Alrighty, folks. Welcome back to our next episode of SDYT, the podcast.

 

Where values still hold value? Now, we're talking about a few different topics with a few different guests and even some personalities about realistic perspectives. In building resiliency, finance, fitness, mental, and spiritual health.

 

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All things moral, mental, physical, emotional, distance. But, for now, I'm really glad you guys stopped by. So let's cover our next episode. Alright. Everybody. Welcome back to SD YT, the podcast. This one's a little bit different.

 

This is episode 4 right now where we're we're talking about values still holding value. This one's pretty special though. I got a guy that came in today. We used to work together. A little bit more close suppose we do now.

 

But in the spirit of fall and harvest festivals and thanksgiving and everything that's coming up here shortly, decide to do this outside. So hopefully the wind isn't blowing too loud to be able to hear in the background.

 

But otherwise, let's let's start with a quick introduction. So guys, obviously, I'm Porter. I'm your host. Thanks for tuning in. If this is your first time, I appreciate you stopping by.

 

Welcome. And if you're a returning listener, welcome back. So the other guy I've got today, you've heard a couple of my friends so far. This guy, we we call him Dax Evans. He's from the Middle of the Ozarks in in Arkansas all. Hey, yo.

 

Yeah. Yeah. Yep. A little shout out to the mountains. Yeah. Where's Virginia? No. Arkansas. But yeah. No. So we're gonna we're gonna talk about a few things today. Dax would throw out a couple words, miss. I hit anybody real quick.

 

Yeah. Hey everybody. This is my first time honestly on a podcast. So it's gonna be pretty eventful and I'm excited to kinda dig into topics and really be able to be genuine and kind of show light to gratitude and and appreciation.

 

So I mean, that works out because that's exactly what we're talking about today on this episode anyways.

 

Specifically, gratitude and appreciation. So I probably saw some of the some of the some of the juice there. My bad. Yeah. Yeah. Thanks for stealing juice. So so no.

 

We Like I said, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, there's a lot of things that either get overlooked as holidays come around here in the States especially, mislabeled, misinterpreted, or otherwise just not publicized, I suppose like they used to be.

 

Right? So Sure. Yeah. So we're gonna throw this back to what would you say rocking chairs, corn cob pipes. Mhmm.

 

Right? A little bit on the front porch talking. So it's it's interesting though. I 1 of the things that I wanted to hit on real quick is that did you know we are not the only country that celebrates something similar to Thanksgiving.

 

I didn't until you showed me. So I do now. Yeah. Yeah. There's there's a couple that I thought were pretty interesting. Thing. Right? But so thanksgiving as we have it in the States is mostly I don't know.

 

Would you say food? Maybe? Yes. I understand. Food centric. Now mostly just food. I think family too, but but I think a lot of times it's just like you wanna go get free grub.

 

So a lot of times you go to bananas house or whatever it is, and you just wanna make sure to get whatever pie choice or whatever food choice that you want. That's a joy looking forward to you as a kid at least. I mean, that's it.

 

Right? It's it's it's pumpkin pie, I think. Did you guys have any particular pies, any desserts that was sort of peaked when you were a kid. Pumpkin was usually the the the key pecan or pecan, whichever 1 depends on where you're from.

 

Pumpkin pecan. How are these yeah. No. A lot of times, that's my favorite pie is is Buchananpecan pie or pecan. I don't know how you say it, but that's 1 of the other ting on where you're at. Yeah. I I still call it favorite.

 

It's the same. Yeah. There you go. Yep. But that's what we usually that's what what I usually forward to whenever it was going back to, you know, grandma's house or we celebrate at our house and things like that.

 

So I that's the tradition that I keep with my kids is always make up a comp No. I'm act I kinda like that actually.

 

Are you guys more of a a Turkey family, ham household? What's your go to? Well, depends on the price. So Yeah. Yeah. I get that. I get that. It depends on the price. But if we can get a turkey, we'll get a turkey So Yeah.

 

Yeah. I like that. You know, so actually we were talking a little bit earlier about what was stuffing. I think it was. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. You had this this pretty cool stuffing recipe. What do you what do you got?

 

Let's let's hear about it. Alright. So it wasn't minus it wasn't necessarily my recipe but when it comes like tradition, my great grandma lola, she would if they weren't able to buy the ingredients that they needed.

 

Right? What they would do is if they came across something that was a fresh roadkill, She would she would grab it and that's what she would use to make the the dressing.

 

That was the meat that would be the the dressing that she used. So I guess the recipe would the recipe would kinda flex depending on year to year. Yeah. That's That's that's 1 of my particular favorites when grandma will go for a drive.

 

She just never know what you're gonna get. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You know, my my grandma would do something similar. We always got a little bit more worried though because she never actually got her license.

 

Yeah. So we had to make sure she stayed away from unpopulated areas or rather -- Let's keep -- towards Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So no. She would she would usually come back with like, what do you call them?

 

Where there's original? What does that say? It's a gold wrap caramel. Oh, yes. That's so yeah. That's as close as we got. Yeah. That was it. That was it. That's good. She'd be like, oh, baby. Do you hear candy. Like, oh, this is great.

 

This is good, terrible. Thank you. Now, I'm just resting my eyes. We know. We know. But, yeah, I mean, there's there's all sorts of things think that families either try to maintain a tradition or try to start as a tradition -- Sure.

 

-- that I think overall makes everything sort worthwhile. Yeah. Right? And helps keep things in perspective. So as you get older, we're we're are we older, but we're about the same age.

 

Right? We're in our thirties, but but I think what's interesting is it helps keep things in perspective too because it gives you something to tie back to. Yeah. And then you're not just as loose and floppy hot air and -- Yeah.

 

-- or whatever. Yeah. Sure. It's like lack of days ago kinda flowing through life. It kinda gives you a springboard to know where you come from and be able to kinda look to where you're going.

 

See you it's kinda like the old saying where it's in like how do you know what good is if you never had it bad. Not saying that anybody should have it bad because that's ultimately what you don't want.

 

Mhmm. But I think a lot of times we do. We're human and we make decisions and we go through life and sometimes we get we get some circumstance in our life that kinda goes array and then whenever things get better, we look back on it.

 

We're like, we kinda draw on that power of resilience and kinda look back and we're like, I went through this thing and and it kinda goes into being the whole being thankful, you know, and being appreciative of kinda where you come from and again, like, knowing where you're going.

 

That's a good point. I think sometimes, I I guess, then tradition could also be just leaving a legacy whether it's of resilience or of of something -- Sure. -- of a headache. Yeah.

 

Right? It doesn't always have to be of celebratory connotation either. Yeah. Yeah. That is that is kind of a neat way to look at it. Speaking of neat things though, 1 of my or at least what used to be 1 of my favorite things to do.

 

I I haven't been able to find it in a few years, even online now, hardly enough. Is Macy's day parade. Oh, I've been watching that as a kid. Yeah. Yeah. On on thanksgivings as it will come out.

