Mere Mortals Conversations
Kyrin Down & Juan Granados
What is Effective Philosophy? Juan and I simplify hard to grasp concepts into pragmatic takeaways that can be applied to every day life (fitness, goal setting, work, parenting, travel, hobbies, finances, etc.,). We go live every Sunday @ 9am AEST.
Collecting Cards With VeeFriends | The Business Side Of Pokémon
Some special guests (Brodie & Mansheel) are here to do some show and tell!In Episode #477 of Meanderings, we discuss the intricacies of collecting Pokémon cards, the financials of the grading process, factors that influence the value of these collectibles, maintaining excellent card condition (Juan needs to take notes), nostalgia of collecting since children, the thrill of opening VeeFriends packs and the strategies for buying and selling cards.Huge thanks to Cole for supporting this week (a
The Job Market For 2026 | Dawn Of The Autonomous Robots
Will Juan's insanely ambitious predictions come true (likely) and why is he so sure (backed by evidence)?In Episode #476 of Musings, Juan and I discuss: the rapid advancements in AI (drawing from his past experiences in AI sales and chatbot implementations), the slow progress of autonomous Haul Trucks I saw in the mining industry, .Juan's prediction that unemployment rates will more than double by the end of 2026, robotic process automation (RPA) and its potential to replace repetitive tasks tra
Let's Gamble In A Cult | Financial Delusions & When To Admit You're Wrong
Why is investing in Game Stop going to cause the collapse of the financial system?In episode #475 of Mere Mortals 'Musings', Juan and I discuss: Tom Bilyeu's perspective that all financial actions are a form of gambling, James Jani's videos on GameStop and Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY), how the irrational belief of "mother of all short squeezes" (MOASS) will lead to the financial system's collapse, our past financial delusions in stocks/properties/NFT's, the aftermath of bubbles bursting and Juan
They're Coming For Your Money!! | Scams, Scammers & Schemes
They're always around so how do you pick them out?In episode #474 of Mere Mortals 'Musings', Juan and I discuss: the definition of trickery for accruing value, personal anecdotes of being scammed, learnings from Edward Chancellor's book 'Devil Take The Hindmost', recognising red flags such as offers that seem too good to be true, whether certain societal structures like the education system or the 9-to-5 work model could be seen as scams and whether scams that lead to positive outcomes are actua
Monthly Goals | February 2025
It's time for our monthly check in where we review our goals from last month and see what's coming up for the next.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series,
Financial Bubbles & The Crypto/AI Industry | Historical Signals That Will Repeat
This is a solo episode heavily influenced by the book 'Devil Take The Hindmost'.In Episode #473 of 'Musings' it is just myself Kyrin and I'm discussing: the beginnings, growth and eventual popping of financial bubbles across history (with examples like the Tulip Mania and the South Sea Bubble), why these criteria are all subjective and not numbers based, the reasons I believe there is a crypto/AI bubble that is midway through it's cycle and some predictions for what I think could happen in the n
Our New Podcast Ventures | Expanding The MM Brand
We're no longer the Mere Mortals Podcast ...... we're now Mere Mortals Podcasts!In Episode #472 of 'Meanderings, Juan and I discuss: the two new podcasts around AI and fitness that we are doing independently, why we will be experimenting with other monetisation models for the new shows (and tweaking existing), why people have black marks on their brand when they get sloppy with their collaborators/advertisers, community building and what more we can do for engagement and some personal updates, i
2025 Fitness Vision: Passion, Goals, and Olympic Dreams
In this introductory episode of a new fitness-focused conversation, I talk about my passion for health and fitness, reflecting on 15 years of training experience.(00:00) - Welcome to 2025: Setting the Tone(00:30) - Why Fitness Matters: Personal and Professional Passion(01:10) - Reflecting on 15 Years of Health and Training(02:00) - 2032 Olympic Aspirations: Inspiring Conversations(03:00) - Deep Dives: Targeted Fitness Discussions(04:10) - Practical Knowledge from Years of Supplementation I
The Evolution Of Our Stretching | From Optimal Performance To Injury Avoidance
We're revisiting an old topic .... with some updates.In Episode #471 of 'Musings' we discuss: a previous episode from mid 2020 (#49) noting the changes in our perspectives, more on static/dynamic stretching, the specialised techniques of PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation) & ballistic stretching, why anyone can achieve a reasonable level of flexibility, how we injured ourselves by not following our own advice and how Juan likes to clean and jerk babies.Very sad puppy this week, w
2025 Calories in one go: A Challenge Worth Trying?
This chat’s all about tackling a unique 2025-calorie challenge. I dive into why I gave it a go, how it panned out (spoiler: not as planned), and the lessons I walked away with. It’s a mix of fitness, mindset, and how to frame challenges in life.(00:00) - Kicking Off the Challenge(00:40) - What is the 2025-Calorie Challenge?(01:22) - Why I Decided to Try It(02:38) - Planning the Challenge(05:19) - Did I Actually Do It?(08:30) - Lessons Learned from Failing(12:02) - The Power of Focusing on
You Can Determine Your Outlook! | A Revision Of 2024 & Predictions For 2025
A sucky year doesn't have to be the worst of your life.In Episode #470 of Mere Mortals 'Musings', Juan and I discuss: our reflections on 2024, my sad year that despite the challenges ended with clarity and optimism towards the end, Juan's balancing of family life and spending as much time with his daughter as possible, predictions for 2025 with emphasis on the advancements of AI, a positive economic wave coming and why hardware might be more interesting than software.Huge support from Petar the
Monthly Goals | January 2025
It's time for our monthly check in where we review our goals from last month and see what's coming up for the next.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series,
Mere Mortals Year in Review: 5 Life Lessons from 2024 for Growth in 2025
This episode reflects on my key takeaways from 2024, focusing on discipline, family priorities, balancing multiple roles, mindfulness, and adaptability.Timeline:(00:00) - Introduction to the Year in Review(00:49) - Reflecting on Seasons of Life(02:22) - Lesson 1: Discipline in Daily Routines(04:26) - Lesson 2: Prioritizing Family(07:16) - Balancing Multiple Roles and Eliminating Distractions(09:35) - Lesson 3: Mindfulness and Emotional Intelligence(11:26) - Lesson 4: Adaptability in the Fa
Open Source Decentralised AI | Can The Compute Compete?
We're spending a lot more time playing around with models.In Episode #469 of Musings, Juan and I discuss: why we think Agentic AI will be extremely useful, whether open source models can compete with closed source, why I believe they are necessary for privacy/freedom of expression/anti-advertising reasons, the bitter lesson with regards to compute, why governments will regulate and try to control the industry and similarities to cases with big tech.No boostagrams again, very sad puppy :'(Timelin
Magic Mind Review: Sharper Mind or Just Hype?
