental car. It was a Mustang! Shawn and Wyatt went toy shopping and picked up comics and hot wheels. Leah and Shawn were married that afternoon. Dinner was at Triple George Grill.

May 5th: A full day of shopping. We visited the Coca-Cola store on the Las Vegas strip. We also went to the Hershey store, the M&Ms shop and the Stranger Things Netflix store. Freemont Street was dirty and busy. The premium outlets were full of moments. The Ocean One Bar and Grill was amazing.

May 6th: We finally left Las Vegas. Before we did though, we visited the Antique Mall of America. It was huge and we probably spent over 2 hours in there. Afterwards, we drove the 4 hours to Palm Springs. The scenery was beautiful, almost as if you were driving towards a gigantic painting. Cathedral City is a warm and comfortable town.

May 7th: We explored the town and area. The roads were fantastic. The thrifting and antique shopping was also amazing. So much fun sticking around our home base.

May 8th: A thrilling drive to Knott’s Berry Farm. The highways in California are atrocious. Super busy, congested and full of accidents and slow-downs. The amusement park was fun.

May 9th: The wedding week adventures are coming to an end. We visited the graves of Frank Sinatra and Sonny Bono. Afterwards we enjoyed a couple’s massage. Then we had a nap and some drinks.

May 10th: Homeward bound. An early drive to the San Diego airport. We took an alternate route. While it was quite beautiful, it was also treacherously windy and hilly. We were separated for 4 hours on the first plane ride. Fun, but exhausting. We are married!

coach #hotwheels #strangerthings #shakeshack #bubbagumpshrimp #lasvegas #mustang #starwarsday #triplegeorgegrill #coke #hershey #m&ms #disney #puma #vercini #hottopic #lush #tesla #miraclemile

palmsprings #antiques #songofthesouth #volkswagen #elcamino #cowboys #anxiety #depression #whiskey

walmart #thrifting #money #knottsberryfarm #themepark #california #amazonprime #rollercoasters #podcast

startrek #doctorwho #franksinatra #sonnybono

This week’s podcast promos: Earth Station DCU, Earth Station Trek, Earth Station Who

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The final countdown is episode 321!

The wedding of the century is almost upon us. Shawn and Leah will be married in Las Vegas on May the 4th. This episode of the Soul Forge discusses their plans and the countdown until the big day!

But first, we talk about smile cookies. Tim Hortons, Canada’s number 1 coffee shop sells their smile cookies once a year. This is the big fundraiser that sends kids to camp for the summer. These cookies, while delicious, are not packaged up very well.

There may be some drunk singing in Vegas. Leah hopes to get Shawn singing karaoke. The only evidence of Shawn singing while drunk is on YouTube. Can you find it?

Other topics this week include seed planting. Leah is on a seed planting rampage. Mostly cabbage has sprouted so far. Shawn enjoyed coffee with his brothers this weekend. Many topics were discussed. Also, Shawn and Leah answer a few random questions found on TikTok.

The fedora. Shawn always wanted a fedora. However, he is too self-conscious to wear one. This week he bought one anyway. He’s finally reached the age where he doesn’t care what people think. That’s freedom.

Where are we going for the honeymoon? We have ideas. Fremont Street. Alcatraz. DisneyLand. The possibilities are endless. Will Shawn open a comic shop with brother Robin and their friend James? The final countdown is here!

This is the link to watch the livestream of the wedding: https://littlechurchofthewest.com/livestream/

This week’s podcast promo: The Dragon Con Report

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Animal Consciousness and Other Ideas!

Are animals self aware? Scientific evidence supports the assumption that it “feels like something” for a fish to be caught on a hook. Shawn and Leah have a bit of a lively discussion regarding animal consciousness. They talk about their dads, wedding preparations, taxes, television shows and more!

Scientists and philosophers across the globe agree it is reasonable to assume the vast majority of creatures on Earth are sentient in some way. This includes lobster, squid and the tiny flies that swarm over drinks left outside in the summer.

The New York Declaration on #Animal #Consciousness, released Friday, was signed by 39 cognition scholars. They are from universities from #Canada to #Australia. It says there is “at least a realistic possibility” that all vertebrates and many invertebrates have conscious experience.

The declaration rests on recent scientific studies that show garter snakes can recognize their own scent. Crows can report what they see, octopi can avoid pain and fruit flies can sleep — and they sleep best when they’re with other fruit flies. Animal consciousness and other ideas is the 320th episode of the Soul Forge Podcast.

Also on this episode are discussions about fears, and how much work has been recently dumped onto Letter Carriers. #Television shows mentioned include #Fallout, #Crusade, #Robocop and #Star Trek Discovery. Leah and Shawn’s dad started planting in the greenhouse. They sat and shared their seeds.

This week’s podcast promo: Cosmic Pizza

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Our first fight recently took place. What was it about? How did the issue get resolved? Find out on this exciting episode of the Soul Forge Podcast!

This particular episode premieres on April 11, 2024. It was 17 years ago on this date that Shawn joined the Post Office. Since that time, he has delivered hundreds of thousands, if not millions of letters, flyers, magazines and parcels. How many more years will he continue? Only time will tell!

On Monday of this week, the world experienced a solar eclipse. People travelled far and wide to catch a glimpse of the totality. Here in Sault Ste. Marie, we were not in the path. Shawn did manage to take a video of the partial eclipse. However, it was cloudy. There was not much darkness, although the shadows became well defined. And the irony is that after the event was over, the clouds disappeared and the sky was clear.

Star Trek Discovery just returned for its fifth and final season. The first two episodes are decent. Leah created a Facebook group dealing with Jeep ducking. You should all join Soul Forge Jeep Ducks.

Shawn and Leah are fairly well prepared for their wedding on May 4th. Flights and hotels are booked. Dinner reservations have been made. They have plans for several adventures. They hope to go axe throwing and go karting. There is a 2 floor candy store to visit and a movie prop museum to tour. They also plan to visit Disney Land and Alcatraz.

Our first fight happened over the Easter weekend. What was it about? You must listen to find out. And this episode ends with a question and answer session. Leah found some interesting questions on TikTok.

This week’s podcast promo: Cigar Nerds

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International love is the tale of two strangers who became friends, and then embarked on a long distance relationship. This multi-year romance blossomed. Soon, it turned into a 90 day fiance situation. A year ago they moved in together. Six months ago they married. This is their story. But that’s not all!

Luke and Dakota have a story for the ages. He is American. She is Canadian. They once lived thousands of miles apart. Dating for five years over long distance presents many challenges and obstacles. Somehow, Luke and Dakota found a way to overcome everything in their way.

Due to their distance, they learned to communicate. This was all they had during the long years when they could not be together. Brutal honesty is their strength. Now that they are living together, this communication ability is a major asset. They have learned about their love languages.

Dakota feels spoiled. Her love language is Acts of Service. Luke does everything for her. He ensures she is fed and hydrated. Anything she needs, he makes sure she has. For Luke, is need is Quality Time. As long as he knows Dakota is there, he feels safe.

Other topics on this episode include all the government hurdles they need to jump. So much paperwork and bio-metric work can be overwhelming. Fingerprints and photos have been taken numerous times. International love takes a lot of work!

Shawn and Leah talk about their trip to Milwaukee to visit Luke and Dakota. Milwaukee is a city that rode into the American history books on two wheels and brewed its way into the hearts of the American traveler. When asked “what makes Milwaukee, Milwaukee?” the world’s most recognizable motorcycle brand and a well-poured beer come to mind. Cheese curds aren’t too far down that list either. Leah picked up a much sought after DVD. Shawn gathered a pile of Hot Wheels. Their Jeep was ducked. What’s ducking? Find out here!

This week’s podcast promo: The 42 Cast

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Relationship Level Ups!

Relationships go through predictable stages. Each stage builds upon the previous one. Are there 4 stages, five, or seven? This all depends on which particular website or expert you check with. For the purposes of this episode, we will assume there are 4 stages, or levels.

The first stage is the initial meeting and attraction. A significant aspect of this stage is the role of hormones like dopamine and oxytocin. Dopamine, often dubbed the ‘feel-good hormone’, creates feelings of euphoria, craving, and motivation, which are typically associated with the early stages of romantic attraction. Oxytocin is frequently referred to as the ‘love hormone’. Oxytocin fosters feelings of attachment. It deepens the emotional bond between partners, especially during intimate moments.

Level 2 is the infatuation or romance stage. Infatuation is “foolish” in that we can only see our partner’s light side. We’re in complete denial of their dark side. Early attraction often involves the physical attributes of the potential partner. This includes things like outward appearance, body type, interests and personality traits. At this stage, the attraction may not be too “deep” and each half of a couple is generally putting his or her best foot forward.

Stage 3 is the enlightenment or stability level. Couples often go “deeper” in their connection. Trust is stronger. More intimacies may be shared at this next stage as couples take away some of their best face. They allow themselves to act more naturally and relaxed. As intimacy develops between the two people, more self-disclosure emerges, both verbally and nonverbally. Couples act in ways that are more like how they are in their daily life.