 

So in the States for anybody else listening, Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday in November. Every year, every calendar year. And So this year, it's on the 20 fifth. The 20 fifth. Yep. There you go.

 

And so last year, like wasn't -- Mhmm. -- as as day shift. Right? But yeah. So the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, basically goes through New York, Mesa sponsored it, and then they just have big flow going to the downtown, basically.

 

But yeah. Anyway, that's something real cool that that I remember and every year. My family would all get together and stuff, like in the middle of the room or what it would what was kind of the truth about that?

 

No. Not really. It was just on in the background. You know, it was too soon it was too soon for Dominic the donkey.

 

Yeah. But it was it was right enough time for a giant floating turkey. Yeah. Yeah. So, you know, I think I think we I think we may see some different floats this year, different depictions of Indians and pilgrims maybe.

 

But -- Sure. -- you know, there's there's there's something to be said, I think, from maintaining racial traditions when it comes to pilgrims and Indians because III don't know.

 

I'm not a historian, but I don't expect that there were too many Asian pilgrims, you know. So at least not not in the same context. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So so we'll see where it goes, man.

 

Is it sort of a different time? I think now things are shifting a little bit. I don't really know anymore what's off limits and what's not and what's supposed to stay historically relevant or accurate and what's changeable.

 

Yeah. It's kind of a weird a weird time. Well, I think with your introduction, talks about, like, topics that could be taboo and things like that.

 

And I think a lot of times even even coming on a a pod faster speaking, not in a political realm, but just speaking in general and kind of expressing your views.

 

It's you gotta really pick and choose which topics are and kind of or which topics are are are okay to talk about and which 1 are kinda like you better get ready for some kickback, you know, like -- Mhmm.

 

-- personally I don't know anymore, I guess. You could say, I don't know without doing some real deep research like in-depth roots about the origination of thanksgiving.

 

Right? Mhmm. But I know I think but but here's the thing, I don't necessarily I don't wanna say waste my time, but I don't want to, I guess, damage the ability to convey a good meaning to my kids.

 

By prioritizing my focus on something that isn't what that is.

 

Right? So like my my my children is kind of I wanna present to them good values and and treating people well and sharing at the Thanksgiving table and bringing people into the fold.

 

And that's something that I think you detract from whenever you're just trying to, I guess, you could say, not necessarily be right, but I guess it's how you go about it.

 

Right? Are you taking away from are you taking away from that meaning by prioritizing something else? You know? Yeah. And I think you could for sure. You can. Yeah.

 

But I guess it's kind of always the case right generation and generation out to say that whatever you're trying to incorporate, however you're trying to focus different facts or or different points for any particular event or scenario or lesson you're trying to teach?

 

Yep. You always use everything else as a foundation to teach off of, but but you kind of always have to add your own spin.

 

So if you're trying to say that, you know, how you define something is morally or ethically right and try to convey that to your kids, there's obviously some sort of a standard there you're playing everything off of.

 

Yes. Right? Yes. How do you how do you determine or or decide personally. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So I mean I mean I'll I'll be I'll be straight up and and forthright with it.

 

You know, I'm I'm a bold Christian and so my my morals and ethics are based upon based upon the biblical foundation of what those morals and ethics are. You know, as divine predominantly in in in in the new testament.

 

So whenever I'm having a struggle or or trying figure out how to have some type of good perspective or or I guess relevant perspective on maybe a heart or trying to convey a value to my kids, I go to the word.

 

You know, I go I go to the Bible and I I researched that topic and I do a little bit of research and and actually, you know, coming in the beginning of this this thing and, you know, you're again kinda like what drives me is I think this is so simple and so so apparent, you know, for where your treasure is there your heart will be also and that's Matthew Matthew 06:21.

 

And why I think that's so simple and so prevalent is like it it kinda puts in perspective, you know, what do you treasure most? Well, me personally, I treasure my my family.

 

You know? And I think gathering around the table and creating those traditions, give something for your kids to look back on and your family to look back on and go, you know, I really enjoy those times with my mom and dad.

 

It gives that good perspective of like, hey, that was a tradition like your floats being in the background and and kind of like the scenery being built, you know, my great grandma law my my great grandma lola's long table where you know, we have all those or just, you know, a congregation of of friends and family coming together and creating memories.

 

I mean, because once those people are gone, you don't have a chance to make those memories anymore.

 

And and when you look back on it, you wish she did. Mhmm. So I say all that, you know, that's just I guess you can say my personal reasoning behind creating those traditions to my kids.

 

No. I like that. And I think it's easy to take things like that for granted, but I think it's just as easy now to reinterpret how do you make memories, to reinterpret -- Sure. -- what you make memories about.

 

And and then, you know, you have lessons to sort of compliment those moments -- Yeah. -- which I think is pretty cool. I don't know how how popular, necessarily. It is anymore to celebrate holidays traditionally.

 

Okay. Right where everybody gets together and whatever because of COVID obviously, and now social media, you really don't you know, travel around the world and you get stuck somewhere -- Yeah.

 

-- you can't get home. Well, it's it's how it goes.

 

Yeah. For example, there's a couple years ago. I was talking to a friend of mine. This was just south of San Jose in California. Mhmm. And she was telling me about something called the Mid Autumn Festival mid autumn.

 

Yeah. Mid autumn festival in China. So China Oh, China. Mhmm. Yeah. Yeah. China. China So, yes, China's China's based off of these holidays rather are based off of a lunar calendar. Right?

 

So for example, our calendar were based around, you know, the the sun and how things are moving in rotations and revolutions and whatnot but lunar calendar being based on the moon in different phases and things, which when you think about it traditionally as far as the the nation of China's concerned with majority were farmers.

 

Over time, obviously, that's changed, but the majority were taking care of land and trying to survive and and do these things similar to ironically enough what the pilgrims did when they got here, just sort of subsistence type agrarian living.

 

But so they didn't have money, other choices. But being so littoral and close to the coast, especially the way China's sort of terrorists, to base their time keeping off the moon and tides and how water helped their crops grow.

 

Sure. Right? As opposed to here where we're really not and how sun helped everything grow. Yeah. More more predominantly, I suppose.

 

Maybe that's a generalization, but that's alright. It's a general I I just looked up the deck as the way you're talking about mid autumn and I no absolutely nothing except for you're telling me about Mid Autumn.

 

So it says that it was September tenth or no. It's Saturday September tenth is when it's gonna be in 20 20 you?

 

Yeah. So it's generally August or September ish -- Oh, okay. -- because it's based on moon phase. Alright. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And it says celebrates the end of the autumn harvest. So -- Right. -- yeah. Bring it home the goods. Yep.

 

It's a post harvest festival just like we've got for Thanksgiving. Yeah. Same kind of a curve. I plan on doing something like that this coming year, not well, I plan on growing a whole bunch of crops throughout the entire year myself.

 

And then traveling China. Not China. But it brings it back to, you know, like being again, being appreciative of what you get, you know, like sometimes the ground might not work best for you.