In this episode, I review Magic Mind, a nootropic drink designed to enhance mental performance, focus, and reduce stress. Sharing a 15-day personal trial, we explore the product's ingredients, effects, and value while reflecting on its potential to create a "sharper mind" baseline. (00:00) - Welcome to the Podcast(00:25) - Introducing Magic Mind(00:49) - Unbiased Approach to Product Reviews(01:37) - Magic Mind: Packaging and First Impressions(02:03) - Key Ingredients and Benefits(02:48) -
Video Game Economies | The Digital Marketplace Of The Past & Future
Why is a blue party hat worth so much money!?In Episode #468 of Mere Mortals 'Musings', Juan and I discuss: how virtual items can gain real-world value, why in-game economies mirror real-world behaviour of scarcity/market manipulation/speculative trading, the reason crypto gaming has largely fallen flat (but might have a future in games like Off The Grid), whether people will watch AI agents gaming in the future and why the crypto casino is already a game in itself.Huge thanks to Violet Mouse fo
Deciphering Opinion From Fact | Why New Books Fail The Kyrin Test
Why is it basically impossible to find any modern books with some sort of 'politics' thrown in?In Episode #467 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: how recent events are often presented with a bias rather than factual accuracy, the reliability of recent publications re-reading old books and get a bit sidetracked in the realm of education (specifically literature in schooling).No support this week, very sad puppy :'(Timeline:(00:00:00) Intro(00:01:28) Book Preferences And Trends(00:04:46) Opinions in
Dogs & Puppers | Juan's Best Friend But Kyrin's 2nd Worst Enemy
What's your favourite dog and why is it Golden Retrievers!In Episode #466 of Meanderings Juan and I discuss: childhood memories and how these interactions have shaped our views on dogs, how owning a dog can teach us about mortality and the finite nature of life, the social dynamics of ownership, comparison to other animals & random thoughts on suffering & mental health.Huge thanks to Petar for the support!Timeline:(00:00:00) Intro(00:00:48) The Importance of Dogs(00:02:03) Childhood Dog
The Psychology Of Investing | Becoming A Mercenary With Your Money
I'm all in baby!In Episode #465 of Mere Mortals Musings we delve into the psychology of investing, exploring the emotional and mindset aspects that influence investment decisions. A lot of focus on emotional control and mindset training, drawing parallels between fitness and investing. The importance of preparation and maintaining a neutral mindset is highlighted, as well as the dangers of getting swept up in market trends. We then shift to the broader question of why we invest, examining the mo
Monthly Goals | December 2024
It's time for our monthly check in where we review our goals from last month and see what's coming up for the next.Let's start off strong as we notice Kyrin's shirt is inside out, lol. Reflecting on our November goals, we did ok but noticed the busy period coming in strong. Juan discusses his fitness journey, focusing on strengthening his obliques and the benefits he's noticed in his handstand practice. He also shares his commitment to better sleep habits and reducing caffeine intake. I'm still
Is This The End Of V4V?! | Bitcoin, Boosts & The Future Of Podcasting 2.0
BTC is going up and Alby is going down (ish), whatever shall we do!In Episode #464 of Mere Mortals 'Meanderings' we dive into: definitions of V4V & P2.0, the psychology of investing and how listener support can change with rising Bitcoin prices, the role of video in podcasting and whether it's necessary (it's not!), recent changes with Alby (a Lightning wallet provider) and how we might optimise for listener contribution.Huge thanks to Cole McCormick & Chad F for supporting the show!Time
Focus Vs Attention | Maintaining Clarity Amongst The Distractions
If we have shorter attention spans, how can you sit through this very podcast?In Episode #463 of 'Musings', we dive deep into the concept of focus, exploring its nuances and how it differs from attention and concentration. There are some theoretical aspects of focus, including its relationship with consciousness and how it can be both a conscious and unconscious effort. We also touch on the practical side, examining how focus can be applied in daily life and whether it is a finite resource.No bo
Redefining Mental Health | Beyond The Buzzwords
Let's have a dive into the madness of the Mere Mortals minds!In Episode #462 of Musings, we delve into the topic of mental health, exploring its definitions, societal narratives, and personal experiences. Juan starts off with the significance of Movember, a global movement aimed at raising awareness for men's health issues, including mental health, suicide prevention, and cancer. Societal expectations and personal narratives can impact one's mental health which requires us moving beyond vague de
The Future Of Media | Predictions For The Next Decade
In Episode #461 of Mere Mortals Musings, we delve into the future of media, exploring predictions for the next 1 to 5 years and beyond. We kick off by defining what media encompasses, from traditional forms like TV and newspapers to modern digital platforms and social media. Our discussion is divided into two main parts: the type of content and the structure of media. We explore how technology drives the structure of media, with historical examples leading up to the current peak of podcasting 1.
Monthly Goals | November 2024
It's time for our monthly check in where we review our goals from last month and see what's coming up for the next.As an additional little bonus we talk about the importance of stacking goals, the idea that they're not just a one-off and actually linger long after we switch our focus to elsewhere. And no we are not doing any 'Nom Nom' challenges as Juan asks me.Much appreciation to everyone who boosted and streamed over this last month!Timeline:(00:00:00) Intro(00:00:59) Kyrin's October 2024 Rec
Pushing Limits: Peter's Path to Success Through Hard Work and Strategic Growth
In this episode, Peter shares his journey from a humble upbringing to becoming a successful entrepreneur, highlighting his commitment to growth, delayed gratification, and the power of acquisitions. He reflects on life lessons, finding motivation, and his approach to achieving balance between hard work and enjoyment.(00:00) - Introduction and No Alcohol Rule(00:31) - Who is Peter? Early Life Insights(01:51) - Peter’s Work Hard, Play Hard Philosophy(02:34) - Unique Wedding Celebration Highl
From Beans to Brew: Taaj’s Coffee Journey and Entrepreneurial Growth
In this episode, Taaj shares his journey from being raised by immigrant parents in Australia to building a thriving coffee business. He discusses the challenges of balancing a 9-to-5 job with entrepreneurial goals, the influence of Colombian culture on his coffee venture, and how he navigated unexpected opportunities in the market.(00:00) - Welcome & Background on Taaj(00:38) - Family Influence and Immigrant Upbringing(01:12) - Discovering Passion for Coffee(03:02) - Subconscious Lesso
Manifest Your Positivity | A Dive Into The World Of Feel Good
What does the world of vibration, energy & frequencies have to teach us?In episode #460 'Musings', we dive into the intriguing world of positive thinking and its various interpretations. We start by reflecting on my recent dive into figures such as Dyer Days, Nero Knowledge & Joe Dispenza. The discussion touches on the concept of a positive mindset, its benefits, and potential pitfalls. We explore how positive thinking can sometimes overlook reality, leading to unrealistic expectations.
I'm On A Boat Mother Fucker | But I'm Here To Learn
Juan toured 'The World' and has come back to educate us.The highlight of episode #459 of 'Musings' is the recounting of a unique experience aboard "The World," a private residential ship. Juan shares insights from a day spent with John Demartini, including the exclusive nature of the ship and the type of individuals who reside there. The conversation explores the concept of living on such a vessel, the networking opportunities it presents, and the lifestyle it offers to its residents. Maybe we c
From Wedding Bells To One-Arm Handstands | Our October 2024 Monthly Goals
Why do airport security hate authentic Canadian Maple Syrup?In this episode, we dive into our monthly goals for October, reflecting on what we achieved in September and setting the stage for the upcoming month. Juan discusses the challenges of planning a wedding, including the difficulty of booking belly dancing for entertainment, share personal achievements such as completing tax returns and maintaining fitness routines. Kyrin talks about his travels to Brazil and New Zealand, and the importanc
Balancing Fatherhood, Business, and Growth: A Journey with Nic Blair
In this episode, Nic Blair shares his experiences balancing fatherhood, entrepreneurship, and self-care. He discusses the challenges of maintaining quality time with family while scaling Midnight Health, the importance of goal-setting, and his approach to collecting and learning from various life pursuits. The episode also dives into the growth and challenges faced by Midnight Health, as well as Nic's views on success, motivation, and generational skills.(00:00) - Introduction to the Episo
Mastering the One-Arm Handstand And Kyrin's Other Annual Goals