Level 4 is the commitment stage. At this stage in a relationship, couples should have a good understanding of their partner’s values, lifestyle, and goals for the future. You’ve learned to love each other by having to like each other. You choose each other consciously. Welcome to relationship level ups!

This week’s podcast promo: Watchathon of Rassilon

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Disney DREAM Cruise Line Review!

Disney Dream cruise of March 3-8, 2024. This is Shawn and Leah’s report!

The Disney Dream is a cruise ship operated by Disney Cruise Line, part of The Walt Disney Company. The first of the Dream-class, she is the third ship of the overall fleet, the other four ships in the fleet being the Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Fantasy, and Disney Wish. She currently sails four-day and five-day cruises to the Bahamas and the Western Caribbean calling at Cozumel and Grand Cayman, as well as Disney’s private island Castaway Cay. In May 2023, the Disney Dream sailed across the Atlantic Ocean and began sailings in Europe. She entered service in 2011; her sister ship, Disney Fantasy, was deployed in 2012.

This was Shawn’s first ever cruise, and Leah’s third Disney cruise. On this episode of the podcast, they give you a day by day breakdown of events. Highlights include: trivia, the food, the people they met, and the weather. This is the Disney DREAM Cruise Line Review!

The fish extender gift exchange was a fun feature. Derived from the fact that outside every stateroom on a Disney Cruise, there is a fish that is used to hold communications from the ship to you. People started making a pocketed cloth container that hangs from the fish (thus Fish Extender) to collect little gifts from others that were cruising on the ship. Everyone who signs up for the Fish Extender is also volunteering to create or buy a gift for everyone else in the group and leave it in their Fish Extender during the cruise. The gifts can be as simple or as elaborate as you’d like them to be. There are no rules about what the gift has to be.

Shawn and Leah also tell you about the broadway-like events they witnessed. Believe and the Golden Mickeys were great fun! Rum tasting left them tipsy, but happy. Castaway Cay and Grand Cayman Island were beautiful to see. The crystal cave tour was a sight to behold, although the tour felt rushed. Pirate Day, and Marvel Day at Sea were fun to experience.

This week’s podcast promos: Modern Musicology, ESO Patreon, Monkeeing Around, Monster Attack, Tales from Hollywoodland

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Not Packed, But Ready To Go!

Talking about our first cruise together. This is Shawn’s very first cruising experience. Leah has been on several. While this episode has a heavy focus on travel, there are several other topics covered as well!

One of Leah’s favourite parts of going on a cruise — multiples stops and visits in one trip. Seeing a good amount of different places on the same vacation is rather enticing. Shawn is excited to see a new part of the world. A major factor in travel are the airports. Layovers can be a challenge. Leah believes a longer layover is not necessarily a bad thing. Longer layovers afford you the opportunity to wander the airport, go to the bathroom, and make your way across the terminal without missing your connecting flight.

In 2 months we are going to Las Vegas to get married. Our original honeymoon plan was to fly to Hawaii. However, we have decided to explore California in a rental car. We have not packed for our trip this weekend, but we do know what we are bringing to both Florida and Vegas. We are not packed, but ready to go, yes we are!

This episode comes out on Leap Day. Leah’s dad’s wedding anniversary is on February 29th. He thinks it is hilarious that he only has to celebrate once every 4 years. Shawn and Leah talk about their first Valentine’s Day date and what an experience that was.

Leah recently had a root canal and some fillings. She is now awaiting a crown. Travel is expensive, and their is discussion about credit card debt, pensions and retirement money, and only living once so you may as well enjoy it.

Shawn and the boys from the Epsilon Three podcast recently wrapped up their review of Babylon 5’s final season. This has a fun tie-in to emotion. Leah does not think Shawn is expressive and she’s definitely correct.

This week’s podcast promo: The Flopcast

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Public displays of affection is the topic on this special Valentine’s Day release!

This is episode 314 so naturally we talk about pie. Why pie? 3.14 is the basic formula for pi. That’s something to do with math and circles. Shawn and Leah joke about doing an entire episode about pi and pie. This is not that episode.

Next up is a brief review of the movie I.S.S. From its website, a brief description:

Tensions flare in the near future aboard the International Space Station (I.S.S.) as a worldwide conflict breaks out on Earth. Reeling, the US and Russian astronauts aboard each receive orders from the ground: take control of the station by any means necessary. Director Gabriela Cowperthwaite brings together a stellar cast including Academy Award®-winner Ariana DeBose in this high-stakes space thriller.

Did Shawn and Leah enjoy the movie? This episode of the Soul Forge Podcast has that answer, and many others!

Leah will be having a root canal in the near future. That procedure will require a 3 hour drive to Sudbury. As if we didn’t have enough travel planned. Upcoming trips include a Disney cruise in March, an Easter visit to Milwaukee in April and a flight to Vegas in May for the wedding.

For some reason we are talking coffee. And smoothies.

The main topic of conversation is public displays of affection. While visiting Traverse City recently, Shawn and Leah were stopped by strangers more than once. It turns out that PDA is rare in northern Michigan. We were looking for antiques and hot wheels. And we made quite the impression with our hand holding. We’re precious! Do you hold hands in public? Let us know at soulforgepodcast@gmail.com

This week’s podcast promo: Epsilon Three

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Sticks and stones may break our bones, but words can hurt just as much. Sometimes they hurt more. This week, Gaelyn, the owner of Amore joins Shawn for an intimate chat. Amore is Sault Ste. Marie’s premier adult toy shop. You can find them at 331 Korah Road.

As Shawn walked into Amore to record this episode with Gaelyn, he overhead something about a human auction. The better part of valour suggested that he wait until the conversations was over before asking anything about it. Turns out there will be a fun fundraiser. The human auction is to raise money for the Scarlet Affair Annual Drag Show. This is a fund raising event for Harp and families or individuals that have been affected by HIV or AIDS. Tickets are on sale at Amore for the event.

So essentially, there will be a celebrity auction to raise funds. The event will be held on February 17, at the Soo Moose Lodge. You can bid for a date with a local celebrity. The date will be held a month later. These dates will be in a public space for safety reasons. Jay’s Piston Broke Pub and Amore’s St Patrick’s Day fashion show is where the dates will be taking place.

There are some new products coming into the shop! The emojibator comes in many different shapes and styles. As stated on their website: The most evocative emoji of all, and our most popular toy, the Eggplant Emojibator is the ultimate party starter. Inspired by the eggplant emoji, this adorable toy offers 10 vibration patterns in a waterproof design that’s safe for bath and shower play. It will leave you buzzing all night long, and will never leave your texts unread.

Sticks and stones are often less hurtful than words. It is still possible to get bullied after leaving school. Bullying is a form of aggressive behavior in which someone intentionally and repeatedly causes another person injury or discomfort. Bullying can take the form of physical contact, words, or more subtle actions. The bullied individual typically has trouble defending him or herself and does nothing to “cause” the bullying.

Different types of bullyingThere are many different types of bullying:

| Verbal bullying | Name calling, teasing, putting someone down, threatening to cause someone harm. | | Physical bullying | Poking, hitting, punching, kicking, spitting, tripping or pushing someone, breaking someone’s things, pulling faces or making rude hand signals. | | Social bullying | Lying, spreading rumours, playing horrible jokes, leaving someone out on purpose, embarrassing someone in public. | | Cyberbullying | Cyberbullying is using technology like email, mobile phones, chat rooms or networking sites to hurt someone by sending hurtful messages, pictures or comments |

This week’s podcast promo: Earth Station Who

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Attacked by Monsters!

Awesome feedback received this week! Jim from the Monster Attack podcast wrote in to say he is listening. There has been much sickness in the house, but that has not stopped us from making plans and doing the things!

From Jim we learned that our show is engaging and enjoyable. Shawn and Leah have great chemistry and this is apparent when listening. Jim will keep on listening–there are a lot of episodes to catch up on. We will be listening to his Monster Attack podcast.

Everyone in our house has been down with the sickness the last month. We are on the road to recovery, but it is taking longer than expected. Shawn even called in sick to work and that is quite a rarity. There was a recent birthday dinner. Curtis, one of Shawn’s brothers, had a birthday in December and this past week, the 3 brothers were able to mesh their schedules and go to Chuck’s Roadhouse to celebrate.

Bathroom renovations have been on hold. The leaky sink has sunk our motivation to continue. We are however, planning a cruise, a visit to Milwaukee for Easter, and a trip to Traverse City this weekend. Some time away is required after being sick and taking care of Shawn’s dad. There are some fun plans for the next few months! Maybe we were attacked by monsters, and maybe we weren’t. Either way, here is a fun episode to listen to!

Check out our Etsy shops! Leah’s store can be found by searching Collect and Cast On. Shawn’s store is Rusted Robot Toys.