 

And you might not get what you what you wanna yield, you know, and with and again, not to not to go on to a diatribe of like cost of consumer goods and things like this.

 

But like in reality if you really think about like being able to be able to put a little bit more money back in your pocket by growing a crop, you know, even at home and stuff like that.

 

That's I find that again to be a happy labor. So like, could get to not only see kinda like it celebrated with through Thanksgiving and stuff like that.

 

But throughout the year, you get to yield your own crop, work with your hands, and kinda get down and dirty and be able to, you know, be able to start I mean, because I plan on starting to can, you know, start canning some of the the stuff that I I grow so that I can save it for later.

 

I'm with you, man. I I'm a a big fan of all things utensils as well. Big spoon guy. What what in your silver? Definitely silver for sure. It's the only way to go. I got you.

 

Doesn't have the same team. Yeah. Well, what does it for sure? No. But but no, I'm I'm with you. Sometimes sometimes you just gotta jam it to juice it. But There you go. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You can you can use that anywhere that applies.

 

Feel free. You can not copyrighted. Yeah. But but no, I'm with you, man. I think you're right. There's a certain amount of satisfaction in being able to do things, take care of yourself, or you can provide for your family.

 

But -- Yeah. -- but also, I guess, ironically, in the grand scheme of things, it gives you sort of an instant gratification to see that the efforts your exhibiting or directly supporting encouraging teaching and mentoring your family.

 

Yeah. Which is a pretty neat thing to have speaking of. Are you familiar with moon cakes? Like, little moon pies? Like, the ones you can buy at the store? Yeah. The marshmallow wrapped in chocolate.

 

Because I could definitely, you know, focus on it. Little dev cakes? Yeah. No. No. No. Little Debbie has nothing on these. Okay. These these What what are moon cakes? Pick picture these like a dessert ravioli.

 

Okay? So It's like cream stuff. No. Well, I guess it could be, but specifically traditionally at least in China for the Mid Autumn Festival, that's when seasonally mooncakes get sold. And you can import them into the States.

 

I'm pretty sure they're not tariff or anything. But but yeah, during the Mid Autumn festival, these mooncakes are basically pastries. My favorite there's a few different fillings, but my favorites have like a red bean stuffing.

 

A red bean. Yeah. It's like a red bean paste, I guess. So you've had Yeah. Have. And then it gets sweetened, stuffed into this pastry, and then well, that's basically it.

 

And then you eat it. I'm cooking them up right now. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Trying to figure out what they look like. Yeah, man. 2 words, moon cakes rhymes with soon bakes. Yeah. That's it right there. Boom cake. Yeah.

 

And then it's got an ornate design on top. If any of you have a a temptation right now to go look at what moon cakes look like. If you click on the images, it looks absolutely delicious. So remember that whenever you go and Google it.

 

Yeah. Just like what you would expect in nothing like the moon to to be as a cake, I guess. But -- Yeah. -- yeah. Now it's it's it's fun, man. It's A dog tree. Yeah. Well, they that's the thing. They look cool.

 

They basically works of art, but but they taste awesome and they're only seasonally available. So When can you buy them? Right now? No. We're past the Midon Festival right now. So this will have to be now in about a year.

 

I think it's technically speaking let me see here. Let me see here. I think, technically speaking, around the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month. Yep. Math. Got it. That's nice. We're gonna have to figure that out later.

 

That's the mid autumn fest. Because I am hooking that up. Yeah. But, you know, there are other festivals I think that are pretty cool. Alright. Well, this Well, before we get to them, let's take a quick break.

 

And then we'll we'll come back here in a few minutes and and we'll back into some of these festivals. If you're just tuning in, sit tight. We'll be right back on SDYT, the podcast.

 

Everybody. This porter with SD YT the podcast. When we're talking about celebrating harvest festivals, spending time with your family and even remembering loved ones, maybe when you can't be there.

 

Like to pass the mic for a second over to my buddy Dax, and he's gonna talk about the b and the bear creations. That's BEE and the BEARB and the bear creations.

 

Tex? Hey, everyone. It's Stack's here. I just wanted to take a moment and give a shout out to my wife, Julie. She is a artist of sorts, but she has a Facebook page called the B and the Bear creations.

 

And what that page is for is basically, if you wanted to do specialized item like a tumbler or a hat or a vinyl or a decal or a shirt, you can go there.

 

You can ask some questions, look through the WERE's, but then give a DM and try to sort it out, and then work at adjust pricing.

 

But if you're interested something like that, go ahead, like her page is the bee and the bear creations on Facebook. So go enjoy.

 

Alright, everybody. Welcome back to SDYT, the podcast. Again, I'm Porter I got deck Evans here, brought him out of the Ozarks for a little while to hang out. If you're just tuning in, you already missed the first 20 minutes.

 

Seppes. Emppes. Emppes. Yeah. No. But it's alright. We'll pick up right where we left off and probably recap a little bit too. What we're here talking about today on episode 4 of this podcast is gratitude and appreciation.

 

It's Thanksgiving season here in the States. We already talked about some other countries that have similar harvest related festivals, pre post during harvest festivals.

 

1 that we had actually just finished talking about was talked about China and moon cakes in the Mid Autumn Festival.

 

If anybody listening has any insights or any more insights for that matter, favorite memories, traditions, that you wanna chime in, feel free.

 

Send us an email at survival dad y t at gmail dot com. Leave comments, Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube, Not a problem at all.

 

I'd love to hear from you. Maybe even have you on the show if you got other topics you wanna discuss as well. So that exists, we're back in. Quick some of these other countries we're talking about earlier -- Mhmm.

 

-- before we started. So I said we mentioned China, but did you know now let me let me preface this When I found out about this festival, I didn't even know that there was a difference between this particular what is that start Okay.

 

Okay. It's a baking ingredient. Got it. Yeah. It's a spud or a root. I I don't really know my plant life.

 

I'm not a hoarder your list, but here's the thing. Sweet. Here's the thing. We're talking about harvest festivals, and I'm I'm gonna level with you here. Any and everything sweet potato by far for me beats out pumpkin.

 

Okay. By far. I can dig it. However, I get it. I see what you did. But no, in apparently, Ghana, there is a YAM festival, which I think spreads over into a little bit Juria as well.

 

But there's a Yam festival, and I'm gonna level with you. A little bit of my ignorance here, I have no idea what the difference is between an yam in a sweet potato because I've been con for the last 3 decades of my life.

 

Here's why. Every time I go to the store on Thanksgiving seasonal times, usually is when I'll get or my family will get stuff for sweet potato pie or or, you know, yams or whatever.

 

Sure. Yeah. So what do you do? You buy the brown can It says yams on it and has sweet potatoes in it. K? Okay. So I always thought they were synonymous.

 

Yeah. Yep. Yep. Turns out it's not just the seasoning in pumpkin pie. Oh. Actually, totally different -- Really? -- as it turns out. Yeah. What is the what is the main because I'm looking it up right now on Google. Yeah. You know what?