It's time to change up my life.After a whirlwind journey through Brazil and New Zealand, I'm back in Brisbane and ready to dive into my annual goals. This #458 'Meanderings' episode marks a transition as we move towards more structured musings in the future. I share my eight core goals, focusing on areas like relationships, financial stability, health, spirituality, travel, character development, and knowledge/skills acquisition. My top priorities include finding a lifelong partner and mastering
Finding the Off Switch: Balancing Growth and Being Present | Mere Mortals Podcast
In this episode, Juan explores the concept of having an "off switch," the balance between constant self-improvement and finding moments to just be present. He discusses his passion for simulation racing as a way to disconnect from productivity and live more fully in the moment.(00:00) - Introduction and Effective Philosophy(00:18) - Setting the Scene: Go, Go, Go Mentality(01:06) - A Journey Toward Creating an Off Switch(02:15) - Struggle Between Growth and Fun(03:34) - Presence vs. Future
Embracing Change: Lessons in Growth and Balance | Mere Mortals Podcast
In this episode of the Mere Mortals podcast, I dive into the key philosophies and learnings from my personal experiences in August 2024. I explore the key lessons learned from August, including physical accomplishments, personal growth, and philosophical insights. From fitness challenges to balancing work and family, the episode delves into how embracing discomfort, practicing mindfulness, and prioritising family can lead to a well-lived life.(00:00) - Introduction to Mere Mortals Monthly(
Remembering All That Has Come Before | Change Is In The Air
How do you divide up the time periods of your life?In Episode #457 of 'Meanderings' Juan & I discuss: celebrating our 5th anniversary of the podcast, techniques for remembering the past, why daily note taking may not help, my story of hanging up stinky clothes in a hostel, Juan being too short at a Dream Theatre concert, why a positive mindset can alter your reality and our plans for the next few episodes.No support this week, very sad puppy :'(Timeline:(00:00:00) Intro(00:00:28) Why is toda
Nobody Tells You This About Brazil | Tim Ferriss & Adaptability
Observations from the South American continent.In Episode #456 of 'Meanderings' Juan & I discuss: four things you will never have heard about Brazil, why language barriers are tougher than cultural barriers, why conversational fluency isn't a high priority anymore, the return of Tim & his dating life, how Nikocado tricked everybody and podcast plans for the next few weeks.Huge thanks to Petar the Slav for the support. We really appreciate you!Timeline:(00:00:00) Intro(00:00:49) You've be
Training With Friends | Living An Unextraordinary Life
Could we artificially make our life harder to conquer laziness?In Episode #455 of 'Meanderings' Juan & I discuss: Petar's t-shirt, what I changed my mind about, Juan the popular guy, using activities to make friends, some questions from Kobo Abe's book, why being aimless can be good & bad and how nihilistic yapping can be solved in one simple sentence.Huge thanks to Dave Jones, Cole McCormick & Petar the Slav for the support. We really appreciate you!Timeline:(00:00:00) Intro(00:00:5
Monthly Goals | September 2024
It's time for our monthly check in where we review our goals from last month and see what's coming up for the next.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series,
Making The Most Of Chaos | The Dark Side Of Nice Canada
Kyrin down .... I've been shot!In Episode #454 of 'Meanderings' Juan & I discuss: my recent travels in North America, random meetings at VeeCon 2024, weird macaroons in Montreal, my new one liner story, why the trip was a huge success imho, a closing life stage and moving on to better things, the fauna of the Americas and what is to come in the future.Huge thanks to Dave Jones & Petar the Slav for the support. We really appreciate you!Timeline:(00:00:00) Intro(00:00:47) Travel destinatio
My Annual Goals: The Blueprint for a Stronger, Smarter, and Happier Year! | Mere Mortals Podcast
In this episode, I break down my annual goals for the year, sharing my approach to goal-setting and how i plan to improve in three key areas: body, mind and soul. I discuss my strategies for bulletproofing my body, mastering my sleep, embracing the long run and more. Join in as I outline these steps, and we hope you are having a wonderful day wherever you are in the world. Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUTwitter/X: https
V4V & BTC In Real Life | The Best & Worst Of The USA
Why is LA actually kind of .... meh?In Episode #453 of 'Meanderings' Juan & I discuss: meeting cool people in Nashville, experiencing Americana in Alabama, why Juan tortured his fiancée with exercise, yet another disastrous Kyrin dating story, why I need to find the after after parties and my disappointment with Venice Beach.Huge thanks to Petar the Slav, Dude & Cole McCormick for the support. We really appreciate you!Timeline:(00:00:00) Intro(00:00:50) The BTC/V4V Conference(00:03:02) V
Monthly Goals | August 2024
It's time for our monthly check in where we review our goals from last month and see what's coming up for the next.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series,
Revolutionizing Meat Alternatives: Michael Fox on Fable Food's Mushroom-Based Innovations
An insightful conversation with Michael Fox, CEO of Fable Food Company. We explore the journey and innovative approach of Fable Food in creating meat alternatives from mushrooms. Michael shares his personal motivations, including health and environmental concerns, that led him to start Fable. We discuss the challenges and successes in the market, consumer behavior, and the intricacies of scaling the business globally. The conversation also touches on the impact of family, personal lifestyl
Living Off The Grid With Animals | Spending More Time With Friends
I have now seen (and made friends with) capybaras, toucans and monkeys in Brazil!In Episode #452 of 'Meanderings' Juan & I discuss: the difference between zoo and wild animals, what would happen if war outbroke whilst we were living isolated, why I won't stay in Brazil long term, how Juan is improving his friendships, why wishing for a different friend group might not be helpful and plans for the future.No boosts this week, sad puppy time :'(Timeline:(00:00:00) Intro(00:00:56) Toucans &
Farewell Speech For Mum | Travel Plans & My Biggest Problem
Giving the speech I couldn't and my plans for the near future.In Episode #451.5 of 'Kyrin Solosode' I discuss: why I wasn't able to talk at my mum's memorial service, memories from our time together, the pain of passing does start to ease, random thoughts on drugs, all the people and places I am visiting the next month, realising that Australia is where I need to be searching and a hint at where I might be next year.Huge thanks to Petar, McIntosh, Oystein Berge & Cole McCormick for supportin
Mastering Life's Chaos: Calmness, Clarity And Continuous Improvement | Mere Mortals Podcast
In this episode of the Mere Mortals podcast, I dive into the key philosophies and learnings from my personal experiences in June 2024. From mastering the art of calmness during stressful times to embracing flexibility, effective communication, and the importance of quality family time, I share practical insights and actions to help you navigate life's challenges. Join me as I discuss the power of consistency in fitness, the benefits of mindfulness, and the drive for continuous improvement.
Juan's Wonderful Walk | Implementing Our Learnings
How far did Juan walk down the rabbit hole?In Episode #451 of 'Meanderings' Juan & I discuss: a walk that filled his head with ideas, getting back into yoga again, reflecting in a negative way, whether I should eat a meal before working out, remembering when we used to live together, why I think Juan will inevitably run an ultra-marathon and why it's good not to overthink training.Huge thanks to Petar & Cole McCormick for supporting the show. We really appreciate your contribution!Timeli
Monthly Goals | July 2024
It's time for our monthly check in where we review our goals from last month and see what's coming up for the next.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series,
Jeff Yew | The Intricacies of Australia's First Spot Bitcoin ETF
In this episode, we talk with Jeff Yew, CEO of Monochrome, about the journey to creating Australia's first true spot Bitcoin ETF. Jeff delves into the complexities of the Bitcoin market, the regulatory landscape, and the unique features of Monochrome's ETF that allow investors to directly hold and withdraw Bitcoin. We also discuss the broader implications of Bitcoin as an asset class and its potential for future generational wealth.(00:00:00) - Introduction(00:01:30) - Bitcoin and Motorsport Ana
Retreating From Technology | Handstanding For Days
Lessons from a week spent doing nothing but handstands and not using technologyIn Episode #450 of 'Meanderings' Juan & I discuss: the handstand retreat of Miguel Sant'ana, seeing toucans & capybaras, learning my weaknesses and strengths all over again, being free of the constant negative news, the huac tuah girl meme, taking time off to recuperate/rejuvenate and why Juan is actually a running Wolverine.Huge thanks to Petar, McIntosh, myself & Cole McCormick for supporting the show. W
Timeless Wisdom: Effective Philosophies From The Month Of May
Juan's learnings from May. Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastValue 4 Value Support:Boostagram: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/supportPaypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast
Bon Voyage For Real | Generative Or Degenerate AI?