This week’s podcast promo: Monster Attack

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The Iron Claw tells the story of the professional wrestling family, the Von Erichs. Shawn and Leah just saw this film in theatres, and are here to share their thoughts on the movie, and recall their wrestling memories.

Of the two, Leah is a bigger fan of wrestling than Shawn. She has met many professional wrestlers. One time, Shawn saw Hulk Hogan walking up some stairs. The bulk of Shawn’s wrestling knowledge is from the mid-1980s to about 1991. Leah has had much more interaction in the world of wrestling, including going on a wrestling inspired cruise.

The Iron Claw starts in the nineteen-sixties, when Fritz, a struggling wrestler, splurges on a Cadillac to foster an illusion of success, while imbuing his two young sons, Kevin and David, with a gospel of fanatical self-reliance that’s also an imperative to be the “toughest” and the “strongest.” The movie’s protagonist, and its occasional narrator, is the grownup Kevin, the family’s oldest surviving son. Kevin’s older brother, Jack, Jr., died in an accident at the age of six. Jack’s death is one of the key reversals that shadows the family, leading to the pervasive, publicity-fuelled notion—one that the Von Erichs take grimly seriously—of a family curse. The heart of the drama begins in 1979, when Kevin is making a name for himself in the ring—namely, the Sportatorium, a small Dallas arena that Fritz owns and operates. “We loved wrestling,” Kevin reminisces in voice-over, and it shows, even as the rest of the movie depicts how that love was lost, along with many of the people he loved.

“The Iron Claw” is as exuberant as it is mournful, and the high spirits of performance and achievement are inseparable from the price that they exact. Kevin is disciplined, focussed, and grounded; he’s a vigorous and enthusiastic performer, leaping from the ropes, raging, slamming, punching, and putting on a show with the maneuver—the skull-squeezing Iron Claw—that made his father famous. But for Fritz it isn’t enough that Kevin is locally successful; Fritz, who believes that he was wrongly denied the sport’s heavyweight championship, lives for the day that one of his four sons—and, indeed, preferably all of them, in succession—will win that belt.

Fritz’s pecking order is far more than merely professional. Because his very identity—as his family’s protector, the redeemer of its name and the breaker of its curse—is bound to the prospect of his sons’ successes in the ring, his professional favor is also a paternal popularity contest. At the breakfast table, Fritz unabashedly announces his ranking of his four living sons, adding that the ranking “can always change.” The young men, ranging from adulthood to adolescence, are competing, above all, for their father’s love.

This week’s podcast promo: Earth Station Trek

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Decade 2014 to 2024. This week is the 10 year anniversary of Shawn’s podcasting journey. Join us as we look back at some of the highs and lows of this decisive decade.

It all started in 2012 when Shawn got a second-hand iPod. A co-worker introduced him to the world of podcasts. Beginning with Star Trek pods, Shawn soon began to expand his interests. There were so many different shows, formats, genres and types of hosts. That’s when he realized he had opinions he could share with the world. His wife agreed to co-host and the Rusted Robot Podcast was born.

Leah wonders why Shawn wanted a co-host. After talking about the need for a co-host, they talk about what transpired. The marriage fell apart, but they tried to keep the show going. After 90 episodes, the show was retooled and Josh became co-host. The Robot had a tumultous 7 year run.

In the meantime, Shawn searched for his wife’s replacement. He looked everywhere, but the feelings could not be recaptured. This lead to many moves and adventures and possibly incorrect decisions. Eventually Shawn found himself back home in Sault Ste. Marie. After some mild excursions, Shawn and Leah found themselves together. While Shawn was stuck in Timmins, Leah was finding out who she was.

A decade of podcasting leads to many adventures. Meeting all kinds of people is exciting. There has been a lot of miles traveled in 10 years. A lot of firsts experienced, and many more to come!

This week’s podcast promo: Earth Station One

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Shawn, you move too fast. At least, some people seem to think so.

Welcome to the final episode of 2023!

On this show, Shawn and Leah look back on the year that was. After the break, they talk about some future plans. Were you aware of everything that took place in their lives? Are you rooting for the success of their lives together? Shawn, you move too fast is something Shawn has heard more than once. Is he dumb, or does he have unlimited hope and confidence in his decisions? Only you can decide the answer to these questions. The future is wide open, and it seems Shawn and Leah may have gotten it right this time!

In January, Shawn was dating and living with Melissa. By the end of March that relationship was over. Shawn was trying to live his best life, but the universe had other plans. When depression or unhappiness sets in, there’s only one thing to do! You must start a new collection. This time it was Hot Wheels! Meanwhile, Leah was living her life and planning cruises!

In April Shawn and Leah had dinner together. Shawn put his property in Timmins up for sale. By May, the pair were a couple and planning a future. In June, the house Shawn lived in with Melissa was sold and Shawn’s stuff went into storage and he was sharing an apartment with his brother Robin. However, most nights were spent with Leah. The summer was gone before we knew it. September saw the pair go to Disney World and get engaged. In November they announced their engagement as the ring they ordered was finally delivered.

As for the future, Shawn and Leah are going on a cruise. This will be Shawn’s first time on a big boat. They will be going aboard the Disney Dream. In May, they will be going to Las Vegas to get married. The hope and the goal is to honeymoon in Hawaii. After that, the future is wide open!

This week’s podcast promo: Earth Station DCU

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The adventure challenge brings couples closer together. Shawn and Leah just celebrated their birthdays and the adventures are just beginning! Episode 300 is a huge milestone in podcasting. On this episode, Shawn and Leah talk about travel, growing closer and buying some cool stuff. Leah tells Shawn that since they became a couple, she has …

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Sex blankets and kink and the fetish community.

This week’s episode is not safe for work. Children should also not listen to this particular episode. But if you are looking to join the kink community, or you are looking for new products, this is the show for you.

Once again we are at Amore, For Your Pleasure…Sault Ste. Marie’s premier adult toy store. G, the owner of the shop invited Shawn to chat with a couple of her friends about their specific interests. Get ready for sex blankets and kink on the 299th episode of Soul Forge Podcast!

Rob is a reseller of intimate play blankets. He was tired of doing so much laundry and trying to keep his mattress in good condition. During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic people were spending much more time in the bedroom. It’s quite easy to make a mess during intimate playtime, whether due to bodily fluids or spilled bottles of lubrication. Rob found the “No More Wet Spots” blanket. He has been selling them in Amore for some months now. They keep your blankets and mattresses clean and dry. Easily washable, they come in a variety of sizes. Follow Rob’s Instagram for more info: https://www.instagram.com/nmws_intimate_blanket

Michelle tells us a bit about the kink community in Sault Ste. Marie. If you are looking for a group to join that has a more open mindset to sex and sex related play, this might be right for you. The most important consideration for this group is keeping the community safe. The group holds what are called monthly munches. These are get-togethers where you are able to talk about your interests such as BDSM, fetish and the like. They also hold the occasional dungeon party where you are able to try out some different aspects of the kink community culture. Much of this information can be found at https://fetlife.com

You can follow Michelle’s Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/sinnerssanctuaryssm

This week’s podcast promo: Earth Station DCU

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Moving parts are everywhere! Episode 300 of the podcast is fast approaching. We here at the Soul Forge would love to hear from you. Send in your thoughts, opinions, concerns, reviews, fears, emotional outbursts, or anything else you would like. Anything you send in will be read or played on the 300th episode. An Mp3 …

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Weddings and anniversaries are things that many people will experience in their lifetimes. This may include their own weddings, or those they have attended. Anniversaries can be for almost anything. More often than not, when people think of an anniverary, they are celebrating a marriage. However, you can have an anniversary for almost anything. Some …

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Time travel is a fun concept to contemplate. When would you go? How would you get there? The questions and thought experiments are endless. There might not be a more exciting concept in all of pop culture. Time travel is the hypothetical activity of traveling into the past or future. Time travel is a widely …

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Who’s getting married? Now that is an excellent question. Multitudes of couples get married every day. This year, two of my podcasting friends are getting married. Exciting times are coming! So, it has been 2 weeks since the last episode of the podcast came out. That episode featured the first meeting of podcast legends Shawn …

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Shawn and Paul finally meet in real life! Shawn is from Canada. Paul is from England. They have been podcasting together for over 9 years. They have spoken over Skype and Zoom. However, it was not until this week that the two friends finally met in person. This is the episode where they discuss their …

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Your Star Trek guide is a brief primer on the history of the franchise. In this episode, you learn the early history of the series. You also find out about the release dates of the various incarnations of the shows. Viewing order is up to the individual, and you learn several methods to watch Star …

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Codependency is a circular relationship in which one person needs the other person, who in turn, needs to be needed. The codependent person, known as ‘the giver,’ feels worthless unless they are needed by — and making sacrifices for — the enabler, otherwise known as ‘the taker.’ Co-dependency is a learned behavior that can be …

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Let’s go to Disney with Leah!

This week’s episode is an interview with Leah. Leah is an authorized Disney planner. On this episode of Soul Forge Podcast, we are getting a quick primer on the various Disney vacation options. We also learn a few things about Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.

