The Normal Life Podcast: Recent Episodes
Shawnessey Cargile
A couple of friends who live rather ordinary lives, sharing stories of the "normal life" that can be rather funny and fascinating when you take a deeper look. Oh, and there's some music on here too.
So, locked myself out of the house today. Seemed like a great time to briefly ramble about leaf blowers, MLK Jr., janky locks, and free time.
From time to time, and in the meantime, and in between times, there may be a need for a side hustle. This needed could rise out of low, cash flow, total loss of a job, for the need to try something new.
6 minutes and 36 seconds of storytelling from the 25th volume of PechaKucha Chattanooga. A little tale of family, relationship struggles, and arson caused by a child and an award-winning rapper.
An ode to the Sandhills cranes I’ve seen for the past 6 years in Birchwood TN. I’m not an avid birder, and do not appreciate nature as much as I should, but these 3 to 3 1/2 feet tall creatures are rather notable.
So, after playing a show in downtown chattanooga we were approached by a guy…
Also, sandhill cranes are majestic. #birding
Jason and I got the chance to visit with WUTC's Sir Richard Winham to share some songs and stories. What a guy! Aaannnnnd he is British. So, we basically were talking to a Beatle.
Christmas Day in chattanooga was unseasonably warm but still jolly. Here’s a couple short stories in honor of holiday traditions and George Michael.
Most memorable holiday gifts. Why does Jason not believe in the power of giving gifts now? *Male emotions are difficult. And soooo much more...
In an effort to not be a total humbugger, here’s a seasonal song from a few years ago. Featuring some vocals from Elizabeth Cargile.
In honor of thanksgiving, a couple kids pick todays topic and weigh in on it. The topic…Grass. So, here you go!
This is the first mostly complete song that I wrote in the winter of 1997. I came home from college to visit my family and my oldest sister told me about a mutual friend who was dabbling in hard drugs. At the time, I associate it any drug use with addiction, and I’m not sure if this song accurately describes what that friend was going through but I felt inspired to write. 
There’s a small handful of people who I consider to have been a mentor in my life. Coach Fox was one of the very first, and even though it was an honor to have known him for almost 30 years, his recent passing from COVID was way too soon and tragic. In this weeks episode, a few friends join in to share some stories as we pay tribute to a man who was our mentor, friend, teacher, coach, spiritual leader, and so many other things.
A little sad sounding song inspired from seeing suites friends surviving sticky situations over the past couple seasons. Featuring Butch Ross (would make for a great podcast guest)
Jason has small nostrils but how did he responds to his Covid-19 vaccine?
The Beatles are the #goat and there’s some futbol team from their hometown.
And…so much more.
Well, after 60ish episodes it was time to do a "best of" compilation. Many great stories, heartfelt snippets, and nonsensical exchanges are not on here, but that just gives us motivation to do a part 2...
Thanks to friends like Willis, Amanda, Kris, and Richie for making cameos.
If you are still reading this...
On this episode, you will find some tales of road trips, early childhood thoughts about homosexuality, an ode to a friend who has passed away, the protests of 2020, and a few other topics.
When is dessert not dessert? Why does Jason love Ben Shapiro so much? Should you take part in a Master's program so you can extend your intramural career? And, a little bit about toxic masculinity.
What should you put in your body? Jason justifies his choices and we take a look at an awkwardly justifiable apology from a previous purity culture advocate.
No Jason. But also I’m rambling. And, #covid apparently never left. Also, do you feel tension between personal freedoms and the responsibility to serve others?
Jason finally admits to having adult ADHD but does not admit to having a personal sweater vest at 16. So, two steps forward and two steps back.
How many fireworks does a real American shoot off on July 4th? Can you hate Lee Greenwood and still be a real American? And, if you think America may not be perfect does that mean you should move to another country? Ohhhh.....say....
So, it was July 4 and I was with a very enthused eight year old. Thought it might be a good idea to look at our nations birthday through the eyes of a child. Kids say the darndest things about democracy…
Inspired after a recent trip to the old ballpark, and without a co-host, this is a one-man show to reminisce on childhood sports and what draws us to the things we are drawn to naturally.
Does virtue signaling only apply to the "woke" members of social media? Are outwardly-showing "patriots" also demonstrating their own signal?
For a 3 1/2 year-old, Jace is a solid podcast interview. 5 stories make the cut this time. #thenormallifepodcast
kidssaythedarndestthings #childrensstory #conversationswithkids
Can’t stop Jason from talking about bias. Dude is just really trying to improve his rough edges.
childhood
alabama
pathfinders
implicitbias
Sitting down over Chinese food to discuss cooking contests, getting to know people while they are alive, and Jason’s new found ability to be on time.