 

You what do you got? What'd you find? And then we'll talk about my interpretation, I guess. What So it says so I said yams or sweet potatoes, do you know the difference? And it has 2 pictures here. 1 picture says yam, obviously.

 

The other picture says sweet potato. The words. And then yeah. The words. And then it has like some weird pictures underneath it of either or. And then you have underneath the end, it says dry starchy flesh.

 

Nice. That means. Dark bark like skin. And then the sweet potatoes says moist flesh, variation in color slick like appearance in skin. Oh, that's cool. Yeah. So that's I wonder if that actually makes a difference in how you repair it.

 

Because if it's drier on the inside, you have to, like, rehydrate it first or or -- Maybe. Yeah. -- steep it in, I don't know, syrup or whatever? I have no idea. I don't even know how to do that but Okay.

 

Well, here's 1 too. Sweet potatoes, they grow in the United States. Okay. Yams are imported from Caribbean. There wait, the Caribbean. Yeah. The Caribbean. That's what it says. I don't know what that means.

 

Well, I'm not entirely sure then why there's a Yam festival in Africa. Because there's probably a 10PM in and that what's a festival called? The Yam festival? The Yam Festival. Yeah. Now here here's the thing.

 

Here's the thing. And just wanna give credit where it's due here. I'll have to look up her profile. She she actually turned me on to a bunch of sort of African cuisine. And for the life of me, I can't remember what her profile is.

 

I'm gonna see if she's got anything up real quick what we're talking But the reason I bring her up is because I think she also has a documentary on Netflix, which I can't remember the name either, where she was talking about the young festival.

 

That's cool. Yeah. And, man, now I I can't find it.

 

If anybody listening knows what I'm talking about, I think her name starts with a c. Yeah. I can't remember. She's on Instagram as she talks about African cuisine and like I said, there's a documentary on Netflix as well.

 

If anybody knows who I'm trying to reference, what her profile is, or or anything. Please let me know. And if I come across it before we're done talking, I will be sure to mention it.

 

Mention it. Yeah. I While he's looking, I've got III went and Googled like how the new YAMfest is celebrated in Nigeria and I think it's like Kogi state a town in Kogi state Nigeria.

 

And apparently there's a whole like series of festival things, but kind of like the significance to planting and harvesting season of the I'm gonna butcher this.

 

It says 0GIDI community as a regards as a man. Words of heart as it is regarded as a miraculous plant that signifies fertility. So Maybe maybe we'll say regarding -- That 1 works. -- you know. Yeah. It was a weird text. Yeah.

 

That's that's tricky. Or I just can't read. Wing things will get you every time. Yeah. Every time. Yeah. Man, she has so many cool recipes and things she was talking about to go to different restaurants and cooking different dishes.

 

I I can't find it now. I wish I could. And then like I said, the documentary on Netflix as well was was actually very interesting to watch.

 

But it's also a parade do. Right? Yeah. There's there's like a whole series music and dancing cuisines. Yeah. Children that like there's a children dance group that does like traditional African at well, that cultures attire.

 

And it's like an opportunity for every age group to go through and kinda showcase their their dancing skills and another thing kind of a little cool thing here I've just read actually. It says, well, I had it.

 

Basically, a community that eat that shares food together stays together. That's kind of a a nice little thing. You know, like so it kinda goes back into like gathering were talking about earlier in the first 20 minutes.

 

You were talking about earlier about how some people don't gravitate towards those older traditions like gathering together -- Yeah.

 

-- so much anymore but like even these cultures in today's world, they're they see the significance of being community with their loved ones and kinda close proximity granted with the climate today being like with COVID and those mitigations and traveling and things, it's kinda harder.

 

But I think it does bring light that across different cultures. There's a common significance regarding that aspect of kind of like coming together as community.

 

That is kinda interesting. Right? So we we've we've used this this hashtag combining conqueror which actually I got from you. Mhmm. I don't know if you remember. But oh, yeah.

 

Yeah. Yes. I do remember actually. The other day, actually, I saw a hashtag on 1 of your posts and I was like, I was like, oh man, this is gonna be I I actually remember saying that during when we were we were working together -- Mhmm.

 

-- previously. So yeah. Yeah. Let's let's take a quick break real quick, and then we'll we'll come back and and address that again here in just a quick second.

 

So like I was like I was saying, the the I had seen the combine hashtag combine and conquer on your previous on 1 of your previous posts and actually helped me reflect back to when we were working together.

 

And I remember saying that So it wasn't like aha. He got that from me, you know, last time, you know, I literally had forgotten about it.

 

And then once I saw it again on your tag on your post. I was like, oh, yeah. I remember saying that. Yeah. It I I think -- It doesn't resonate. Yeah. -- oddly enough, it was kind of the same the same pretext.

 

Right? We're we're I think what we were talking about was trying to diversify the capabilities we had in order to check off the most boxes in the workday. True. Yeah. Prioritizing time. Yeah. Yeah.

 

But but the theory then came to be that if we just work together on 1, we'll get it done sooner overall the amount of time or opportunity cost of our time would be better spent more efficiently used to take 1 task at a time as a team instead.

 

And that that actually worked pretty well, but the parallel here is sort of what you're saying.

 

Yeah. The community that eats together stays together, I think it's sort of relative whether or not you're eating is III think the underlying and I'm not a psychologist or -- Sure.

 

-- or any psych anything but Yeah. I mean, you know. Yeah. I think these are just rocking to your musings, man.

 

But I think -- Yeah. -- the I think the interesting thing is that Whenever you eat together with your family or pray together or any of these other sayings that doing things together helps people stay together -- Yeah.

 

-- you know, this together together, thing. Sandwich. Right. Yeah. Together sandwiches. Yeah. Which, ironically, is a sandwich. But is is that you don't have to worry about pretenses.

 

Right? You don't have to worry about sort of coming across as in genuine because you can be you -- Yeah. -- with these people in a more relaxed environment, whoever these people are.

 

Right? Your family, your friends, your extended family, your immediate family, whatever just you and your dog in your in your in a trailer, an apartment, or whatever.

 

Yeah. But, I guess, not your but with other people, at least, it allows you to just be you and not have to worry about like on social media, we see it a lot.

 

I think or at least what gets perceived to be seen a lot -- Right. -- is that there's some sort of fakeness -- Oh, yeah. -- about what gets put out.

 

In reality, this the the way things get portrayed on social media, that's some of it's true. Some of it's factual and actual. Yes. You know? But I think a lot of it or at least most of what's more widely popular is not always exact.

 

Like, you know, like you see posts all the time where if you wake up early and take a cold shower and save 10 dollars a day, you're gonna be a millionaire in 5 years.

 

Yeah. No. Yeah. Sure. I mean, maybe maybe? Sure. I can't tell you what you can. I can't do. Yeah. Well, there's that. But, like, just because that meme said to wake up early, take a cold shower and put it with 10 dollars a day.