So, you’re looking to book a vacation. Where are you going? What is your budget? Are you bringing kids along with you? Do you want to stay on Disney property or somewhere else? These are just some of the questions that your authorized Disney planner will be asking you. What time of year do you plan on going? What types of accomodations and experiences would you like to enjoy?

Disney offers several types of vacation. You can go to the original Disneyland in California. There are 2 parks at that location. Disney World is in Orlando, Florida with a choice of 4 parks. If you don’t want to stay on land, you can take a cruise on a Disney ship. Disney also owns 2 islands in the Bahamas, so that is an option. Or discover the Disney difference at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, Hawaii.

Wherever you end up going, remember there will be a lot of walking. On resort, make sure to have a hat, sunscreen, a refillable mug and a backpack. Your Disney planner will help you book accomodations, tickets, park reservations and experiences. Let’s go to Disney!

To book a Disney vacation with Leah, visit www.freetotravel.centreholidays.com

or email her at leahfrost@centreholidays.com

Visit YouTube to learn more about Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, and the Beverly Challenge.

This week’s podcast promo: Thunder Talk

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Aged to perspective is not a sentence that makes sense. However, from my point to view, it works perfectly for this episode. I recently came across a meme talking about the age of an actress on Gilligan’s Island. As I have gotten older, she has stayed the same age in her celluloid prison. Ideas and levels of attraction can vary greatly through the passage of time. Life is all about perspective.

A widespread picture represents two individuals standing on either side of the number 9 that has been drawn on the floor. For one person, it appears as the number 6 and for another, it’s the number 9.

Who is right and who is wrong? Obviously, they both are right yet they both are wrong in the eyes of another individual because of the viewing perspective. This is the simplest example showing perspective meaning.

Both of them consider themselves to be right; here, they must understand the other perspective by changing their sides.

If people simply understand that a life perspective can be changed, molded, and explained, the world can be a better place for all. It can put end to fights, wars, daily quarrels, and much more. The only requirement is to see things from another person’s perspective.

To learn how to see things from another person’s perspective, you must first learn the fundamentals of perspective. You need to first know what a life perspective is. Your perspective on life determines how you relate to people, how you handle relationships and troubles, and how you live day-to-day. Aged to perspective is real, and it affects you.

This week’s podcast promo: Monkeeing Around

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Chaos walking is episode 289 of the Soul Forge Podcast.

May the 4th be with you! By happy accident, this episode of the podcast comes out on Star Wars Day! This episode is not about Star Wars. On this week’s episode, we are going to learn about a day in the life of a mailman. Many people have wondered and asked about how I do my job; what the work consists of. Well, this week is a walk and talk type show. I will be walking along on my mail route and telling you all about the various aspects of the job. This is CHAOS WALKING!

What is a mail carrier, mailman, mailwoman, postal carrier, postman, postwoman, postperson, or letter carrier, sometimes colloquially known as a postie (in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom)? It is an employee of a post office or postal service. They deliver mail and parcel post to residences and businesses. The term “mail carrier” came to be used as a gender-neutral substitute for “mailman” soon after women began performing the job. In the Royal Mail, the official name changed from “letter carrier” to “postman” in 1883. “Postwoman” has also been used for many years.

Letter carriers typically work urban routes that are high density and low mileage. Such routes are classified as either “mounted/mobile” routes (for those that require a vehicle) or “walking” routes (for those that are done on foot). When working a mounted route, letter carriers usually drive distinctive vans with the logo of the postal service on the side and deliver to curbside and building affixed mailboxes.

Carriers who walk generally take a taxicab to their routes. Sometimes, the delivery agent will drive a vehicle to their delivery location. This is much more common in the USA than in Canada. They start at a specified location, and carry one “loop” of mail, up one side of the street and back down the other side, until they are back to their vehicle. This method of delivery is referred to as “park and loop”. Letter carriers may also accommodate alternate delivery points if “extreme physical hardship” is confirmed. In cases where mail carriers do not have assigned vehicles, they may also get undelivered mail from relay boxes placed along their routes.

This week’s podcast promo: Modern Musicology

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Video games are typically categorized according to their hardware platform. This traditionally includes arcarde video games, console games, and computer (PC) games. A video game is an electroic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device. These devices include such things as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device.

The first video game prototypes in the 1950s and 1960s were simple extensions of electronic games using video-like output from large, room-sized mainframe computers. The first consumer video game was the arcade video game Computer Space in 1971.

On this episode of the Soul Forge, Shawn and Leah share some of their memories of video games. Leah’s first system was the Commodore 64. Her first game was The Sky is Falling, in which you had to catch fruit. Shawn remembers playing a lot of Missile Command on the Atari 2600. In addition to these systems, they also had the Sega Genesis, the original Nintendo Entertainment System and the Super NES. Naturally, over time, many other systems emerged. These include the various XBOX and Play Station consoles. Nintendo has also released a huge number of video game systems.

Shawn and Leah mention a wide variety of video games. Some of these are (in addition to The Sky is Falling and Missile Command) Earthworm Jim, Toe Jam & Earl, Duck Hunt and Rock n’ Roll Racing. There is also discussion around the various Super Mario titles, including Mario Kart. We also hear about Apex, Minecraft, Hollow Knight, and quite a bit about Five Nights at Freddy’s.

Video games can be great fun. They can bring the whole family together. We used to spend our weekends renting games. Now we all have access to emulators, walk-throughs and guides. When we were kids, we were lucky to have a game genie!

This week’s podcast promo: Metal Geeks

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The Visitor is one of the best episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. This podcast episode has absolutely nothing to do with that. Although, there will be some Star Trek talk during the course of this show!

Last week I was on holidays from my work life. So, what did I do with that time off? I went for a visit to my old stomping grounds of Timmins, Ontario. I lived there for 19 years, but moved home to Sault Ste. Marie a year ago. Hence, I was the visitor to Timmins! The drive up was uneventful. I saw two moose on the side of the highway. Rarely do I see anything other than birds.

I stayed at a piece of property I own. That property is now up for sale. I decided that since I am never moving back, and Dakota has left the country, that there is no longer a need to keep the place. As an update, Dakota (my step-daughter) is still in Milwaukee. She and Luke are deciding what to do with the 30 day extension the border patrol gave them.

During one of my days I visited with my old work crew. They were happy and excited to see me, and asked so many questions. I also went to Timmins ComicCon. I saw so many old faces. Everywhere I went I felt like a celebrity. So many hugs and handshakes and smiles. I wasn’t depressed at all being in Timmins. Visiting my son and my friends was a great experience.

Star Trek Picard aired its 9th episode of the final season on Thursday. I wasn’t able to see it until Friday. Somehow I managed to avoid spoilers. On the way home I went to Sudbury to visit my friend Cory. I found no Hot Wheels on my journey, but I did manage to get a good one once I was back home.

This week’s podcast promo: The Flopcast

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Batman and more! We are taking a break from the serious side of the Soul Forge Podcast this week. We have pop culture news, memories and ground-breaking insights.

Starting off, we take a walk down memory lane. Shawn’s first memory of playing with ‘dinky cars’ was a Batmobile with a trailer and a boat. No one knows where it ended up, but some light research suggests it was made by Corgi in the 1960s. This memory dovetails nicely with Shawn’s current obsession — collecting batmobiles from Hot Wheels.

The 1980s and 90s were a great time for Batman and more! The Michael Keaton version of Batman made his debut in 1989. The brothers had all the VHS tapes of the Batman movies. Looking back, they can be hard to watch, but at the time, they were masterpieces. After further discussion about Batman movies past and present, Robin tells us there is a Penguin tv series in the works at HBO Max. Robin also recounts his memories of the Batcab and why people would call him Batman.

And then we dive into the most recent trailers and what we have been watching. Secret Invasion is a Nick Fury tv series coming to Disney+. The movie trailers from the last week or so include Blue Beetle, Spider-Man Into the Spiderverse 2, and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. There is also a new trailer for Ahsoka, the latest Star Wars series at Disney.

Finally, we chat about what else we have been watching or what may be coming soon. We are talking about Mandalorian and Star Trek Picard‘s third seasons. There is news of a Star Trek Starfleet Academy series. As for current tv we are watching, there is The Ark, Quantum Leap, Future Man, The Last Kingdom, The Flash and The Curse of Oak Island. Coming soon is Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3, Five Nights at Freddy’s and season 2 of Star Trek Strange New Worlds. And to end things, there is a quick review of John Wick Chapter 4.

This week’s podcast promo: ESDCU

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Where home is, is the place where you feel in control and properly oriented in space and time. It is a predictable and secure place. In the words of poet Robert Frost, “Home is the place that, when you have to go there, they have to take you in.” In short, “home” is the primary connection between you and the rest of the world.

For all people, home is the center of the world and a place of order that contrasts with the chaos elsewhere. When asked to draw a picture of “where you live,” children and adolescents worldwide invariably center their drawings around the home, making it the anchor for everything else.