Time to travel again but with a new perspective.In Episode #449 of 'Meanderings' Juan & I discuss: doing a handstand retreat with Lucas Branco & Miguel Sant'ana, why Juan and I are struggling to stick to our yearly goals, playing with dogs and babies, crazy people who run super long distances, the nitty gritty of trying out Venice.ai, why I think AI will have an impact and be useful, the importance of fundamental human values but also being pragmatic in how technology is implemented.Huge
Why Is Everyone Travelling To Japan? | Transitioning To A Dog Person
Juan's back from the land of the rising sun.In Episode #448 of 'Meanderings' Juan & I discuss: economic reasons for wanting to travel, Juan's impression after returning 5 years later, my recent thoughts on taking a break, focusing upon things that are easy and bring me joy, why living in a dog house is not as bad as it could be & the solitary appeal of cats.Huge thanks to Petar, Nick Malster & Cole McCormick for supporting the show. We really appreciate your contribution!Timeline:(00
Monthly Goals | June 2024
It's time for our monthly check in where we review our goals from last month and see what's coming up for the next.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series,
Flying On Airplanes With Babies | Life Without A Routine
It's time to have a goodbye party for Juan and family.In Episode #447 of 'Meanderings' Juan & I discuss: the bad karma coming Juan's way, secrets behind airline booking systems, the need for a holiday, what it's been like living without a solid routine, why I threw my brother's shoe on the roof, finding secret spiderman underwear and what I should hide in my parents old home.Huge thanks to Petar & McIntosh for supporting the show. We really appreciate your contribution!Timeline:(00:00:00
Thoughts On Life | Back In Australia
Ask those questions you always wanted to know and tell your loved ones that you love them.In Episode #446 of 'Meanderings' Juan & I discuss: getting to say goodbye to my mother, the terrible experience of flying into Australia, why it's hard to really know a person, improvements we are thinking of making for the podcast, why I'm tempted to go all in on handstands, Juan's new hobby of racing sims and my experiment of treating my home town like a new place.No boostagram this week, very sad pup
Life Is Short So Try To Enjoy It | Avoid Things That Make You Uncomfortable
Unfortunately I'm coming back home early.In Episode #445 of 'Meanderings' Juan & I discuss: why time is flying so fast, how I have somehow managed to avoid Dengue, Juan complaining about a sandpit and hurting his foot (again), deciding when/if to get out of your comfort zone, finally achieving a stalder press and how Juan has big arms but hates arm day.Huge thanks to Broadreach Music & Cole McCormick for supporting the show. We really appreciate your contribution!Timeline:(00:00:00) Intr
Instant Connections In Bitcoin & Dating | Brazilian Food & Weddings
How can you connect with people rapidly if you are in a new town?In Episode #444 of 'Meanderings' Juan & I discuss: the classic rice/beans/meat combo you'll find in Latin America, why Brazilians love to merge lanes, why being friendly is more important than logistical planning, reenacting Wedding Crashers, belatedly celebrating the Bitcoin halving, yelling at footballers on a TV screen and why you need decent underwear to avoid testicular torsion.Huge thanks to Talking Bull podcast, Petar an
Monthly Goals | May 2024
It's time for our monthly check in where we review our goals from last month and see what's coming up for the next.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series,
ANDREW TAYLOR | Unveiling Superpowers: A Candid Journey with Andrew Taylor
Join us as Andrew Taylor, the owner of Live Co., opens up about his entrepreneurial journey, revealing personal insights and professional strategies that have shaped his success. In this engaging conversation, Andrew discusses overcoming personal challenges, redefining success, and the strategic moves behind his ambitious brand. He shares profound lessons on personal branding, the importance of authenticity, and the future aspirations for his streetwear empire. Tune in to discover how turn
Brazilian Churrasco & Yapping Influencers | Experimenting With Routine Reveals Hidden Truths
We might be delusional but at least we're not influencer level delusional.In Episode #443 of 'Meanderings' Juan & I discuss: an update to our live recordings, eating delicious meat at a Brazilian churrasco, Juan's mirth at ridiculous influencers, why Coffeezilla is like Cato the Younger, why Juan was late for work and what I found shocking about Courtney Dauwaulter on Joe Rogan.Huge thanks to Petar the Slav for supporting the show. We really appreciate your contribution!Timeline:(0:00) - Int
One Week In Brazil | Observations From A Gringo
The king of the gringos has arrived in Brazil and has some thoughts.In Episode #442 of 'Meanderings', Juan & I discuss: why you can't catch up on sleep, skipping 3 months worth of stressful non-communication, girls picking me up with their dogs, why prices are uniform across Australia, the dystopian Judge Dredd apartments of São Paulo, the kind (albeit bald) people I've encountered and why I'm attracted to disabled people.Huge thanks to McIntosh and Oscar Merry for supporting the show. We re
Kyrin's Farewell Party | Our First Episode With Friends
Please bare with the chaos, bumps and average audio as we say farewell to Kyrin.In Episode #441 of 'Meanderings', Juan/Brodie/Steven/Mansheel & I discuss: some of our favourite travel stories, the joys of collecting and trading items, hidden gems from our past that our friends never knew plus some deep questions about life, relationships and mental health.Didn't get the chance to read boostagrams this week. We will do some makegood's for the next.Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(1:17) - Brodie: Troll
BRODIE CASA | Working On Your Identity, App Development To Construction & Passion In Helping Others
Brodie CasaA great chat with Brodie, where he helps to share a deep insight into his identity, who he is and how life has brought him to where he is now. Alongside this, we also touch on briefly the use of TRT and the differences between this and the concept of steroids.Have a fantastic day wherever you are in the worldChapters:00:00 Feeling the Need for Success05:03 Discovering Ambition and Drive07:31 The App Startup and Feeling of Worthlessness10:52 Quarter-Life Crisis and Pressure from Father
Live On Air | The New Direction Of The Mere Mortals
There are some changes happening to how we operate.In Episode #440 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: why I want to spend more time focusing on live podcasts, why Juan wants to spend more time on high quality video, turning the Mere Mortals into a suite of shows, what will change when I head to Brazil and using social media as it is meant to be used.Huge thanks to Cole McCormick & Balderdash Boys for the boostagrams. Your support means the world to us!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:39) - Kyrin's
Monthly Goals | April 2024
It's time for our monthly check in where we review our goals from last month and see what's coming up for the next.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value fr
What Do You Need To Do A Podcast? | Hardware & Software Tools
We're going over everything we have used to create our podcasts and deciding what to keep or not.In Episode #439 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: the couple of essential pieces you will need to produce an audio podcast, the extra thrills that are helpful for video production, why it is useful to play around with new tools periodically, staying lean/mean vs really high production value & our decisions to stop using some and start using others. Huge thanks to Sir TJ The Wrath
ANTHONY NOUD | What Goes On Between Our Ears?
Anthony NoudIncredibly engaging conversation with Anthony where we discussed what goes on between our ears, past experiences, the positives of asking the right questions, magic moments and more.Have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world & don't forget to boost!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(3:04) - What goes on between our ears(6:42) - Our thoughts(10:42) - Day 1 post addiction(14:50) - Finding the peer group(20:40) - Why meditation?(22:40) - State of mind(26:40) - Beyond shifting expe
Where's Your Consistency?! | Repeating Actions Over & Over Again
Where's the line between being consistent & being crazy?In Episode #438 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: why we are fitness obsessed but not health nuts, the analogy of Duolingo's streak freezes to faux consistency, why it's the action/effort/intensity that matters and not the timing, why being consistent isn't good in and of itself and our ridiculously expensive shirts. Huge thanks to Cole McCormick for the boostagram. Your support means the world to us!Time
JASON | Leaving Corporate USA To Panama, V4V Is Fun & The Podcast Guru App
Jason is the main developer of the Podcast Guru app and cofounder of Really Bad Apps.In Conversation #104, Jason and I discuss: why he moved to Panama with his family, the soul sucking nature of big corporations, why he loves spending time coding Podcast Guru, how he first found out about the v4v model, the frustrations of advertising and how IPFS/music/video is in the future for his app. Jason is in as a 30% split for this episode so don't forget to boost!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro to Jason(0:30)
Where Does Morality Come From? | Reaching Consensus & Passing Them On
Are morals just statements or do they have a deeper meaning behind them?In Episode #437 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: why ethics/philosophy is kind of lousy for understanding about morality, whether Spartans would approve of my stance on non-violence, Juan's dislike of them because they aren't actionable, the ambiguity of Aesop's fables and a list of books that helped me to understand this topic. Huge thanks to McIntosh for the boostagrams. Your support means the w
Are You Preparing Adequately | Following The 7P's
Are you prepared for this spontaneously prepared podcast?!In Episode #436 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: the British army mantra of alliteration, saying the thing I thought I would never say, epic feedback I received for the book reviews, the difference between meal prep/daydreaming/focused work, why you will never be prepared for a baby and how Juan ramps up quickly.Huge thanks to Dave Jones, Cardboard Giraffe & Cole McCormick for the boostagrams. Your support means the world
Monthly Goals | March 2024
It's time for our monthly check in where we review our goals from last month and see what's coming up for the next.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value fr
The Madness Behind The Mind | Why Do We Get Fixated On Certain Things?
For real, where do all these random obsessions come from?In Episode #435 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: why Juan struggles to wake up at 4am sometimes, battling with your own bad tendencies, the fixation on fitness, irrationality as the main indicator of obsession, crazy hope within 'Death Of A Salesman', Juan's maxims for life and why I'm going to replace my hands with cinder blocks.Huge thanks to Dave Jones, Balderdash Boys & McIntosh for the boostagrams.
How To (NOT) Lose Your Money In 3 Easy Steps!!! | Mindset & Best Practices To Securing Your Finances
What are the 3 main ways that people lose their money and assets?In Episode #434 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: how trust/human error/scams all interlink, why you should take your security seriously regardless of your wealth, the difference between theoretical and practical security, Lil Uzi Vert and his forehead diamond, why you should listen to Andreas Antonopoulos and why I won't wear a suit in Brazil. Huge thanks to Dave Jones & Cole McCormick for the boostagrams. You
TREVOR BELL | Becoming Satan's Lawyer, Why V4V Is More Than BTC & Giving Advice To Podcasters
Trevor Bell is a former lawyer and host of 'The Iron Fist and the Velvet Glove' podcast. In Conversation #103, Trevor and I discuss: why he did pro-bono work for the Noosa Temple of Satan, our experiences travelling Mexico in different eras, why he's a big fan of V4V/listener support, the nuances of the value 4 value philosophy, the different monetisation models that podcasters can adopt and why he's not a fan of Bitcoin. Trevor has generously asked for his 30% split to go to
Conversations That Just Go Nowhere | What Makes Communication Genuine?