 

For 12 months, within 5 years, I'll be a millionaire. No problem. Because I can drop ship on AWS What's up? But like, I'm getting this but there's there's so many other things that go into that, Riley. Yes. I'm doing those things.

 

Yeah. But I'm also working full time saving money, you know. Like, you can only show 1 side. I think it's I think people I think like that meme, you know, back I think it goes into like what it kinda teaches you. Right? Yep.

 

So the idea behind it being you know, the discipline and the the kind of like I hate I hate going back to this but like, you know, discipline equals freedom and so like you being able to and I gotta I gotta give that to to to the guy Jocko Willink, you know.

 

He's he's the 1 who has he has a book on it but it is something that that I think rings true a lot of times whenever you have like if you learn how to conquer yourself, right?

 

Like being able to control your emotions and and control what you're doing on a day to day basis, you become empowered to accomplish whatever goals that you want to accomplish.

 

Mhmm. Right? Because you can prioritize your energy and effort to things that mean the most to you, whether it be family, friends, your job, whatever makes you tick.

 

Right? So I think that's something that can be said and when we prioritize like going back to kind of the combined and conquering and and, you know, those who together it's kinda stay together.

 

I think it's something you were talking about being genuine and we see a lot of fake. I hate saying fake, but, like, I would say the best face.

 

Right? I think a lot of people wanna put this kind of like if I can be my bad at all times, but I I think a lot of times you can only run a drag car so hard so long before it breaks.

 

Mhmm. Right? So you gotta be careful about that because you got to take care of you.

 

And so with it when it comes to like the the combine and conquer, I think it goes into like vulnerability. You know, who do you feel comfortable about being yourself with.

 

And then surrounding yourself with those people who are going to be there to support you and build you up, but at the same time kind be able to hold you to a standard whatever that standard may be that you seek to have.

 

So surrounding yourself those type of people, you know, hopefully you're you're doing that.

 

Whenever you're talking about like bringing the family in. Hop those people are where you feel comfortable and vulnerable because if it's not, it's really sad.

 

I will sort of kind of, but that's that's sort of what's interesting I think now, especially to have the opportunity essentially to define your family.

 

Right? Like, sure there's there's a biological family. We're not talking about people adopting children -- Yeah. -- or IVF even though I guess technically those things sort of apply. Yeah. They can.

 

Yeah. But but more specifically, you can't go home for the holidays so you hang out with your friends. Yeah. You're interchangeable. Yeah. Who you I agree. It's who you feel comfortable with to where you can be a genuine you -- Yep.

 

-- and not have to worry as much about a facade. Like, the people you can eat cheerios in your PJ pants with, just hang out and joke around and just stretch out a wife beater.

 

You know? That's like That's solid. That's the group. Yeah. It's good stuff. I like it. Yeah. Or wear overalls.

 

Like, I do. Yeah. If you've if you've got a collective of people that wear overalls, they're the tightest group you've ever met. You can't go wrong there. Yeah. Oh, that's funny. So Matt, we're talking 2 shouldered overalls.

 

1 shouldered overalls tend to wanna be alone. You can't bother those people. With no sugar in need. Right. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Nothing against them. They had their place. Yeah. Yeah. Man, that sort of rolls us right into the next point.

 

And and we'll start diving into sort of this notion, I guess, these values of of being gracious and having gratitude and being appreciative and and what that means, how to convey it, how to talk about it, that it is okay to talk about.

 

And really how to foster it as well. For the time being though, I just wanna bring that up in case you're just tuning in.

 

There's a few things we've already discussed that different countries, different harvest festivals around the world, and how all these things actually despite some drastic differences.

 

We didn't even talk about the painted cow festival in India. Man. Yeah. Pay no cow festival. It's it's where it's at. And you you might hear this, but if if you've ever wondered, why cows don't get painted.

 

This is where you can find out when they should. You know, like, there's there's a lot of thing. Not not to market. Right? Not to market. It's it's It's it's an important festival during the harvest in India.

 

But the point is as different as all of these things are, there's still 1 they all have in common, which is essentially being appreciative and gratitude being gracious for being able to have a decent harvest.

 

And in this case, even in the larger context, you don't have be a farmer, man. You could just be providing for your family or having an income, being able to see your family in person -- Yeah.

 

-- now with, you know, COVID and whatever else not being able to to for some people, believe in still. Yeah. So all that being said though, Think with break, wait for the end of colors.

 

Alright. So welcome back to STYT of Podcasts. Thanks. We were talking about Appreciation and gratitude as as values, basically, and and how we can put value into them.

 

But you mentioned something when we took a break, and I I basically like off. So let me just you go ahead and jump in, man. You take it. Where where are you going? Oh, man. Okay. Back on the thought.

 

So I was I was telling Porter that, you know, I think a lot of times when we when we think about appreciation and gratitude, we we kinda have to look at kinda like ambitions, right, that we've that we've come from, our families come from, and kinda listen to those stories, and then we can gravitate towards what we have now and why we are appreciative of what have.

 

Right? Because I think a lot of times we have in in our background, you know, there's there's people in our families.

 

At least in mine, you know, that did without quite often. And now I can I can look back on that and not necessarily be like, what was me?

 

But go back and go, man, I'm really happy that I'm able to kind of advance like advance more so than they they did generationally like do better than what they did when it comes to that aspect of my life.

 

And 1 of the traditions that I look back on and and and I've started well, I've tried to start with my family is you know, trying to just stop and take a second during Thanksgiving and eat around the dinner table.

 

Know, we're so fast paced in today's world that we we kinda we just we're just go go go go go go and having to travel back and forth to Arkansas and things like that, it's it's kind of tough because, you know, you don't always get to spend every single moment or holiday that would be important for birthdays and things like that with the people that you to really honestly want to spend that day with.

 

And so you have to find means of, like, social media and stuff like that. And so trying to navigate that with kids and still find value in without them being distracted obviously because it's like, squirrel.

 

And then they -- Okay. -- and then they -- It doesn't quite like a talking cucumber, you know. Yeah. And they just keep just goes off in the other direction.

 

And so, you know, trying to captivate them and and, I guess, convey the importance of capturing the moment because, you know, I I mean, I can say myself, you know, there's grandparents that I really wish I had moments with still, and we're able to ask them their opinion or be able to go, you know, hey, am I doing an okay job?

 

You know, and and compared, you know, based upon your experience.

 

And, you know, not having that as not having that type of dialogue with people that would be near and dear to my heart, it I wanna convey the importance to my kids of the availability of time -- Mhmm.

 

-- they have with their grandparents and their loved ones. So not not taking a moment for granted.

 

I think that's difficult to do. I've I've met and I'm sure you can attest to it that there's a fair amount of people that live in the future but exist in the present, you know? Yeah. And worried about whatever.

 

The test result or -- Sure. -- how to pay bills -- Mhmm. -- or what to do when they get home or what's gonna be on TV that night, what's happening in the next episode of I don't know, lone ranger or whatever you're into and Long ranger.

 

Just like I go back in the day, it was like walker, Texas Yeah. Right?