A strong attachment to the place that you live results in greater satisfaction with your home and expectations of future stability in that place. These feelings transcend attachments to other people in the area and represent a genuine affection for the physical location itself. The passage of time strengthens our attachment to the places that we live. Because our physical surroundings play such an important role in creating a sense of meaning and organization in our lives, it is not surprising that our sense of the place we live is closely tied to our sense of who we are.

On this episode, Shawn converses with Luke and Dakota. You will remember them from episode 268 of the podcast. This time, the couple is attempting to build a home together. This journey has been three years in the making. And it is not quite complete yet. Dakota still has a number of paperwork hurdles to get through.

Although the place they are calling home feels more like Luke’s bachelor pad, they are excited to be living together. Neither of them are experiencing any hesitation. They are truly ecstatic to be forging a life as one. Milwaukee is a beautiful city with a rich history.

Shawn has been living back in his home town for a year now. He has no regrets about leaving Timmins. Shawn knows that where home is, is wherever he feels like he belongs.

This week’s podcast promo: The Epsilon Three

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Satisfyer Review – Soul Forge Podcast 284!

Gaelyn, owner and operator of Amore – For Your Pleasure is back for another visit. This week she is telling Soul Forge listeners about the complete line of Satisfyers. As a note of caution, this episode is not intended for children. Listening at work is also not recommended.

We are in the age of the love-toy revolution. Forget the times when women or men had to be embarrassed to own a vibrator or a dildo. One brand, in particular, has stood out from the great mass of products for many years: Satisfyer. Innovative, breathtaking, timeless – that is the best way to describe Satisfyer’s products. With its revolutionary Air Pulse Technology, Satisfyer stimulates millions of women worldwide to their next climax. Everyone deserves good orgasms.

As the leading brand in the steadily growing sexual wellness sector, Satisfyer appeals to everyone. With an unbeatable price, Satisfyer is the sex toy of the masses. Satisfyer is there for everyone who lives out their sexuality confidently, who is curious and open to new things, and who enjoys their love life. Man, woman, single, couple, gay, straight, young, old – it doesn’t matter.

Thanks to Air Pulse Technology, modern women can from now on decide utterly for themselves whether and how to get an orgasm. After placing the toy on the clitoris, the Satisfyer generates pressure waves at various strengths and levels, which you can choose freely.

Men’s hearts are also set racing by the Satisfyer. The Satisfyer brand has created special love and lifestyle toys for the modern man’s world that are explicitly geared to men’s needs: high-tech masturbators with a special design that use an inbuilt thermal motor to simulate body temperature, generate vibrations and thereby convey a never-before experienced feeling of realistic love play – using your hand is so yesterday. This Satisfyer review is brought to you by Amore!

This week’s podcast promo: Earth Station Who

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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

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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. Searching for joy can be simple.

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

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Expectation vs reality is episode 281 of Soul Forge Podcast.

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. 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. Always be aware of expectation vs reality.

This week’s podcast promo: Drinking with Authors

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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

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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

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Not every one is a winner, and that’s perfectly okay!

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! Not every one is a winner, but it might still be a fun episode to listen to.

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

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Let the nukes fly, he said, in his sadness.

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

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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. I went viral, and you can too!

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. Rather it’s 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. This increases its number of views, 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

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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

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Another look at minimalism? Oh yes, it’s time. 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

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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

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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 was most definitely the best of 2022!

This week’s podcast promo: Modern Musicology

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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. Also 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

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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! That would be the Soul Forge Podcast, The Epsilon Three and Cosmic Pizza.

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

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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 …

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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 …

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Ear Today, Gone Tomorrow is episode 267 of the Soul Forge 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 …

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Roomate from hell is the story of one woman’s horrendous experience. 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 …

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The Moody Blues is episode 265 of The Soul Forge Podcast. 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 …

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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 …

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Meteor Shower by Steve Martin! 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 …

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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 …

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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 …

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You can’t halt the future, no matter how much you try! 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 …

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Should we stop being polite? Is the act of being polite something that binds society together and allows civilization to function? Those are heady questions we do not have answers to in a 20 minute podcast. However, we will be conducting an exciting discussion into the nature of politeness. You may get more done with …

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Looking Backwards and Forward Everything you want is on the other side of fear. There are a few things I have learned after podcasting about myself for the last 5 years. When you take a good hard look at your life, you should see areas where you can improve; areas where you are doing great, …

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The need for rest is something we often forget about. The need for rest is more important than we give it credit for. Recent research has revealed that people perform better at work and in life if we practice strategic renewal. If you’re rundown you’re more susceptible to getting sick and miss days from work. …

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Self-worth and self-value are two related terms that are often used interchangeably. Having a sense of self-worth means that you value yourself, and having a sense of self-value means that you are worthy. The differences between the two are minimal enough that both terms can be used to describe the same general concept. There’s self-esteem, …

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Vintage Games & NerdCon is coming next weekend. An interview with Mike, owner of Vintage Games and Junque. We are talking about the upcoming Steel City NerdCon being held this July 2 at the Bushplane Museum in downtown Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Vintage Games & NerdCon! Mike and his wife Beth have been in the …

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Short attention span theatre is here! Captain Distraction strikes again. And appears when you least expect it. Short attention span theatre is a real thing, but also a fun name for this episode. It is our theory that attention spans are getting shorter and shorter. Shawn believes attention spans have been getting worse, while Amanda …

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YouTube Breakfast: Problems and Pain is episode 253 of the Soul Forge Podcast! A rare walk and talk episode with great sound quality! This week on the podcast, we are discussing a variety of topics. Join me on my mail route for about 20 minutes as I waxed philosophically and poetry about a plethora of …

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One year sober is a huge achievement. For some, 24 hours of sobriety is almost impossible. This is an episode about alcohol addiction and recovery. This is Amanda’s story. This is how she became one year sober. Amanda has always had an addictive personality. She started with a food addiction, but soon made her way …

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Long weekend camping is a tradition of sorts here in Canada. Long weekends are too far and few between so you absolutely must take advantage of every opportunity. A few days ago, my brother and I, and a couple of his friends went long weekend camping. I shall tell you all about it in this …

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Top 10 things to love! Do you make a list of your favourite things? How many people out there in podcast-land actually have a running inventory of the things that make them happy? Obviously there is no way of answering that question. On this episode, I run down some of the things I love the …

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Is it poutine or putin? Comparing and contrasting my 2 main homes or cities. I was born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie (the Soo), went to university in North Bay, and moved to Timmins at the age of 26. Five and a half weeks ago I moved back to the Soo from Timmins where …

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Being TikTok famous has never been my goal. Until now, that is! I have been home for a month and my life has undergone some changes. Let me tell you about some of those changes here on episode 248. So, I have been back in my hometown for a month now. I moved from Timmins …

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Your things don’t love you, and you are not your things. It took me a long time to realize this one simple truth! For the vast majority of my life, I was my stuff. And my stuff was me. We were intertwined. All the things I had were my identity. I didn’t know who I …

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We are not too old for this! Maybe we feel like we are getting too old for some things, but we are not. Age is only a matter of perspective, or so we can tell ourselves. We are definitely not as young as we used to be or want to be. I just signed up …

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Bad decisions make good stories, or so they say! They actually say quite a few different things when it comes to making decisions. I’m not really sure that anyone actually knows anything about anything. Aren’t we all just pretending we know what we are doing? This week’s episode finds me talking about my recent move. …

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I moved back home! Say what? Yes, it’s true. After 19 years of living in Timmins, I moved back home to Sault Ste. Marie. Now why did I do such a thing? Great question. I provide some answers and some context in this episode as to why I moved back home. There is likely a …

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New beginnings are a sure sign of Spring! This is the first week of Spring and so what could be better than an episode all about new beginnings? This week, your host reads quotes from a pile of famous sources. Each quote deals with new beginnings in some form or another. So, just sit back, …

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Cursed: The Bravery of Happiness is episode 242 of the Soul Forge Podcast. Have you ever had an epiphany? You know, one of those lightbulb moments where a sudden realization hits you! One minute you’re minding your own business when out of nowhere insight slaps you upside the head. Technically, an epiphany is an intuitive …

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Stars shine for you, and they shine for everyone. Episode titles are difficult. Song lyrics are often good at expressing things that regular words cannot. This episode, for example, is very strange. There isn’t a single thread that holds everything together. Topics seemingly come and go at random. In this episode, I’m talking about books …

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Rebirth! What does that mean in the context of this week’s episode? Well, it’s nothing too far out there. After last week’s episode about being diagnosed with depression, it seemed like a good opportunity to turn the podcast around. Rebirth is just one of the poems that I read for you this week! That’s right, …

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Official diagnosis – depression! That sounds fun, doesn’t it? Apparently about 10% of people suffer from depression. Of course, they always say suffer from. I suppose they aren’t going to say that 10% of people enjoy depression. Perhaps some folks do, but that seems unlikely to be the case. So, this is a rather short …