It’s been a heavy couple of weeks. We went with a lighter route for this episode.
The worst best job we both ever had, funny kids, and the Sabbath were focused on.
Welcome to the normal life.
Part 2 of our conversation on the Boymanship podcast. A little more personal than part 1. A little more about race, police, the South, and why Bill Cosby was my hero when I was a child.
We got to jump in on the Boymanship Podcast and discuss "White Men Can't Jump", stereotypes, how the South can be a scary place, and more...
This is part 1 of a 2 part discussion.
Always good to connect with long time friends and this episode features our college buddy Kris. It was a little awkward to relive some of the old stories, but I was only slightly triggered. We also took a little time to reflect on where the Chattanooga area was almost exactly 1 year ago today.
When should you alter a child’s bedtime routine?
Analytics are fun.
What is a tree-fella? Tree-fellow?
And soooooo much more!
Where were you when... The #challenger exploded? The #ojsimpsontrial verdict was LIVE?
911 bombing took place?
waltermondale was defeated?
sidbream slid home safely?
All this and more of this weeks episode of the #thenormallifepodcast
Jason is under the weather...where did that phrase start?? Anyway, you are just stuck with one of us but it's for only 32 minutes.
A short dive into implicit bias, systemic racism in surprising places, and greatest albums of all time.
A somewhat good friend Madrid makes a virtual stop-in and shares his Northern "charm". How important are first impressions? How real is implicit bias? And, do fliflops really look good with flannel shirts?
Former student. Current friend. Future revolutionary.
Amanda shares tares of adventure, chaos, and friendship.
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An attempt at 3-year-old story time at 11pm.
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Tales of important songs and the life stages they are connected to.
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Oh, and a bit of mindless rambling.
Welcome to the normal life.
Toto was deeply inspired by Africa and so was Jason during his time there as a student missionary. Do missionaries take a #whitejesus message when they go overseas? Why is it easier to desire to serve overseas instead of next door? And, how often should you feed your 3-year-old son spoiled beans?
Some pretty interesting Wednesdays we have been having lately. Also, why do Funyuns still exist? Systemic racism at The Capital? And, why is Jason applauded for his inability to be on time? Plus....a cliffhanger...
Mike helps me break down why Jason would have never made it in the military. We also discussed tension between liberals and conservatives, and others groups, while trying to highlight the principal that a wise man once told me...
"You may doubt by methods but don't doubt my motivations."
Part 2 of our conversation with Mike. Is the military racist? There's a loaded question and there are a few more addressed...
Childhood friend Mike stops by to confront Jason about the time J stole Mike's first love...
It's a seasonal time of year. Can you name the seasonal tunes that we are humming? Come on! There's worser things to do as you roadtrip to your grandma's house...
Back when I was still mostly positive about Christmas music, around 2006, my then girlfriend and I wrote this song. It's still pretty solid, the song not the relationship.
Part 2 of the most recent conversation with our friend Will. More stories of law enforcement, #defundthepolice , why buffets are a “noooo”, and moore.
Back in person. Back with officer and friend Will. Discussion and disagrements over terrible Christmas music, #defundthepolice , cadet camp blues, and #maga protests.
Tried to be somewhat seasonal, but Jason took us down the bathroom humor rabbit hole. My apologies...
No politics. Just thanksgiving/indigenous people's day/holiday traditions. Contributions from a couple close friends and some family.
Where have you gone Walter Mondale? Our Jason turns it's lonely eyes to you. A little glimpse into Jason's political background, how he got started, why he has road rage, and my luck with cars.
waltermondale #passingontheshoulder #thenormallifepodcast
It's been a pretty slow week. Not much to talk about. Only got about an hour and 10 minutes of recordings with Jason. Jace adds a few cents though.
This is not in honor of Halloween, but today is that day. Just a 20ish minute rant about the things I wish to be done with. Frustrated, but hopeful.
thenormallifepodast
election2020
soapbox
hopeful
No politics were dicussed and Jason still got hot and bothered by today's discussion. Stories were shared, mine from childhood soccer fails, and Jason's forehead vein almost exploded.
Special time with J. Mental health awareness Another shooting Down syndrome awareness Falcons are stinky Pronunciation matters
A political podcast will never be our thing, but...this episode does give a 5ish minute recap of our thoughts regarding the last two weeks of debates.