 

That's funny. Yeah. You know, but the the unsuspecting stranger had better know the truth. Nice. And you just sort of feel it as you go. But if that's what you're mentally preoccupied with, it's difficult to appreciate what you have.

 

And it may be as simple as stuck, maybe even living in the past -- Mhmm. -- existing in the present. Yes. Right? So like A lot of people Yeah.

 

So you went through the whole work day, something as trivial as nothing happened. It was a regular work day, totally benign, whatever that means for you. And then you get home, you're still frustrated about your boss.

 

You're still frustrated about events or meetings or things that happened that day. And all the way to survivor's guilt -- Oh, yeah. -- or grief of somebody who died. Sure. Or you know, regret of any particular event in your life.

 

I think there's all sorts of things that can detract from your ability to focus into present. Sure. That makes it difficult. How do you even convey those things, especially the kids?

 

Because you your kids are 2 2 and 7? Yeah. I've got a 7 year old girl in to your boy. Yeah. 2 and 7. So like how do you how do you convey, like your son, for example, he's gonna learn in a few years.

 

Sure. Right? Like right now, he's just experience. He's like, I like this tractor daddy got me. Yeah. You know, like Hulk smash. Yeah. That's that's 1 of this thing. Hulk smash.

 

Yeah. But but your daughter now she's old enough to start learning, realizing, and catching on to things, you know. So how do you foster that sort of environment to focus on the present but pay attention to the past in the future.

 

You know, focus on the the the highway you wanna build, but understand where that bridge behind you came from. Oh. How do you do that? That's a really good question.

 

So I I try to do what my mom did. Right? I I give a lot of credit to my my mom and dad. Right? They both I they're they're both very awesome parents and I I would like to say they raised me right. I'm a little biased to but -- Yeah.

 

-- obviously. Sure. But but no, I think 1 of the things that that my mom conveyed me at a very young age and she started very young telling me that and see if I get this right and make sure III quote it correctly.

 

It's every choice counts and every choice has a consequence. You're either 1 choice away from making the best decision of your life or you're 1 choice away from making the worst decision of your life.

 

And I think really and I combined that with a saying that I kinda came up with is plan to live in the present, don't wait to the last minute.

 

And -- I like that. -- and 1 of the things that I've really tried to do as I've gotten a little bit older Right? Because I'm I'm not crazy old.

 

I'm only like 31 years old. So like but I think that's not even old. That's not old. Right? That's not old. Right? And but the thing is is I think a lot of times as you continue to exist in this world, you locked back.

 

Again, you you look back and you go, did I, did I go the right way? Did I make the right decision? Not to dwell on the bad ones, but to learn from the decisions that you made to possibly make better decisions later.

 

And so combining those 2 those those 2 concepts with or those 2 sayings to my daughter and constantly reminding her, right?

 

And then conveying that message to her, you know, whenever we're talking about family being back home and not having the opportunity to exposure to her grandparents all the time and things like that.

 

When we do get a chance doing as much as we can to spend as much as time to spend as much time with people as we we have available and really going, you know, like, hey, let's put the phone down.

 

Let's put electronics down. Let's let's play with hot wheels with grandpa on the floor. You know, let's let's do something outside. Let's go deer hunting.

 

My my daughter's first exposure to deer hunting was riding on the floor with my dad. And she's riding on the back and she goes, dear. And a sudden my dad has a gun on the front of his he has he had a weapon in a weapons rack on his ATV.

 

And he stopped the the ATV, put it in park. It was during obviously, it was during modern gun and he took the gun off and he shot the deer and he taught my daughter how to skin a deer.

 

You know, that's a memory she'll have for the rest of her life. And she'll value it. Maybe not at the moment but when she gets older, she's gonna look back and go, you know, I did this thing with my my granddad.

 

You know, I did some I did this thing and -- Okay. -- perfect. Alright. So you're you're telling me that legal lawful licensed murder and bloodshed in front of a 7 year old can have a positive impact.

 

Right? Oh, yeah. Yes. So here's a crazy thing, man. III think it's pretty wild. Right? Because like, you can say, not you, but in general. Right? Like, you you somebody, people, whatever, can say that killing an animal is murder.

 

Yeah. They can't. Sure. You could define it that way. Other people could define it as hunting or provision. Sure. Right? But it's all basically the same point.

 

I think what's interesting though is the difference is for the the outcome or the mental scarring on your daughter. Right? Whatever you wanna phrase this as, it's it's either going Your friends on who you are.

 

Well, I mean, realistically, right? It's either going to be scar tissue that inhibits growth -- Sure. -- or scar tissue that encourages callous and growth.

 

And -- Yeah. -- from from that new growth Yeah. Depending on how you explain it and how you guide it and shape it and mentor and whatever. Yeah, mentality. Right? Like, if if she's left to her own devices, Who knows?

 

That could go any other number. Yeah. Could. I mean, I I look back at it as like if you look at like Native American Native American history and you kinda look at how they respected nature.

 

And how they thanked it for its provision. It's kind of the same concept of, you know, like, when we go out there, it's not to eradicate, you know, something or, you know, the thrill of the kill.

 

It's more of like it's the ability to be able to provide. Uh-huh. It's the it's that opportunity to take what's given, be thankful, and and then then the real work begins.

 

The easy part is taking the game The hard part is is now processing it and making sure you're doing right by it by using every piece that you can.

 

Sure. And and I think that's actually pretty interesting too conceptually, right, to say that Maybe you you know better than I do.

 

I don't know. But maybe you know better than I do, but if, at least biblically, if men was given dominion over all things, land animals.

 

I'm not sure the the the verse, but the concept, I think, is pretty close to what I'm saying. That's in Genesis. Okay. I know what you're talking about.

 

Alright. Yeah. The the Dominion piece -- Sure. -- is not just slaughter for fun. No. It's having the capacity to slaughter for fun, but mirroring or tempering that with respect. I think I think empathy and then also understanding.

 

You know? I don't know about empathy necessarily. Like, if I were a deer and I were being hunted, You know Maybe sympathy would be your word. Whoops. And so sympathy. Right? Yeah. Yeah. But I I don't I don't yeah.

 

I I agree with you. It's like it's being it at tailoring your, I guess, carnal desire. Right? I think tempering desire sometimes is is a is a show of strength and then being able to being able to kind of navigate that.

 

Because I I really I think sometimes people have to work really hard to be good. You know, it's kinda like, what is it? Reluctant obedience.

 

Mhmm. I think is something that I mean, there's a lot of times when you're like, I'm in a hurry. And then you, like, you're you're driving down the road and you're like, could totally go 90, but I'm not gonna do that.

 

Because because I don't care because there's there's a obvious I don't wanna break the law, right? So I think there's a there's an element of of reluctant obedience when it comes to that concept.

 

Maybe so. I mean, if you think about it, the strongest swords are tempered. Yeah. True. Right? You're not gonna have what I I don't know what you I'm not a blacksmith man. Raw unbridled student. Brittle stills.