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Andrew and Shawn are the original geek twins! Ok, maybe not the originals, but they have been geeking out together since the late 1980s. And this is an episode where they join forces to record their first podcast together. They met back in 1987 during the sixth grade. Their bond over all things geek was, …

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Here are my 22 tips to help you win at life in 2022. I searched the internet, I scanned my memory, I looked everywhere, and these are the tips, tricks, rules and guideposts for the year that is 2022. We have likely abandoned our New Year’s resolutions at this point. However, it is not too …

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Toys, games, cartoons and more are all a part of Nate’s nostagia tour. Join the Soul Forge podcast as we dive deep into Nathan’s world of collecting! I’ve known Nathan for about 15 years. We worked at The Home Depot together. We bonded immediately over toys and tattoos. Both of us are toy collectors. This …

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It’s a new year, and that means it is time for a new episode. It has been a few weeks since the Soul Forge released a new episode. Well, here it is! I hope you enjoy this latest offering of tidbits from my brain! In this week’s episode we explore multiple topics. Firstly, we have …

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How to start a podcast was originally titled, Wanna Start A Podcast? The original release date was June 6, 2019. This is a rare repeat episode while I try to get my mental health back on track. If you want to know how to start a podcast, or at least what I did to start …

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What is flawed perfection? No one is their ideal self. We all have things about us that we like, and things we can’t stand. This episode was the year end wrap up for 2019. Because I am not feeling like myself lately, it felt like the perfect opportunity for a repeat episode. Originally titled, Unapologetically …

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Better late than never, it’s an episode called Too Much Bread, Not Enough Butter. What is this episode about? It’s a bit about Christmas. It’s partly about mental health. There’s some pop culture thrown in for good measure. Am I taking a break from the podcast? What am I doing with my life? These questions …

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Woke, but exhausted is an episode about a lot of things. Many different topics are touched on throughout the course of this show. The original intent was to do a deep dive into woke culture. Yet, as I was researching, I realized I do not have the skills to do the topic justice. We have …

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New Puppies and the Wheel of Time is a long title for a really fun, yet random episode. We will be covering many different topics this week. You could say this is an update on what has been going on around the Soul Forge headquarters. As of this recording, we are marking the 80th anniversary …

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Movember is an annual event. Movember involves the growing of moustaches during the month of November to raise awareness of men’s health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men’s suicide. The Movember Foundation runs the Movember charity event, housed at Movember.com By encouraging men (whom the charity refers to as “Mo Bros”) to …

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Crooked Teeth/Straight Path or how Facebook memories made me realize I am where I need to be. Crooked Teeth/Straight Path is an odd title. Yet I think it very neatly sums up my life and my journey. A longer title would say more, but brevity is sometimes good too! Before we get into Crooked Teeth/Straight …

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What is SHTF? Do you know anything about the survival prepping community? Up until a few weeks ago, I had no idea about any of this stuff. One random video on YouTube sent me down a rabbit hole of anxiety. SHTF: Survival Prepping is your guide to what I have learned recently. My YouTube interests …

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Quick shots round two is the second attempt at something. Originally I called them the tactical mini. They are short mini episodes that focus on one topic. But then we string them together into a completely random show. This gives you, as an audience member, a nice mix and variety. Who knows what the next …

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Nothing to fear is freedom. Everyone feels fear from time to time. Various levels and intensities as we are all unique with a wide variety of experiences and tolerances. Someone’s nothing to fear is another person’s greatest fear. Nothing to Fear was originally going to be a spooky Hallowe’en episode. The idea was to have …

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A feast for the mind in every episode of the Soul Forge Podcast! So many fun and different topics to cover in this week’s episode. Every show is a feast for the mind, but this time, I actually use that phrase. Find out why when you listen to this one! La Brea is the latest …

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The 5 love languages are 5 different ways of expressing and receiving love: words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service, and physical touch. Not everyone communicates love in the same way, and likewise, people have different ways they prefer to receive love. The concept of love languages was developed by Gary Chapman, …

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If you change your name, does that change your life? We are about to find out in the second half of the episode. First, we must talk about trees, and the Fall, and travel, and selling things to nerds. And then, change your name, change your life will be discussed, debated and deliberated upon! So, …

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Fast and loud is an episode about excitement, adventure, fandom, health and more. Sit down, strap in and get ready for the thrill ride of your life! It’s both fast and loud and totally ridiculous! First, we are talking about the new CPAP trial that Shawn is partaking in. What is CPAP? A continuous positive …

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The Grief Portal is the gateway to nostalgia. It can also be a place to be sad, a place to wallow in self-pity if you’re not careful. The Grief Portal can either be a positive place or a negative one. Everything depends on your level of healing. If you are in a place where you …

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Friends! Who are they? What are they good for? How many friends do you have/need/want? This week’s episode tackles the nature of friendship! And it all came about because of a meme I happened to come across. I shared the meme. It touched people’s souls. They shared and commented on the meme. Turns out friendship …

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Bear naked controversy is episode 218 of the Soul Forge Podcast. Many subjects are touched on in this episode. It’s a kind of mixed grab bag of topics. This episode also includes the first instance of the Rusted Robot Pop Culture News segment. Last week I celebrated my 45th birthday. I suppose I should have …

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Your host is both wired and tired on this week’s episode of the Soul Forge Podcast. It’s a fun, random episode filled with the usual irreverant humour you have come to expect! Why are we wired and tired? Well, Shawn has been exhausted and irritable as of late. This has been going on for many …

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Fun from childhood is an episode about memory. This week we are remembering fun times we had as children. Everyone (I hope) has happy memories from when they were kids. Your experiences will obviously be different from mine. Listen, and see how many things we may have in common! My mother is part of my …

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A positive spin on a negative situation is a good plan. Naturally, it is not always easy or possible to put a positive spin on something, but it’s always worth a try. This week’s episode is all about the positive spin. Join me on this podcasting adventure as we turn those frowns upside down! To …

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It’s about time to have a Soul Forge episode about time! This time on the show we will be discussing various aspects of time. We are covering topics such as television shows, the passage of time during travel and a good deal more! The episode starts with a brief introduction to time. I read the …

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Trees, Traumas and Anniversaries is the 213th episode of the Soul Forge Podcast! On this week’s episode we are celebrating 4 years of the Forge with an unconventional episode. This is pure stream of consciousness folks! I didn’t take any notes, I didn’t plan ahead. There were a few topics I wanted to touch on, …

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Black Widow is the official title. They should have called it Butt Shot Deluxe. Why Butt Shot Deluxe? If you have seen the film you will certainly understand, but I will explain in more detail during this episode. Next week will be the 4 year anniversary of the Soul Forge. If you have any words, …

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Buy that purple El Camino? While many people on Facebook are encouraging, they do not know my car buying history as well as I do. Just because you want something, (like a purple El Camino) doesn’t mean you should get that thing. That statement could be a mantra for my entire life actually! In this …

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Baby, it’s a classic! Classic Retro Rewind is the 210th episode of the Soul Forge Podcast. It is also what I believe to be our first mostly repeat show. What you are about to hear is an episode that I released back on September 5, 2017. Episode 12 was all about celebrating birthdays, and why …

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Ask and receive! This episode is about getting whatever it is that you want. There are rules. There are guidelines. The problem with asking generic questions of the universe is that you won’t know what the answer looks like. Until you can say, with some degree of certainty, what you actually want, how can you …

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I’m sorry – simple words that can be highly impactful. Apologizing can be one of the most difficult aspects of being human — there’s a certain amount of vulnerability involved. And yet, simply saying you’re sorry can make a world of difference in someone’s life. This episode is my apology for last week’s episode. Effective …

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Boss Level Sweet Tooth and other updates! This week is a bit of a mixed bag. No major topic of discussion, but we do have many smaller, bite-sized things to discuss. Just enough to whet your appetite and bring you back for next week’s episode! Starting off with Father’s Day. It’s coming up this Sunday. …

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Kickstarter My Heart – Episode 206 of the Soul Forge Podcast. This week I am discussing the Kickstarter campaign I have recently launched. This campaign is in support of the toy and antique store I am planning to open in the near future. This is a dream I have had for more than 3 decades. …

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Mighty fine ideas are coming at you left and right on this week’s episode of Soul Forge! Brother Robin joins Shawn to discuss so many weird, wacky and wonderful ideas. Although the audio quality this week is not up to our usual standards, there is still a lot of good information to be found. We …

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The entertainment special is a look at some recent movies, television and books that I have been consuming. This week I wanted to share with all of you some things you may have missed or not been made aware of. Whether you are an avid reader or TV watcher, there are likely some items on …

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It is super important to get your drivers license. And I’m going to tell you why in this new episode of the Soul Forge Podcast! Get your drivers license — don’t wait! But not only that, I also give some updates on last week’s episode. In that episode, I discussed my ideas for a new …

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My new business idea is to open a really cool toy store. Actually, this isn’t my new business idea. This is something I have dreamed of doing for nearly 30 years. Now feels like the perfect time to launch this passion project. As far back as I remember, I have been a lover of pop …

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What is disappointment? As an emotion, researchers describe disappointment as a form of sadness—a feeling of loss, an uncomfortable space (or a painful gap) between our expectations and reality. When we believe that there’s something we must have to be happy and fulfilled, we can set ourselves up for disappointment. The noun disappointment comes from …

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200 fun-filled episodes all come down to this! Have you been a listener of the Soul Forge Podcast from the very beginning? Did you start somewhere along the way? Could this be your very first episode? It does not matter when you started listening. The only thing that matters is that you do listen. Our …

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When good things end is the 199th episode of the Soul Forge Podcast. And yet, it’s so much more than that. This episode is a kind of eulogy for the Rusted Robot Podcast. Rusted was my baby for more than 7 years, and I did everything I could to make it successful, entertaining, and fun. Those days are over now, and this is a nostalgic look back at something I put my heart and soul into. Enjoy! The Final Episode of The Rusted Robot Podcast April 18, 2021

It’s been a long road getting from there to here. It’s always sad when good things end. From humble beginnings, to a pop culture phenomenon, the Rusted Robot Podcast has been around a very long time. We have met so many amazing people along the way. We would like to thank you all for the support you have shown us over the years.

