Soul Forge Podcast

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 experience 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 has returned for its fifth and final season. The first two episodes were decent. Leah created a Facebook group dealing with Jeep ducki

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

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, frequently referred to as the ‘love hormone’, fosters feelings of attachment and 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, and includ

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. The fish extender gift exchange was a fun feature. Derived from the fact that outside every st

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 will be 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 n

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 Sudbur

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. Ja

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 M

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 a

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 i

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

Shawn and Leah were on holidays this week. Rest assured, it was no vacation. While Shawn took a tour of the great Canadian north, Leah stayed home to renovate the bathroom. What they thought should have taken a few days, became an ongoing saga. However, there are many good times ahead. The road trip! On Sunday, Shawn drove up to Timmins. He lived there for 19 years, and his doctor is still there. Finding a new doctor is all but impossible. Two days spent in Timmins. Shawn visited his son, a few friends, and cleaned out his building which recently sold. Then he went to see Frank and Martha. They live about 5 hours from Timmins. Frank collected about 2000 VHS tapes for when Shawn was going to open a junk store. The tapes were picked up, and Shawn went on to North Bay and Sudbury. He finally made it home late Wednesday night. Meanwhile, Leah was busy taking down the old tiles in the bathroom. The previous remodel was not done properly. Lots of dust and dirt, followed by painting and the removal of old stuff. As

Buy, rent or renovate....these are the options that face us today. Shawn and Leah discuss the possibilities they have as they progress in their relationship. The upcoming week is full of adventure - Shawn is driving up north to see friends and family, while Leah is staying home to redo parts of the bathroom. Decisions for the future are looming. Shawn's building in Timmins has recently sold. This means that he is mortgage-free, and is free to buy a home in Sault Ste. Marie. The happy couple has been looking at homes in town to see what's out there. Brand new construction versus older homes. New builds have no charm and character. Older homes may have wet basements and smell of rot. So many options and decisions. When to buy and when to renovate Remember the following are what to look for when buying a house or renovating your current property. Market environment – when you’re selling your house and looking to buy, it’s important to research what the current resale market looks like. Many market factors ca

Side hustles are an additional employment opportunity outside of a person's full-time job. They provide supplemental income. Unlike a part-time job, a side hustle commonly has more freedom and gives more control over what a person does, when they do it and how many hours they devote to it. Individuals can typically pursue a side hustle that involves their passions and talents. Some people may eventually make their side hustle their primary career. There are many benefits of having a side hustle. Individuals typically manage the time they dedicate to their side hustle, making it easier to integrate into their existing schedule as full-time employees. By controlling their schedule, they can make their side hustle accommodate other events or commitments they have while still earning additional income. This may help them gain flexibility and maintain employment in their existing role while also pursuing their passion. A side hustle is a way to earn extra income in addition to a full-time job. With the extra money

Five Nights at Freddy's movie review and franchise history! This week on the Soul Forge we talk about everything to do with Five Nights at Freddy's (FNaF). We just saw the movie on opening night. Our initial thoughts and reactions, fresh from the theatre are here for you to enjoy. Also on this episode, we have a brief recap of the last week in our lives. Shawn and Leah have been cooking. When they went to Disney World, they tried the cheeseburger spring rolls. They were delicious but expensive. After finding the recipe, they made their own version. This version was exquisite, and may be better than the official product. Additionally, they have been watching more Keeping Up Appearances and Blake's 7. You can hear their thoughts on this episode. And finally, Shawn continues his quest to modify and repaint Hot Wheels. Five Nights at Freddy's (FNaF) is a video game series and media franchise created by Scott Cawthon. The first video game was released on August 8, 2014, and the resultant series has since gained wo

Keeping up appearances can be a full time job. Shawn and Leah are not trying to keep up with the Joneses. In this case, we are talking about a British sitcom created and written by Roy Clarke. Leah recently introduced Shawn to some of her favourite British television shows. The Keeping Up Appearances sitcom follows Hyacinth in her attempts to prove her social superiority, and to gain standing with those she considers upper class. Her attempts are constantly hampered by her lower class extended family, whom she is desperate to hide. Much of the humour comes from the conflict between Hyacinth's vision of herself and the reality of her underclass background. In each episode, she lands in a farcical situation as she battles to protect her social credibility.  Also in this episode, Shawn and Leah discuss some recent travel. Last month saw the two of them travel to Disney World in Florida. They received some lovely feedback from a listener and discuss this. Last weekend the pair went to Saginaw, Michigan. They did

Being vulnerable with your partner is fundamental to building intimacy. Communication is a wonderful way to deepen your intimate connection while building trust on the way. Communicating about vulnerable past events or disclosing something that has been weighing you down can build the skills necessary to address sensitive events in the future. Fear from not knowing how your partner will respond may stop some people from sharing things that make them feel vulnerable. But disclosing and seeing how your partner responds can help you determine if there is a long-term future with this person. If they respond dismissively and do not listen to you then that might mirror a future response pattern leading to poor relationship compatible. However, if they respond with love, comfort, and understanding your intimate connection will deepen. On this episode of the Soul Forge Podcast, Shawn and Gaelyn get serious with sex talking. As the owner of an adult store, Gaelyn is exposed to many different questions. One of the most

Actor Mahryah Shain drops by the Soul Forge to have a chat about a few things. What are we talking about on this episode? In addition to his company More Hair Naturally, we discuss Disney theme parks, Hot Wheels, toys and mental health. But who is Mahryah Shain... Mahryah Shain studied at University of Southern California where he completed a Bachelor's degree. In 1999, he started working as an actor, appearing in TV and short films. Through his career, Shain appeared in TV shows like The Handler, Criminal Minds, Bones and Tales. He also appeared in films like Constantine and Babysitter. Since 2013, Shain has been working as Vice-President of Marketing and Creative Director of the brand More Hair Naturally. He is also a Freelance Graphic Designer that has worked on award season campaigns for films like Vice and If Beale Street Could Talk. Mahryah is passionate about helping people. Although he is the man behind More Hair, he is interested in a total approach to mental health. He believes that the physical aff

Our first Disney vacation is in the books! This episode of the Soul Forge is a day by day recap of our exciting adventures. At the end of each day, Shawn and Leah sat down and recorded their memories of the excitement. Florida in September is still quite warm. Walt Disney World requires a lot of walking. Here is the story... The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, or simply abbreviated WDW, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, near the cities of Orlando and Kissimmee. Opened on October 1, 1971, the resort is operated by Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, a division of The Walt Disney Company. The property covers nearly 25,000 acres (39 sq mi; 101 km2), of which half has been used. The resort comprises four theme parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Disney's Animal Kingdom), two water parks: (Disney's Blizzard Beach and Disney's Typhoon Lagoon), 31 themed resort hotels, nine non-Disney hote

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 listened to many Soul Forge episodes. She has learned a lot of things that she would not have thought to ask. Although Shawn's brother said he should scrap the podcast and delete all the episodes, no harm has come to him from keeping the show going! Birthdays can be great fun. While preparing for a weekend adventure, Shawn went to Dollarama to get snacks. While checking the pegs for Hot Wheels, he found his first Super Treasure Hunt. These are elusive special editions. This leads to a discussion on northern Ontario and the low stock at most stores. There are few decent buying options in the area. What were the birthday gifts? Leah got a couple of Funko Pops featuring Walt Di