Ever talked with someone and you feel like you're just spinning wheels?In Episode #433 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: the definition of pseudo and interactive communication, why it matters to have etiquette whilst conversing, Tim F/Sam Harris/Joe Rogan, passion and hearing the things that people don't say, what it was like to talk to a lawyer (Trevor Bell), work arguments that are a distortion of reality and my sliding scale of sham. Huge thanks to Dave Jones, Joe Martin
EMIL JURESIC | Founder, CEO, Property Developer and Endurance
Emil Juresic. BOOM. Probably the best word to describe the man. Join on me on today's conversation with Emil, where I do my best to hang on to the topics, the energy and enthusiasm. We covered real estate, endurance, mental fortitude and make sure you check out one unconventional thought from Emil.Have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world & don't forget to boost!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:52) - Performing like an athlete(3:00) - Hacienda, $20M home(5:50) - Bulletproof mind(
Longevity Schmongevity | Or Is There Actually Something To It?
I think trying to live longer is mostly BS, Juan might disagree with me though.In Episode #432 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: our starting positions and biases, the intense people who make up the longevity movement, some of the outlandish claims that are made, the double PayPal craziness, what they get right about living longer, why sleep/eating well/exercise is kind of neglected and my predictions for the future. Huge thanks to McIntosh, Cole McCormick & Brian D Oleary for th
Monthly Goals | February 2024
It's time for our monthly check in where we review our goals from last month and see what's coming up for the next.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value fr
NICK MALSTER | The Advertising Industry, Creating Viral V4V Clips & The Future Of Fountain
Nick Malster is the cofounder of Fountain Podcasts and former brand manager in the advertising industry.In Conversation #101, Nick and I discuss: his passions of music/skiing, why he has decided to stop drinking, how v4v compares to advertising models, why Fountain is focused upon podcast clipping, future features you'll find within his podcasting app and how 'value 4 value' is starting to become more mainstream. Have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world & don't
Protecting Yourself Online | Passwords, Privacy & Data Breaches
What should we be doing to maintain a healthy digital hygiene? In Episode #431 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: why this topic felt like work to Juan, how companies think about cyber security, the Stuxnet virus plus a Dutchman receiving American military emails, Butters the abused dog, our argument over what consists an 'attack', the coming era of more awareness of private data and why the social considerations are more important than the technical. Huge thanks to Amorphou
TOFE EVANS | Fatherhood, Running, Ambition & Life
Tofe Evans is a father, a runner and a friend.In Conversation #100, Tofe and I discuss: Fatherhood, the meaning of ambition when it compares to previous efforts, running, mentality in fitness and in life, regret and shame..Have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world & don't forget to boost!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(1:12) - Running and changes(3:40) - Conversations in relationships(6:35) - Guilt and Selfish goals(9:45) - Regret Management(16:50) - Ambition(24:10) - Connection and co
Figuring Out Relationships | What Makes A Great Lover/Friend/Parent/Child?
Is there anything we can do to be better to our loved ones?In Episode #430 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: why you want to make/reflect on good times, our reluctance to interfere in other people's lives, the 9gag meme that had me chuckling, Juan bring tequila snacks to celebrate, my questionable dog-sitting abilities and why our selfishness has ruined relationships. Huge thanks to Brian D. Leary, Petar T. Slav, Cole McCormick & Allen C. Paul for the boostagrams. Your supp
The Podcast Industry | Observations From The Inside
I've spent a lot of time in the depths of what's going on, so it's time to tell you what I've learnt.In Episode #429 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: the evolution of podcasting across it's 20 year history, the good/bad parts of what happens on the inside, why advertising screws everything up, why you'll never be able to make ridiculous money from podcasting and a whole bunch of predictions for how the industry will change in 2024. No boostagrams this w
COLE MCCORMICK | Digital Media In LA, Using AI In V4V Cinema & Magic Mushroom Fun Time
Cole McCormick is a filmmaker, podcaster, voice actor and host of the 'AMERICAPLUS' podcast.In Conversation #99, Cole and I discuss: his energetic creativity as a child, what the Hollywood world is actually like, how the Value 4 Value model has inspired his podcasts/films, combining AI with live action and v4v music to create his short film 'Magic Mushroom Fun Time' & why our mutual passion connected us.Have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world & don't f
Glory & Triumph Beckons | Do You Have The Ambition To Take It?
Are we going to take over the world :oIn Episode #428 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: the desire to pursue something, what Juan wants to do with the podcast, why I appear to be rather unambitious, links to conscientiousness and neuroticism, whether you can artificially create ambition and if it is necessary for a good life. Huge thanks to Queenmother and Allen C Paul. Your contributions are vital to the show!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:46) - Defining 'Ambition'(2:42) - Rela
Monthly Goals | January 2024
It's time for our monthly check in where we review our goals from last month and see what's coming up for the next.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value fr
12 Weeks to Powerlifting Success: My Journey, Techniques, and Equipment Explained!
Join me in my latest adventure on 'The Mere Mortals in Motion' series! In this video, I embark on a 12-week powerlifting journey, diving deep into the strategies, equipment, and science behind successful powerlifting. From baseline assessments to progressive overload, I discuss my personal plan and goals, including a 10% improvement in my lifts. Whether you're a seasoned lifter or just starting, this video offers insights into effective powerlifting training. Watch as I share my e
TJ DOERFEL | V4V Reigniting Passion, Music Industry Problems & Performing In A Family Band
TJ Doerfel (also known as Sir TJ The Wrathful) is a musician in the band 'The Doerfels' and host of the 'Into The Doerfel-Verse' podcast. In Conversation #98, TJ and I discuss: life on the road with 10 siblings, his experience of grinding away in the music industry, how he came across 'value 4 value music', why he started a podcast to interact with fans and the joys of rediscovering a passion. Have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world & don't forge
My Mooscles Are Getting Bigger | Altering Your Body Composition
How have our bodies changed after 10+ years of training?In Episode #427 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: why the stats say I'm top heavy and unbalanced, the data that I capture to measure my progress, Juan's reasons for focusing on health instead of size, how different sports can change your body composition and why it's unlikely you'll care how you look after training for a while. Huge thanks to Petar, Sir TJ The Wrathful and Cole McCormick. Your contributions a
Updates On Our Upgrades | It's About Time To Collaborate & Grow
Get the latest goss on what is coming for the new year and why it's about to get crazy.In Episode #426 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: discuss the strategy and philosophy behind the podcast, Mere Mortals, the importance of sustainability and consistency in podcasting, providing valuable content to listeners, why I want to focus more on live audio & less on video, Juan's desire for high quality production and a potential new show idea?!No support this week. Very sad pu
Buying A New Home | What To Consider & Look Out For
What has Juan learnt from buying a property for his young family?In Episode #425 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: all the factors that go into buying a property, my prioritisation of social and financial freedom, whether there is a housing bubble here at the moment and if the metaverse/digital world will have any effect of future house prices. Massive thanks to Dave Jones & Petar The Slav for the support. These two have been rock solid since almost day dot!Timeline:(0:00) - Int
All Moments Must End | Choosing Between Self and Shared Memories
A continuation from the last 'Musings' but with the focus now on the group instead of the individual.In Episode #424 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: whether I'm being selfish by choosing to create memories just for me, why axe throwing places aren't fond of photos, 'The Inevitable' and 'The Three-Body Problem' books, why September 11/GFC/Covid were world wide events and our lousy predictions of the next big thing. Massive thanks to Dave Jones
Monthly Goals | December 2023
It's time for our monthly check in where we review our goals from last month and see what's coming up for the next.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value fr
12 Weeks of Running Transformation - My Journey and Lessons | Mere Mortals in Motion
I wrap up my 12-week running journey, sharing how I transitioned from an engineer's mindset to embracing the challenges of endurance running. Starting with a detailed plan, I navigated through various obstacles like illness, injury, and adjusting to life changes while aiming to increase my weekly running distance. Over the course of these 12 weeks, I clocked 192.28 kilometers across 52 runs, learning to appreciate running beyond just the numbers. This experience taught me about adaptability
Any Moment Could Be The Last | What Should I Do About It?
Juan and I are experiencing firsts & lasts with our loved ones, moments that may or may not be lost in time.In Episode #423 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: the connection between moments and memories, why the last time of something can also be the first of something else, our tricks for enjoying the good/bad moments of life, what Juan did after slipping on his driveway and how life journaling could alter our perception of reality. Massive thanks to Dave Jones & Cole McCormi
Final Week Insight, Week 12 | Mere Mortals in Motion
As I conclude the 12th and final week of my running phase, I reflect on the journey I've embarked on. My aim was simple: to spend more time running, increasing my minutes and kilometers on the road. Though the journey had its ups and downs, especially with injuries and life's unpredictabilities, I managed to clock in 5.49 kilometers this week. I didn't stick to my original plan, but I adapted to what life threw at me, incorporating other forms of exercise like biking and walking.