The podcast began in January 2014, and with only a few breaks here and there, it continued on for almost 7 and a half years. It started with Shawn and his wife Brigitte sharing their love of all things geek. It was an attempt to bring a bit of culture to a small northern Ontario town better known for hunting, fishing, drinking and drugs. Once their marriage fell apart, they continued on for awhile but times changed. After a brief hiatus, Shawn recruited Josh as a new co-host. When Josh wasn’t available, there would be solo episodes and other guest hosts.

This episode is a farewell to a huge part of Shawn’s life. The episode is filled with nostalgia and absolutely packed with clips. So many people were a part of this episode in particular, and of the podcast in general. Make sure to subscribe to the YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCataaeTRQltObb7n1GHW_qw/videos

You can also find Shawn continuing his podcast journey with the boys of the Cosmic Pizza Podcast, and by his self on the Soul Forge Podcast which can be found at http://www.soulforgepodcast.com/

If you would still like to support the show, visit https://ko-fi.com/rustedsoul

And make sure to join our Facebook page for any and all updates on future podcasts: https://www.facebook.com/groups/therustedrobot/

Thank you all for an amazing journey!

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I tried yoga! My brother made me do it. I tried yoga and it wasn’t actually all that bad. This episode of the podcast details my experience. Not only that, brother Curtis shares tips and tricks and everything he has learned about yoga. I tried yoga, and so can you!

It’s time to roll out your yoga mat and discover the combination of physical and mental exercises that for thousands of years have hooked yoga practitioners around the globe. The beauty of yoga is that you don’t have to be a yogi or yogini to reap the benefits. Whether you are young or old, overweight or fit, yoga has the power to calm the mind and strengthen the body. Don’t be intimidated by yoga terminology, fancy yoga studios and complicated poses. Yoga is for everyone.

Ask any yoga practitioner to define yoga, and you’re likely to get a myriad of answers. For some, it’s a way to feel good in their bodies. For others, it’s a spiritual practice, and for many, a way of life. But regardless of your approach, yoga can help reshape and unravel your habitual or unconscious patterns.

Practicing yoga helps provide a foundation and tools to building good habits, such as discipline, self-inquiry, and nonattachment. This exercise is also a pathway to empower you to make conscious choices to live a healthy and fulfilling life. Today, many agree that the word yuj — which yoga derives from — refers to greater internal states, such as clarity, peace, and happiness.

This week’s podcast promo: ESO Patreon, Pop Culture Cosmos

It’s time to roll out your yoga mat and discover the combination of physical and mental exercises that for thousands of years have hooked yoga practitioners around the globe. The beauty of yoga is that you don’t have to be a yogi or yogini to reap the benefits. Whether you are young or old, overweight or fit, yoga has the power to calm the mind and strengthen the body. Don’t be intimidated by yoga terminology, fancy yoga studios and complicated poses. Yoga is for everyone.

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How do Curtis and Kate define marriage success, and just who is this Debbie person anyway?

One of the goals of the Soul Forge Podcast is learning the secrets to a happy and successful relationship. An excellent way of doing so is to conduct conversations with couples who are success stories in their own ways. Episode 140 focused on Josh and Kitty. It has taken a long time to find another successful couple who were willing to share their story with us. This episode deals with Shawn’s brother Curtis, and his wife.

This couple (Curtis and Kate) have been together for 15 years. How they met is a fun and entertaining part of their story. Although their lives have been filled with ups and downs, and many roads to navigate, they have managed to build a loving and special kind of love. Each of them brought 2 children from previous relationships into the mix. And now they have one that they share in common. Marriage success is just one component of their lives.

Have a seat and listen to their story. Find out how they met. What was Curtis’s deal-breaker? And just who is this Debbie person anyway?

This week’s podcast promo: Nerdbliss

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We got a new puppy!

If there’s one thing I said I would never do, it’s getting a dog. However, the moment I saw Nimoy, I knew I had to have him. This episode is the story of our teacup Yorkie. Dan and Paul from the Cosmic Pizza Podcast join Shawn for a lively discussion about pets.

Teacup Yorkie is a smaller version of the same pure breed Yorkie, also known as Toy Yorkie or Micro Yorkshire Terrier. It’s a tiny dog breed at about 5 to 7 inches tall, weighing between 2 to 4 pounds. The average lifespan of the Teacup Yorkie is around 12 years.

First things first, there isn’t an official definition for Teacup Yorkies. However, breeders strive to produce pups that’ll weigh no more than 4 lbs (1.8 kg) once they reach their full ‘adult’ weight after a year.

This is considerably less than standard Yorkshire Terriers. On average, these weigh 7 lbs (3.1 kg); making the size difference between the two fairly substantial.

Teacup Yorkies require special care and attention. In light of that, here are a few pieces of advice to help steer you in the right direction:

  1. You need to monitor your puppy very carefully. Particularly within the first two weeks of getting him. It’s essential that you make a special effort to note how much he eats, drinks, whether he has enough energy to play, and how regularly he goes to the toilet. Teacup Yorkies suffer from hypoglycemia so any changes to the above could be an indicator that a fatal seizure is imminent.
  2. Don’t allow your Teacup Yorkie access to the entirety of your house straight away. Instead, designate a specific room where they’ll feel warm and comfortable. It’s best for them to adjust to their new surroundings gradually, so he doesn’t get too overwhelmed. Teacup Yorkies are easily panicked, be sure to ease them in.
  3. Offer him a comfortable, cozy bed he can climb on and off of easily. It’s of paramount importance your Toy Yorkshire Terrier pup isn’t forced to jump to reach his sleeping area. Their bones are fragile and easily break, the last thing you want is a nasty accident. This also means you shouldn’t leave him alone with furniture he could jump from, i.e., a chair or a sofa.
  4. Keep your eyes peeled. These dogs are incredibly small, so they’re easy to trip over and accidentally kick if you don’t see them coming. Take particular care when walking around your home.
  5. If your Teacup Yorkie is between 4 to 8 weeks old, you shouldn’t bath him. Instead, use baby wipes or a damp towel to clean him gently. After you’ve washed your pup, dry him thoroughly. This is vital because they get very cold, quickly. This can be dangerous as well as uncomfortable for your puppy.
  6. Teacup Yorkies hardly shed so their coats are super easy to maintain and they considered “hypoallergenic

This week’s podcast promo: Mighty Marvel Geeks

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Almost everyone has childhood celebrity crushes. To prove it, I asked around and received an overwhelming number of responses. On this episode of the Soul Forge Podcast, we will be going over these lists. For our purpose, the term celebrity is wide open. We have people who loved singers, actors, actresses, cartoon characters and video game avatars. Stay tuned for a fun list of childhood celebrity crushes.

This episode started off innocently enough. Episodes lately have been kind of heavy. The topics have not been light-hearted. On episode 329 of The Rusted Robot Podcast, I mentioned I had a crush on Winnie Cooper from The Wonder Years. Richard, our loyal listener from Australia said that everyone had a crush on Winnie. Naturally, this got me thinking about the other childhood celebrity crushes that I had. Then I thought it might be fun to get examples from other people.

On this episode, you will hear many different perspectives. I got voice clips from co-workers. I got email from listeners. Texts from friends. A huge list on Facebook. Fellow podcasters chimed in. This episode is completely filled with love from our childhoods. In fact, at the end of the show, there’s a clip of celebrities talking about their childhood celebrity crushes!

To help support the podcast, click the donate link here: https://ko-fi.com/rustedsoul

This week’s podcast promo: Metal Geeks

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Ryan Castle from the 2 Stoned Dudes Podcast joins Shawn for a chat about his life, his podcast, his self-esteem issues, and a bit of everything else under the sun!