Also, Jason has a small prostate.
Also, The Normal MidLife may be a better title.
Also, is being able to hear someone crunch every piece of ice extremely annoying or soothing? Asking for a friend...
This #fbf episode takes us back to the beginning. All the way back to episode 1 where we talk about the genesis of the podcast, how Jason and I met (shout out to Cohutta Springs Camp), and some of the reasons why Jason struggles with male intimacy. The first 15 minutes were recorded in my car last night, so it's newer content. We will be back next week with a totally new, fresh, and very special episode.
Two themes, or conversation topics, really jumped out this week as we continued our conversation with Winter. These aren't the kind of things that usually bring joy in discussing, but they are a crucial part of "the normal life" for far too many of our friends, neighbors, and yet-to-be-met friends. This episode takes a more overt Religious/Spirituality approach as we talk about...
- Experiencing racism in “the church” and around “church people”
- The pressure for black Christians to forgive racism/racist actions and not protest or “play the race card”
When Winter turned 40, she determined to be more outspoken about things that matter to her. These things have mattered for a long, long time and we were lucky enough to share this conversation with her. Topics were wide ranging...
Wrestling wwe Massage therapy Trauma informed therapy Ptsd The Seventh-Day Adventist church silence on racism and inequalities White Jesus
Really thankful that Willis, a black police officer, has joined us again to talk about #policingwhileblack, the challenges he faces on the job (from co-workers and the public), his experience at the protest that featured #antifa and #whitesupremicists, and how triest to keep a balanced approach to what he does. In the middle, of this episode, we chat it up with Brandon who gives some insight into how recent #protests and #coronavirus have affected #nba players.
Willis, our black police officer that we have been interviewing, has a degree in Social Work and this educational background has greatly impacted his ability to do his job. In this episode, he also talks to us about some of the inadequacies of the current police academy training structure, his childhood trauma from a police interaction, and his views on the murder of George Floyd.
Like usual, the first few minutes are full of random conversations, jokes, and old school wrestling references, but then we get into the more vital topics...
Being a better husband Social Work Male intimacy Policing while black And protesting
Big thanks to Willis Moore for joining in and talking about his experiences as a black male Christian police officer.
Is it possible to seek out nuance, balance, objectivity, and middle ground without...being a lukewarm fence-straddler who really isn't helping out any situation? The boys discuss the tension that lies between seeking balance while still be intentional about holding others accountable, calling out wrongs and standing up for what's right.
So...one of the boys deleted about an hour of content that was part of last week's recording overrun. To replace that content, the boys discuss some old school wrasslin. But then, they get back to way more important topics like... Stereotyping Physical presentation Cultural Awareness Black Lives Matter Flagrant memes
The boys sit down with a former student/current friend to discuss the madness of the past few months. We also listen to recorded audio from recent Chattanooga protests.
Ummm...the past 5 months have been straight out of a movie. Sickness, masks, protests, police brutality, COVID 19, and on and on and on and...even tornadoes in our city. The boys sit down to have a wide-ranging conversation.
Shawnessey took a pilgrimage to Ireland and Scotland in tribute/honor of his friend Stacy. This episode has some stories about the trip, some live recordings from the trip, and part of a tribute song.
Jason's original, with his original spawn (his son) providing some intermittent drumming.
My dear friend, Stacy, passed away in the early part of 2019. My first best friend. Miss him dearly.
Got in the downtown Chattanooga library and used their 2nd floor recording studio to lay down a demo of "Chattanooga".
Amanda shares fast paced true stories about donkeys, buttons, and her admiration of...us
One way to grieve the loss of a loved one, while paying tribute to the incredible life that they lived, is to gather stories and put them on a podcast episode. I NEVER wanted to use our podcast for this, but Stacy passed away in early 2019, I miss him dearly, and Jason and I wanted to offer a way for others to grieve.
Julie Fuller shares stories about skunk pranks, chasing down soccer mom van loads of rebellious teens, and the “joys” of being married to Jason
Once or twice a year, the boys get together with a group of college friends for a “Man Weekend”. Not as lame as it sounds.
After last weeks accurate introduction to the idiotsyncracies of Jason, he returns the favor and embellishes the Sprite-themed fire extinguisher ways of Shawnessey
The debut episode! Jason has Shawnessey describe just what the heck they are trying to do and Jason’s awkward righteous indignation is explored
A song called "Chattanooga, written while I lived in Chattanooga, about a city called "Chattanooga".
Just the verse for the most recent song that has been written. And by "recent", I mean...2013.