 

Can you say that? Yeah. Okay. What is it? What is it? Brittle? Raw unbridled. On bread. On yeah. We could just go with brittle and brittle steel. I mean, that's fine. That's fine. Yeah. Potato tomorrow. What are you gonna do?

 

But But but yeah, man, I I think that's something that, you know, carries a lot of weight. Self control, to to build strength, not to hold it back. Sure. And and I think in this case, I wanna easiest ways to do that.

 

No. I think 1 of the hardest ways to do that is try to be introspective and reflect on what you've had and and what laid the groundwork for you know, what what what gave your the roots to your plant to grow.

 

Right? Yeah. I think it's involvement. Think a lot of times involvement in the people that I get I'm not saying that you can't be a success or be better on your own.

 

It's just it's a hard process. I think a lot of times if there's not a mentorship or guidance that's given, right?

 

Because a lot of times you're learning from your own mistakes within the moment and it's and that's a difficult process to to go through because there's a lot of disappointment involved in that.

 

Whereas in you know, I was very fortunate. I've made mistakes. I've made plenty of them. Right?

 

But I was very fortunate in my younger years that I had a mom and dad that were willing to be patient with me, that we're willing to try to convey those kind of core values and proper perspective when it comes to making a decision.

 

Right? Like making it, you know, that I I swear my mom ruined me when it came to talk with cake? Well, no. Oh. Yeah.

 

A little bit too. Yeah. We're big donut guys. No. No. Yeah. But when it came to, like, I want, like, reluctant obedience. I think that's interesting because I would literally right before I make what I consider to be a bad decision.

 

Right? I will always hear in the back of my mind, every choice counts. Every choice has a consequence, you know. And it really deterred me from doing some nefarious things.

 

In my younger years. Potentially. But don't you think it could also then sort of take away the opportunity for first hand learning of a repercussions or experience of a particular situation? Yeah. I mean, yeah, you could say that.

 

It just depends on how bad the repercussions would have been. Yeah. Like how big of an effect it would have had? I can't I can't, you know, I can't say whether or not I don't mean like burned down a forest.

 

Sure. Sure. You know, but but I but again it's like how how big are the consequences of the mistake. Yeah. Right? Like you know, and what what could be at that time like, oh, we're just kids doing some fun stuff.

 

And then all of a sudden, like, there's an accident -- Sure. -- you know, or there's something that happened that was like could have been prevented by possible good decision making, you know.

 

Well, I think some of the day. I think some of that too. Yeah. Guidance plays a role like you said from your mom, but I think some of that also just comes from having the I guess it's twofold.

 

Having the time to process and then actually processing -- Yeah. -- whatever happened or whatever. Oh, sure. You know, like I saw I saw a or yesterday.

 

I think it was last night. Man, I might have to look up his name now. Dante, I can't remember his last name. 26 years, falsely in prison. Oh, I've I've seen that 1. Yeah. That's that's such he just recently got exonerated.

 

He hasn't yet been pardoned. This is down in North Carolina. Oh my gosh. Yeah. Hasn't yet been pardoned. And so he still has a felony charge. On his record? Yeah. On his record. So, you know, it's a life's obviously that much harder.

 

But I think the crazy thing is despite it 26 years. I think it was 19 94. 19 yeah. 94, he initially got arrested. Wow. Yeah. 26 years, in prison. Yeah. Right? And he said he had a picture of himself, younger but a picture of himself.

 

And on the bottom, he wrote, I'm free. I'm free. And every day, he would look at that and he would visualize positivity in his life. He was just that small. Visualized parts of you in his life.

 

And he was appreciative or at least what I took from his that he was appreciative of the mindset that he was able to cultivate. Yeah. Right? And he was gracious that his mom, I think, said all before times, came to visit him -- Oh, wow.

 

-- on days where it was allowed. He was grateful that his mom came to visit him, found out about his daughter, and then his granddaughter. Oh, wow. Yeah. And so then this guy gets out of jail and he's in his mid forties.

 

Finally because his daughter when he got out was 27. Oh, wow. Missed everything. Yeah. He missed at all? Yeah. And then, obviously, didn't even know his grandkids still got out.

 

But but even still, Man. Even still, his message aside from legal advocacy and -- Yeah. -- you know, helping helping other people that are wrongly in prison, but is is also to foster basically a positive mental attitude.

 

And be grateful for what you do have -- Right. -- like in his case, it's obviously not ideal. Sure. Yeah.

 

But he's now able to spend time with his daughter and start building a relationship with her and his grandkids and and and actually start trying to salvage what he has left and and actually do something instead of feeling disappointed or depressed or whatever, you know.

 

He'll be super intentional with this time. Yeah. Exactly. I mean yeah. Yeah. And I I think that kind of that kind of gratitude, that level of gratitude, I guess -- Yeah.

 

-- goes exponentially farther in teaching lessons than actually trying to make a concerted effort to teach, you know, math or whatever. You're you're you're consciously trying to teach and force feed that that kids aren't understanding.

 

Yeah. And and and I think kids are sponges. Right? They're they're they're they'll they'll they'll absorb whatever is around them. I mean, they they will they repeat everything that you say if you're not careful.

 

Yeah. So you gotta, you know, you gotta be and I think that kinda goes with they're gonna act. Right? So I have a philosophy in my actions. Right? Be the man that I want my daughter to marry. And be the man that I want my son to become.

 

At least strive for it. Right? I want my son to be better and I want my wife I want my daughter to to marry better, obviously. Mhmm. Because they deserve it. They deserve something better than that and that's that's not vain humility.

 

That's I really do want better for children, I think, but trying to exemplify that thing and what that looks like, you know, like your like like your example of the guy visualizing, I'm free, I'm free, you know.

 

Mhmm. Visualizing your, you know, making sure that, you know, what you say conveys what you really mean. Because where I'm from a hand shake and and your word is bond.

 

Right? And so, like, making sure that you convey that lesson over. And not being as we've kind of alluded to before when it comes to social media sometimes, not having a facade.

 

Mhmm. I think that's hard on on a wider platform because some people like to keep some things closer to themselves, which is very understandable.

 

But a lot of times, I think we we miss out on the opportunity to have that kind of combined and conquer concept.

 

Whenever it comes to just being open and genuine and vulnerable and trying to go through struggles and things that, like, trials were missing whenever it's whenever we're not being vulnerable.

 

A lot of times we're we're we're painful we're we're in pain in the shadows. Right? Yeah. I think that that vulnerability -- It's hard.

 

-- it well, it is, but I think it's hardest. To allow yourself to think and and feel and just be vulnerable with your own self. Mhmm. Right? Like, you don't even need to necessarily at the forefront of this -- Yeah.

 

Put it. -- with everybody else. Oh. Not at all. Right? But like, accept whatever you're trying to focus on at the moment -- Sure. -- for you. Like so so here's the thing. I don't think I've told you this in a while, but that's alright.