My Life As An Aussie | Get To Know Kyrin
Juan's away so Kyrin comes out to play, let's get to know me a bit better!In Episode #422 of 'Musings', I discuss: what it was like growing up in Brisbane, why I have tremendous sympathy for teenagers, our fixation with owning a house, my period of experimentation & learning about myself, why I feel like I'm just waiting around at the moment and how I intend to fix that. Massive thanks to Petar and Starky for the support. A bit slow at the moment but things will pick
Balancing Running with Life's Realities, Week 11 | Mere Mortals in Motion
Week 11 of my 12-week running phase brought its fair share of challenges. As I reflect on the journey, it's clear the initial goal of increasing time on my feet has been complicated by the realities of life, including an injury that forced me to reconsider my approach. I shifted my focus from hitting a specific kilometer count to a more holistic view of movement, including biking and walking, to maintain my fitness while recovering. This week taught me the importance of listening to my body
What Do People Really Desire? | Encouraging Behaviour That You Want In Others
We want to do more than thank our supporters, but how do we do that?In Episode #421 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: economic and behavioural incentives, why I think most of macro economics is bullshit, accidently encouraging the wrong behaviour, why we want Mere Mortalites to feel good and about listening/contributing back and spitballing ideas on how we can make this happen. Massive thanks to Petar, McIntosh, Amorphous Continuum, Oscar Merry, Liam F & Sarah Jade. We're co
Overcoming Injuries & Adjustments, Week 10 | Mere Mortals in Motion
In the 10th week of my 12-week running phase, I delve into my evolving objectives and how I've had to pivot along the way. I faced several challenges this week, from veering off my initial plan to managing an unexpected injury. Despite these setbacks, I clocked 18.94 kilometers and took the time to analyze the reasons behind it. I talk about specific runs and the strategies I used to avoid exacerbating my injuries. As always, I'm eager to hear your feedback and appreciate all the suppo
What Comes Next? | Facing Obstacles Life Throws Our Way
It's been a rough couple of months so how are we dealing with the challenges in our lives?In Episode #420 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: why you need to approach life like an ibex, Juan's main problem of trying to get off the hamster wheel, Ryan Holiday's theory of choice, why you are paradoxically not special at all but also super special and what we do to prepare ourselves for hard times. Massive thanks to Dave Jones, Shutosha, Balderdash Boys, BTCessex, Oysteinb
Monthly Goals | November 2023
It's time for our monthly check in where we review our goals from last month and see what's coming up for the next.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value fr
Bad News & Good News | An Update From Kyrin
Just a short update episode here detailing why we'll be going back to just one episode a week for the foreseeable future. And a reminder to spend time with your loved ones. All the best, Kyrin out.Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:49) - Bad news(2:02) - Schedule changes(3:42) - Good news(6:53) - My final reminderFirst to use this link can claim 2000 sats:https://lightsats.com/tips/clo6iyhiq057qqx7uenoc799i/claimValue 4 Value Support:Boostagram: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/supportPaypal: http
Shifting Plans & Overcoming Challenges, Week 9 | Mere Mortals in Motion
In week nine of my 12-week running phase, I reflect on how my planned runs sometimes deviate from the original plan. Instead of hitting those lofty 38 to 40km weeks, I'm at a more realistic 23km week. Treadmills have become a great ally in my journey, especially when outdoor runs aren't feasible. As I navigate this phase, I recognize the importance of being flexible with the plan, especially given life's unpredictable nature. I also share some insights into my shoe choices and inv
Does It Really Matter If You Cheat A Little? | Staying True To Your Word & Principles
No-one will ever know so it should be ok ..... right?In Episode #419 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: how integrity is different from goal setting, why those hidden actions beneath the surface matter (sometimes lol), the reason you can only have integrity in specific domains and the way it presents itself in specific actions in our lives. Massive thanks to Beglitched, Joe Martin Music, Juan Sebastian, Dave Jones, Sir Wes, Tumbleweed, Kieran Nolan, McIntosh, Bug Eyed Stormtrooper, An
ALEXANDER WATANABE | Interactive Art, Blockchain Archivality & Leaving The Cardano Bubble
What if you could interact with art through a completely new medium?In Conversation #97, Alex and I discuss: why going to the gym is like levelling up in a game, how he plans to create onchain code using Ethereum that will be durable, how art can be manipulated & destroyed, the folly of arguing on the internet and why he's fallen out of love with Cardano. Have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world & don't forget to boost!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:18) - Alex wants to get
Running Phase Challenges & Insights, Week 8 | Mere Mortals in Motion
In this recap of week 8 of my 12-week running phase, I delve into the highs and lows of the journey so far. From the exhilaration of running with friends outdoors to the routine of treadmill runs, I explore the multifaceted world of running. Balancing 20 kilometers in a week with other physical activities proved to be a unique challenge, prompting reflections on how to align my diverse fitness goals. Join me as I navigate through this intricate tapestry of fitness, growth, and personal insights,
The Pro & Cons Of Alcohol | Does It Make Our Life Better?
What's your relationship to alcohol?In Episode #418 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: the energy that comes out after dark, Juan's party past, Australian drinking culture, the reaction to the Podfather conversation, why alcohol is similar to sugar or junk food, the useless definition of a drug (everything is lol) and how we intend to drink in the future. Massive thanks to Dave Jones, Sir TJ The Wrathful, The Tone Wrecker, Gene Everett, Cole McCormick, Adam Curry, Petar, Osc
ADAM CURRY | Beyond Podcasting 2.0, Disruptive V4V Music & The 'Value 4 Value' Ethos
Adam is back and he's here to revolutionise the music industry through v4v!In Conversation #96, Adam and I discuss: how RSS is allowing for an entirely new genre of communication by merging video/audio/text/pictures, the music industry is desperately looking for a solution, learnings from the No Agenda community and why value splits are so powerful. Have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world & don't forget to boost!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:48) - Podcasting 2.0 moving beyon
Up, Downs and changes, Week 7 | Mere Mortals in Motion
In week seven of our 12-week running phase, we shake things up! Dive into how this week's running shifted from the plan, the challenges faced, and the surprising joys of pairing runs with other enjoyable activities. Join me, Juan, as I reflect on hitting 21 kilometers, the value of Metcon workouts in my running journey, and the importance of keeping the journey enjoyable.0:00 - Intro0:50 - Overall Running Phase Goal1:59 - Running Detail4:47 - LearningsFollow the details over on the website
How Did The Mere Mortals Meet? | Some Fun Stories From Our Childhood
A super casual retelling of some of our favourite moments together.In Episode #417 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: my assertiveness to usurp Juan's best friend position, discipline and other qualities that keep us together, the creative destruction that was young Juan, backflipping in Mexico and why you now get to partake directly in our friendship from home.Massive thanks to Dave Jones and Petar for the support! Helps us to keep this friendship going on into the future.Timeli
The Toils Of Learning Another Language | Are You Confident Pulling The Lever?