Ryan is a man from Arizona. Of the many careers he has had, professional wrestler, and member of the US Marine Corps are two of them. We talk briefly about wrestling and the marine corps, and then transition over to how Ryan lost his virginity. Punched in the face for love on multiple occasions, Ryan has lead quite an interesting life. It turns out that having a rough upbringing in childhood can lead to fighting dirty in love relationships.

The episode concludes with talk about some very personal issues. The main topic we cover is self-esteem and addiction recovery. Ryan is a member of Narcotics Anonymous and has also been involved with other 12 Step programs. Recovery, addiction, isolation and self-esteem issues are touched on and explained.

In conclusion, Ryan tells us to tell people what we want. A closed mouth does not get fed. Stand up for who you are and you are less likely to be walked on and over.

This week’s podcast promo: The Flopcast

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The stench of ‘cancel culture’ is everywhere these days.

This episode is another one of my imfamous walk and talks. Several times per year, I like to record an episode as I am out and about delivering the mail. I find these types of shows to be more authentic, as whatever I’m saying just comes out naturally. It can be difficult to carry on a monologue while doing a decent job and attempting not to slip, trip or fall.

A bit of a grab bag, this episode touches on several topics. As mentioned, cancel culture is a big part of this show. I touch on the removal of historical statues and the removal of Pepe Le Pew from all upcoming Looney Tunes projects. I completely forgot to bring up the recent decision by the Dr. Seuss estate to stop publishing several ‘controversial’ books.

Also in this episode, I talk about family history that has recently come to light. It turns out that there are a lot of things about my family that I was not aware of. In addition, I have had a realization about my friend Rene’s family and the naming conventions of his kids. And this leads into some Star Trek talk. My oldest friend recently sent me some hand-made props.

If you would like to support the podcast, the easiest way is to make a donation to my |Kofi account. You can do that at https://ko-fi.com/rustedsoul

This week’s podcast promo: Earth Station Trek

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What is parental alienation? This week’s guest is Mike, the head of the ESO Network. Mike is here to talk about his experience with parental alienation. Parental alienation describes the breakdown of the relationship between a child and one of the child’s parents, when there is no valid justification for that breakdown. When parental alienation is found to exist between a parent and child, the alienation is attributed to inappropriate actions and behavior by the other parent.

Parental alienation is a process through which a child becomes estranged from a parent as the result of the psychological manipulation of another parent. The child’s estrangement may manifest itself as fear, disrespect or hostility toward the distant parent, and may extend to additional relatives or parties. The child’s estrangement is disproportionate to any acts or conduct attributable to the alienated parent. Parental alienation can occur in any family unit, but is believed to occur most often within the context of family separation, particularly when legal proceedings are involved, although the participation of professionals such as lawyers, judges and psychologists may also contribute to conflict.

The theory of parental alienation has been asserted within legal proceedings as a basis for awarding custody to a parent who alleges estrangement, or to modify custody in favor of that parent. Courts have generally rejected parental alienation as a valid scientific theory, but some courts have allowed the concept to be argued as relevant to the determination of the child’s best interest when making a custody determination. Legal professionals recognize that alienating behaviors are common in child custody cases, but are cautious about accepting the concept of parental alienation.

This week’s podcast promo: Earth Station DCU

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The Map of Tiny Perfect Things is a 2021 American science fiction romantic comedy-drama film directed by Ian Samuels, from a screenplay by Lev Grossman, based upon his short story of the same name. It stars Kathryn Newton and Kyle Allen.

Mark, a teenage boy, is stuck in a time loop, repeating the same day over and over again. Because of his knowledge of what will happen, and the freedom from consequences provided by the time loop, he spends much of his day engaging in random bizarre activities, such as driving construction machinery through town. At the community pool, he makes repeated attempts to impress a pretty girl by trying to save her from being knocked into the water by a thrown beach ball. One day, a girl named Margaret unexpectedly intervenes. Mark tracks her down and discovers that she is also living in the same time loop.

The Map of Tiny Perfect Things is not only the name of the film, and the name of this episode, but also a great way of looking at the world. Each and every one of us lives inside a map based on our feelings and experiences. This movie is definitely worth a viewing. It will make you think in new and unique ways. While not a perfect film, it certainly has something to say about life and living. This is the first movie review episode of the Soul Forge Podcast. If you like this style of episode, perhaps we will do more of them in the future.

This week’s podcast promo: Earth Station Who

The post The Map of Tiny Perfect Things – Soul Forge Podcast 191 appeared first on The ESO Network.

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I bought a new car! I thought about it for a very long time. There was research. And there were test driving sessions. Money and budget was a concern. So many variable go into the thought process of purchasing a new vehicle. It can be extremely stressful.

This episode of the Soul Forge Podcast is all about the car buying process. What type of vehicle? Do I want a car. Or perhaps a minivan. What about a truck? Maybe a fully loaded and tricked out SUV. Too many options to consider can be a real problem.

Therefore, this episode talks about the entire process. I also talk about the reservations and hesitancy I felt about spending all that money. And yet, I bought a new car. And I’m going to tell you all about it. I’m also going to talk about the feelings that come with the process. There is a part of me that feels like I do not deserve to have nice things. And maybe I should not be spending the money. Hold on to your hats as you embark on the car buying journey with me.

This week’s podcast promo: Earth Station One

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Joey Barnes (Ice Road Truckers) is the king of obsolete. He joins us here on episode 189 of the Soul Forge Podcast. We talk about his current life, his Ice Road Trucker days, and the books he has been busy writing during the lockdown. The king of obsolete has many stories to share.

In a remote corner of Manitoba, Joey “The King of Obsolete” Barnes has deemed his plot of land “The Kingdom,” and it’s filled with vintage CATs and trucks from the 1930s to the 1970s. Many of the vehicles are rarities, and he’s re-engineered many of them into his own unique pieces of equipment.

On this episode, you will hear about Naughty Natalie and Love is Trust. We talk about Joey’s 1937 Dodge hotrod truck and his time with the bikers of the 1980s. We also spend some time talking about his writing process. Joey believes in one-shot writing, where there is little to no editing involved.

The following is copied from his website and is a list of his books:

Naughty Natalie Series (3 book series) Paperback Edition (amazon.com)

Amazon.com: Dominatrix School: Failing Military Marriage (9798700687997): Barnes KoO, Joey: Books

Amazon.com: Love is Trust: Summer of Fun 1985 eBook: Barnes, Joey: Kindle Store

My Wasted Youth: Alexander Manitoba: Barnes KoO, Joey: 9798700173766: Amazon.com: Books

The Corvette Stingray

Art Bookbindery Recovery Plates

No Fear No Common Sense Flying —- 10th book

Misc Stories —- 9th book

The 4 book series on Naughty Natalie are books 5,6,7,8

Oh My, This is Not Fun —- 8th book

Dominatrix School Book —- 7th book

Love is Trust Book —- 6th book

My Wasted Youth Alexander MB Book —- 5th book

King of Obsolete Books Series are book 1,2, (3,4 are not in print)

KoO Book Set —- 1st & 2nd books

Check out Joey’s website at www.kingofobsolete.ca

Get his books on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08V17R5XB?ref_=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_tkin&binding=kindle_edition&fbclid=IwAR1lkmx2tAq5Q8JWntPm1i6HxOPn_ES7RKXP3Hviur5QFKv94OH5HlU3cJw

He’s on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzEFqMtbWfRYPoOOl89M7sg/videos?fbclid=IwAR3AkEKEzddSh0Wg9jaCBfgayOIjXXcM46MEzh7aYp6foJQeXip7JyetMxE

You can support the podcast at https://ko-fi.com/rustedsoul

This week’s podcast promo: Dr Geek’s Lab

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Hoetry. It’s poetry about women, sex, connection and pain. Poet Darin Lee stops by the Soul Forge to talk about his latest book, Hoetry.

Who is Darin Lee? He just might be your new favourite poet. Darin has been many things in his life. Besides dabbling in digital marketing, Darin also worked on submarines when he was in the navy. His 2 older brothers are part of his inspiration regarding writing and artistry.

When it comes to writing, Darin has many goals. Future plans include more poetry and self-help books. Other interests include history, politics and possible short stories for children.

Darin’s primary focus in Hoetry is the theme of connection. Sometimes this manifests as a lack of connection in some of the writings. He focuses on pain and uncomfortable situations. Hurting, healing and making love are likely the 3 main themes of his work. Chaos and order are also a major part of his poetry.

To purchase a copy of Hoetry, you can simply go to Amazon: https://www.amazon.ca/hoetry-Darin-Lee-ebook/dp/B08QVB1JL1/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=hoetry&qid=1612311337&sr=8-1

You can also get a signed copy by messaging Darin on Instagram via https://www.instagram.com/darinlee_/

This week’s podcast promo: Double Edge Double Bill

The post Hoetry Poetry with Darin Lee – Soul Forge Podcast 188 appeared first on The ESO Network.