 

I'm gonna tell you again now. Okay. So I'm listening. March Yeah. At least here what you're saying. Yeah. Yeah. I gotcha. Yeah. Yeah. So no. 03/06/2021. Do you remember that date?

 

Yeah. That's that's my daughter's birthday, I think. Is it? I'm pretty sure. Oh, well, this wasn't I feel like a bad dad, bro. I'm like, what if it I didn't know that. Now I feel like an asshole to take the stage on it.

 

But Wait. I might be wrong. Well, me too. Okay. Yeah. I think that is my gosh for a day. Well, happy birthday. Yeah. But No. Be better, everyone. Be better. Remember your kid's birthday is Yeah.

 

Yeah. No. It's right. As long as you I mean, there's 364 days to celebrate life. Right? Like, if you if you if you misplace the date on the calendar, That 1 yeah. That 1 had a 30 day march. It's okay.

 

But but no. That that was the date actually that that that I stopped using all tobacco. Oh. Cold Turkey. I do remember that day. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Cold Turkey. So now fast forward to carry the 1 subtract, blocks then come and pour.

 

I think we're around. Right. Yeah. I think we're around 8 months now -- Oh, wow. -- and a couple extra weeks or an extra week. I don't know today's date actually, but but yeah. I remember that You and I both.

 

It's it was a rough few weeks after that. But but since then, it's gotten easier. Sure. And had it not been honestly for 1, you not letting me have anything. That was the biggest factor You're welcome. You didn't enable. Yeah.

 

But honestly, man, I'm I'm I'm grateful to have had you there in that moment because that's what it took for me to learn. And had you not been willing to communicate in a way that I was apparently more willing to listen to -- True.

 

-- then I never would have learned to begin with. And I I think I think those sorts of opportunities no matter how critical you are or actually try to be -- Yeah.

 

In being vulnerable with yourself or honest with a friend to have somebody actually help you and give you advice or whatever, like in our case, or whatever other context applies.

 

I think there's a lot of things there that don't necessarily get written don't -- Right. -- I guess aren't as often included, especially popularized on social media.

 

Right? There's a certain -- Yeah. -- I think seduction with pessimism and -- Oh, yeah. -- negativity. Yeah. Which is understandable. Right? Like nobody watches a sci fi movie to hope the alien leaves.

 

So I I get it. True. Right? But But yeah, there's there's a I think all things considered a certain semblance of appreciation and grab to that gets neglected or if nothing else only gets incorporated 1 season a year.

 

Yeah. You know, maybe maybe Halloween till like the week of November before you put on Christmas lights.

 

Sure. Yeah. So -- Yeah. -- I think I mean unless unless you're what, a home depot or or Lowe's, and then it's okay to decorate incentive. Yeah. Then it's set to yeah. January.

 

Right. So, like, Christmas on sale, boys. Yeah. Yeah. Why not get ready for next here. Yeah. Crazy. I know. But but but seasons aside, man, I think that's something that actually should take off. Will it I'm sure it will in time.

 

But being okay to talk about it and discuss those topics and exhibit those topics and share stories like this -- Yeah. -- I think it makes all the difference. Like how does racism get popularized? Well, because people talk about it.

 

Sure. Does it always occur? Has it always occurred? Again, I'm not a historian man. And we're not talking CRT here, but I think, yeah, there's an element of what is being popularly defined as racism throughout history.

 

Yeah. Yes. I agree with that. Sure. I don't fundamentally agree with the fact that racism based on different races because that's just scientifically false. But whatever, I don't, you know, I'm I I said, I don't know planes.

 

The animal kingdom alludes me too, but whatever. Very good. You know, the the point being though, that despite whatever happens throughout any given year in any particular country or continent or season or holiday or or harvest even.

 

Like you said, the community that that dines together gets stronger together, and I think the more we can foster community appreciation and gratitude, the more likely those things are going to help a society get stronger and better itself.

 

Oh, yeah. I definitely agree. I think there's power in community.

 

There's power in vulnerability. There's power in and your ability to be able to be vulnerable to the people that you care care most about and that care most about you, not being able to discern You said that you care most about me?

 

No. That you care most about. And that care most you. Yeah. No. That's fine. You're like, oh, thanks. Yeah. It was almost nice. No. No. No. What Yeah. And I'm with you. You're right though. You're right.

 

It's kinda like you know, again surround yourself with those individuals and and that's like the example you use, you know, surround yourself with people that'll hold you that that standard that you want to be held to. Yeah.

 

Right? You are who you surround yourself with -- Mhmm. -- a lot of times. You know, if I wanna know you, gotta look at who you surround yourself with, and I I get a pretty good picture. Yeah. Either that or or it goes to flip side.

 

Right? Like, I can make justifications for why you're an asshole. You can. And I won't deny that. Right. I want to And you could make justifications as to why maybe I'm, I don't know, ignorant or deserving of your asshole, miss.

 

Right? Like, there's there's Guys, I'm not bad. No. But it's it goes too full. Yeah. You're right. You you could excuse those behaviors -- Sure. -- or just say, okay, Well, maybe in that circumstance, I was.

 

Why did I respond that way? Critically think about what makes Angel Spectrum. Essentially. Yeah. And then either accepted and say, well, yeah, actually that was a warranted response in that situation -- Yeah.

 

-- or not. And then And learn from it. Yeah. You learn from it. Oh, yes. The past can hurt. Yeah. Right? Yaglin's scared. Yeah. I love it. Yeah. Yeah. Big big lion king guy. Yeah. Spicky. Right. But yeah, man.

 

Look, the the point is though, I I really appreciate you taking some time to sit down and and talk and and and come out discuss these things, man, especially from your perspective, I think I think you've got an outlook that for whatever reason has outstretched all 3 of your decades.

 

I'm not sure how I've never once beat an assassin's creed. I don't know how this ends you. I'm sorry. That's okay.

 

Watch out for the high dive. But but no, man. It's it's it's been it's been awesome being able to sit here and talk about some of this with you. And and really just getting exposed to some a little bit more of your perspective, man.

 

I I really do appreciate it. I guess you could say I'm I'm grateful for the opportunity Yeah. Me too. You know, you don't have to say it because I did.

 

It's okay. No. No. No. I'm genuinely grateful. I appreciate the opportunity. Yeah. It's good to have these types of and I think there needs to be more of them. Yeah. I agree. And and as at least as far as we're concerned, there will be.

 

Yeah. For sure. And and hopefully, we can get you back on the show at some point in time too. And to to everybody else listening, guys, again, I appreciate you guys tuning in.

 

Thanks so much for sticking with us throughout this conversation. Again, if you have any insights, comments, stories, material, anything you want us to reference anything, you include or if you just want to be in an episode.

 

Send us an email at survival dad y t at g mail dot com. Check us out. We also have some videos under survival dad y t on Facebook Instagram, TikTok and YouTube as well.

 

Otherwise, guys, that about wraps up this episode. Again, we're talking about appreciation and gratitude here on episode 4 of SD YT the podcast. So until next time, I'm Porter. I'm your host. And that was SDYT, the podcast.