What's the point of mastering another language if it doesn't even make me confident!?In Episode #416 of 'Meanderings', Juan & I discuss: why putting an ice cube in your bath water doesn't do much, Juan's love of cars and Formula 1, why my confidence is always kind of low, what we excel/suck at for language things and why it probably doesn't matter that we keep switching up our schedule.Hope you're having a fantastic day wherever you are in the world!Ti
Interval, Speed & Long Runs, Week 6 | Mere Mortals in Motion
Dive into Week 6 of my 12-Week Running Phase journey! This week presented its own unique challenges, but also brought moments of triumph and revelations. From mastering slow runs to engaging in exhilarating speed workouts and even conquering long runs, I delve deep into my experiences, insights, and the power of group motivation. Whether you're a seasoned runner or a newbie looking for some motivation, join me in exploring the mental and physical facets of this transformative phase. Remembe
What Did We Achieve Last Year | How To Measure If You're Getting Better
Time for a deep dive examination, did we do what we say we will ..... or are we just talk?In Episode #415 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: how to evaluate if you've made progress, why sometimes it is better to leave things unclear, Juan's ultra disciplined goal setting vs my effort based approach and why I don't need motivation on my journey to achieve the one-arm handstand (it's already set in stone). Massive thanks to Dave Jones, McIntosh and Petar for the supp
EMILEE CLARK | New Chapters, Fitness, Apparel, IBS, PCOS & ENDO
Emilee is the owner of New Chapter, The Label and in conversation #95 I got to enquire into the building of the company, fitness, mental health and overall health.Timeline:(0:00) - Warm Up(0:25) - Emilee's own description(2:50) - Early Fitness(4:33) - Just how good was gym for mental health(8:05) - Finding the right modality(10:50) - Supporting others(16:50) - Being Alone vs Social separation(20:25) - Letting go of friendships(26:40) - New Chapter, The Label(31:40) - Getting started(36:30)
Bouncing Back from Sickness and Pace Realizations, Week 5 | Mere Mortals in Motion #6
After a challenging week four, Juan dives into his week 5 running phase, detailing how he managed post-sickness and his journey back to regular training. He shares unexpected insights about his pace and discusses the importance of listening to one's body. Juan also touches upon the mental aspect of running, the challenges of juggling life responsibilities with training, and some weight training details. Join as he navigates his way through the ups and downs of his 12-week running phase.0:00
Reading Behaviours & Techniques | How To Get The Most Out Of Your Perusing
And we're not just talking about books here, all text based communication is up for analysis.In Episode #414 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: Juan's challenge to control his compulsive behaviour, why I don't try and predict the end of a story, the freedom of zero expectations, our purpose for reading and whether technology will change the medium of consumption for books. Massive thanks to Dave Jones, McIntosh and Amy The Great for the support! Always awesome to see a
Monthly Goals | October 2023
You taste that ....... it tastes like it's goal time.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do diff
When Life Interrupts Your Running Plan, Week 4 | Mere Mortals in Motion #5
In week four of our 12-week running phase, life threw a curveball with illness sweeping through the family. Explore how Juan managed only 2.5km amidst a planned 29.5km, his reflections on fitness priorities, and the importance of understanding when to take a step back. Learn from his insights, and share your experiences in the comments below. For added support, consider sending a boostagram via Fountain and other podcasting platforms. #MereMortals #Running #LifeInterrupts0:00 - Intro1:06 - Daily
Kyrin's Annual Goals For This Year | What Really Matters To Me
It's time for me to plan ahead and let you know what I'm going to focus on for the next year.In Episode #413 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: how 26 year old Kyrin framed the next 10 years of his life, the 8 principal themes I follow on a year by year basis, why my planned round the world trip actually doesn't feature into my thinking much and why I think improving my communication is going to be the hardest thing to do. Massive thanks to Petar & MCKR for the supp
PETE SMISSEN | Hobby Collections, Learning Portuguese & Pronunciation Importance
It's a language focused episode .... but with side orderings of randomness as well.In Conversation #94, Pete and I discuss: our ever increasing range of hobbies, nerding out on language learning, Nigel Richards and his ridiculous memory abilities, why I might be able to pick up Portuguese relatively easy and the type of people who are able to master accents and pronunciation. As always, I hope you enjoy. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:45) - Melbourne vs Sydney traffic(4:56) - Kids &
Unexpected Detours in Week 3: Embracing Life & Running | Mere Mortals in Motion #4
Embark on week three of the Mere Mortals in Motion's 12-week running phase with Juan. Life takes unexpected turns, and sometimes it means adjusting our training plans. Dive deep into the details of week three, witnessing the challenges and joys of prioritizing life moments over the running track. Whether it's being part of a groom's party or traveling interstate, it's all part of the journey. Watch as I share workout details, stride insights, and the importance of staying ada
Thoughts On The Finiteness Of Life | The Effect Mortality Has Upon Us
Bit of a heavy episode with some info on our personal circumstances.In Episode #412 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: my mum's Alzheimer's diagnosis 7 years ago, ponderings on what type of people we'll be at the end of our lives, whether it is worth trying to prepare now for possible eventualities, an economics term that could be applied more broadly and mental exercises/resources that people could find useful.Massive thanks to Dave Jones, The Tone Wrecker, Cole McCorm
Is Technology Turning Us Into NPC's? | New Gym Tools & Language Skills
Are non-playable characters the ultimate evolution of humanity?In Episode #411 of 'Meanderings', Juan & I discuss: some random skills and tools we've picked up recently, more thoughts on polyglots and how to maintain a 2nd language, the weird world of glizzies and technology allowing or making us do things, why Juan wants to be as big as the universe but I'm content with just being the size of an ant. Thanks to everyone who's joined us for 4 years, no plans to stop a
Week 2 Run Down: Mind Over Distance & Sneaker Secrets | Mere Mortals in Motion #3
Join me as I delve into Week 2 of my running journey with "Mere Mortals in Motion." From overcoming mental barriers to untying the mysteries of numb toes, I'm learning the art of adjusting on the go. While family commitments and unexpected challenges arise, pushing through with an adjusted 6km run on Sunday proves that progress is a journey, not a sprint. Dive in as I share insights, hurdles, and the sneaky secrets of shoelaces. Every kilometer counts, and this week we clocked in
Romance Is In The Air | Thoughts On Finding The Right Partner
Should we become a podcast all about love and dating?!In Episode #410 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: a brief glimpse of our personal relationships, what the advent of social technology has done for searching for a significant other, all the crazy new terminology the kids are coming up with and whether it is more difficult now compared to post WW1/2 or during the industrial revolution. Massive thanks to Dave Jones, Ainsley Costello, Petar the Slav, The Podfather, Cole McCormick and
Week 1 Running Phase: How I Adapted My Training Approach | Mere Mortals in Motion #3
In the third episode of "Mere Mortals in Motion," we delve deep into Week 1 of my running phase. As ambitions met reality, adjustments were essential. From the initial challenges with my knee and overestimating my running volume to the intricate balance of strength training and running, discover how I recalibrated my approach. With a day-by-day breakdown, uncover the strategies employed, the mental hurdles faced during continuous running versus singular intense lifting sessions, and th
A Disruptive Revolution Is Happening | The Basics Of V4V Music
Why am I making a bet that Spotify will be bankrupt within 8 years time?In Episode #409 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: the recent breakout of 'Value 4 Value Music', how little musicians earn compared to podcasters, trends of music consumption on streaming apps, whether people care about connecting with artists and all the technical and social problems that need to be overcome.Massive thanks to Petar, Emcot & McIntosh for the support! Legends!My how to video for liste
Monthly Goals | September 2023
You taste that ....... it tastes like it's goal time.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do diff
Understanding Bitcoin | What We've Learned Over The Past 3 Years
It's been a long journey but we're finally starting to make some sense of it all.In Episode #408 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: why the initial entry point for most westerners will be through investing, why we still continue to find BTC fascinating, suggested recommendations to actually learn about it, why it takes such a long time to fully comprehend and why you should only look at it if you've got a long time horizon.Massive thanks to Dave Jones, Cole McCormick &a
From Zero to Marathon: Embracing the Running Challenge | Mere Mortals in Motion #2
In this episode of "Mere Mortals in Motion", we delve deep into the first phase of our training journey: running. While it might be a challenging domain for many, including myself, running offers not only physical endurance but also a mental test. Learn about why I've chosen running, how I plan to progress towards a potential marathon over a 12-week period, and the scientific rationale behind this periodized training approach. Whether you're an aspiring marathoner or just loo
Experimenting With New Formats | Our Thoughts On Making Digital Content
We're testing out a new shorter format to publish every now and then, let's see how it goes!In Episode #407 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: my latest how-to episode of the 'Value 4 Value' podcast, what metrics we care about when we create, our proposals to improve the book review channel, how long it will take v4v to be mainstream and why we will largely keep doing what we're doing. Massive thanks to Dave Jones & Petar for the support! Really does warm
From Novice to Knowledge: Foundations
In "Mere Mortals in Motion", a podcast extension of the main Mere Mortals content, I chart my 15-year fitness journey, from a novice swimmer at 16 to my consistent decade-long workout commitment in my 30s. This series will share bite-sized episodes on specific training phases, using my own experiences in bodybuilding, powerlifting, crossfit, and more, culminating in in-depth conversations on daily trainings and learnings. While primarily a tool for my self-improvement, I hope my insigh
What's He Aiming For This Time? | Juan's Goals For 2024
Now that he's a dad he'll be starting to chill out a bit right? Right?!In Episode #406 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: how he went in his goals from last year, why he has set himself a lot less for this year, his ambition to become an eminent human being (level 5) in his 3 main categories, the importance of keeping them tight/loose at the same time and how our past selves were surprisingly on the ball of what our current selves desire.Massive thanks to Dave Jones & Ch
MIKAEL KRISTIANSEN | Circus Performing, Injury Management & One Arm Handstand Training
Mikael Kristiansen is a handbalancing circus artist and a handstand coach with the Handstand Factory.In Conversation #93, Mikael and I discuss: the highs/lows of performing at a high level, why he is basically a robot in pain, the type of mindset needed to achieve the one arm handstand (OAHS), some anthropological observations from the circus and what he plans to do as he gradually transitions to another phase of his life.As always, I hope you enjoy. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro to Mikael(0
Are You Feeling Stressed? | Tips To Avoid Burning Out
When life and work get put us under pressure this is how we release the tension.In Episode #405 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: people who chase after success and get burnt out, why I do everything I can to be as chill as possible, getting screwed around in work situations, ways that we reduce stress, a couple of fun hypotheticals and why we'll probably never see eye to eye on this subject.Massive thanks to Dave Jones, Petar, Cole McCormick & an unnamed Mere Mortalite for
Monthly Goals | August 2023
You taste that ....... it tastes like it's goal time.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do diff
So You Want To Be A Polyglot? | The Difficulties Of Learning Languages
For real there are so many downsides, why do we keep doing this to ourselves haha?In Episode #404 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: my experiences going to many language meetups over the years, Juan's absurd goal over the next 10 years, the limitations you generally encounter whilst language learning, why it's a hard undertaking and takes so long, plus a sneak peek at what's to come in the next episode.Massive thanks to Dave Jones, Cardboard Giraffe, McIntosh and Petar
What's Getting Me Excited! | Future Travel Plans & A Music Revolution
Keep your eyes peeled for a Kyrin, coming near you!In Episode #403 of 'Meanderings', Juan & I discuss: my rough idea of 7 months going to Brazil-El Salvador-Nashville-Europe, why I want to focus on meeting people for this next trip, Juan's non-enthusiasm about the whole thing, our super power of not getting bummed out, Adam Curry once again creating a revolution and why the music industry is going to change.Thanks to everyone who's joined us all this way, hope to see you
You Just Can't Help From Looking | Using Curiosity To Your Advantage
Keep listening if you're keen to know more!In Episode #402 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: what's in the box, the YouTube rabbit holes we go down, Pinkydoll and watching stuff that isn't healthy for you, why I am 3rd deviation non-curious and Juan is bang in the middle of the bell curve, ways to become curious and why at the end of the day you won't get punished for lacking it.Massive thanks to Dave Jones, Andrew Crow, McIntosh and Cyber Pigeon for the support!
JEFF YEW | Bitcoin, CEO @ Monochrome, Cars & Regulations!
Jeff is back for his 2nd appearance after first appearing in Conversation #78.In Conversation #92, Jeff and I discuss: Bitcoin, Monochrome, Exchanges, Regulations, License Plates and more cars!Timeline:(0:00) - Warm Up(0:30) - Bitcoin Plates(5:53) - The Signal(11:23) - Trusting Information(18:55) - Freedom(25:04) - Monochrome Offerings(40:00) - Exchanges(48:20) - DeFi vs TradFi(55:51) - Bitcoin Uptake(1:02:29) - Digital Exchange?(1:05:29) - GT4 Racing and Experiences(1:14:08) - Supercar Owners(1
Is It Possible To Over Research? | Finding The Best Point To Stop Your Investigations
If I keep going down the rabbit hole will it pay off?In Episode #401 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: learnings from watching Peter Attia & Andrew Huberman, changing my mind on why I dislike recent science, Juan's smackdown of the WHO, rules of thumb I created for when to stop, how to use the Pareto principle effectively and a curious teaser for the next episode.Massive thanks to Iluvsushi, Dave Jones, Eselsea, Bitcoin Dad, Petar, McIntosh. Special shoutout to Cole McCormic
Our Future Plans For The Mere Mortals | Less Video & More Audio
To celebrate a milestone we're giving you a glimpse at the closest thing we've ever had to a business meeting (lol).In Episode #400 of 'Meanderings', Juan & I discuss: dropping the care towards video because we're not YouTubers, general strategies around our use of social media, splitting the podcast into multiple audio streams vs just one feed, ideas around a potential fitness format and spicy questions of why we could break up.Thanks to everyone who's joined u
When To Believe Experts | Outsourcing Your Own Research
Should we be sceptical of people who claim to be experts?In Episode #399 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: rules of thumb we use to decide who to listen to, why having some scepticism might be helpful, whether Sweden is a real place, whether you can separate the person from the ideas and trying to make the V4V pitch as simple as possible.Massive thanks to Tallsiii, Cole McCormick, Petar, McIntosh, Emcot, Iluvsushi. Was a huge week of support, you're all legends!Timeline:(0:00) -
KIERAN NOLAN | Importance Of Meetups, The School Of Bitcoin & Why V4V Will Eat The World
Kieran is back for his 2nd appearance after first appearing in Conversation #62.In Conversation #91, Kieran and I discuss: orange pilling people and businesses in real life, how kids are learning & interacting with blockchain technology, how we both might be going a little bit crazy, the value 4 value system and his implementation of a Decentralised Autonomous Education System (DAES).30% of the support for this episode goes directly to Kieran so don't forget to boost!Timeline:(0:00) - I
Politics Will Ruin Your Soul | Why I Detest It So Much!
Can anyone actually gain power/fame/money/prestige without having to sell their soul?In Episode #398 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: our recent accidental foray into politics, governmental vs internal vs social vs realpolitik, why people in high positions maybe aren't engaging in politics, the sheer negative emotions that spring up (and are also the root cause), plus why I won't let it take up my mental space.Massive thanks to Dave Jones, McIntosh, BadcareeradviceChad (lo
Monthly Goals | July 2023
You taste that ....... it tastes like it's goal time.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do diff
The Art Of Asking Great Questions | Lessons Learned From Interviewing
What makes a fantastic question and how do you make your guest feel comfortable?In Episode #397 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: Andrew Huberman's interview with Tim Ferriss, what we have learned from 90 conversations on our podcast, the importance of prep and actually caring about the topics, the grey zone between a conversation and an interview and some of our favourite moments from interviews that we have seen/heard.Dependable support from Dave Jones, McIntosh and two anonym
Responding To Negativity & A Viral Clip | Terrible Gym Etiquette
What have I done to earn the ire of Instagram and that would have got me kicked out of Juan's gym?In Episode #396 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: Juan's new language learning through books, the viral clip of Pete Smissen talking about Elon Musk, how we'll approach responding to comments in the future, our ability to not dwell on things and be comfortable with solitude, grinding but still experimenting, a list of bad gym behaviour we both do (eeep) and Juan's up
Soft Vs Hard Forms Of Censorship | When Free Speech Markets Aren't Free
Have you ever felt that you're being censored with what you can say?In Episode #395 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: do humans need protection from the truth, the actual realities of whether censorship works, how physical punishments/threats is much different from abiding by rules and social norms, the link between social media companies and government, examples of Roosh V & Julian Assange, Juan's practicality predicament and why we remain sponsor/advertisement free to
Podcasting 2.0 & Value For Value | Delivering On The Promise Of Bitcoin
Peer-to-peer electronic payments are here and they're changing the world!In Episode #394 of 'Meanderings', I discuss: the meanings of these three topics, how they all share properties decentralisation/self-sovereignty/permissionless/value transfer, the history and future of podcasting, a new model of monetisation for digital creators and how the promise of Bitcoin has had a tangible impact on my life.Massive appreciation to everyone who has contributed to Podcasting 2.0 and making
2 Rights & 1 Wrong | Decisions We Standby Or Regret
What are some opinions we still hold with deep conviction and where have we changed our mind?In Episode #393 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: inspiration from Tim Ferriss, why we were both looking into Nietzsche's void, how I got fooled by my kleptomaniac friend, the radical transformation of Roosh V (and why I don't want to be like that), the mistakes of fame & Bill Cosby and a couple of other serious/silly examples.Support from Dave Jones, Petar, McIntosh and Remembe
The Reason Why Podcasts Are Filling Up With Ads | Plus Duolingo, Standing Splits & Dodgy Science
Finally back out in the park again and we covered a whooollllle lot of topics.In Episode #392 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: how Juan got reverse charged for a free trial, more ads than content in some podcasts, how you can get a cockpunch NFT from Juan, why I want to be like the villain in Jackie Chan's 'Legend of The Drunken Master', Massimo Kokhno & Mihaela Karkia, an obsession with water and the crappy science we are trying to avoid.As always, we hope you e
Regulations & Laws | Will Humans Destroy Themselves If Left Unchecked?
Do we need government to make regulations to protect us from ourselves?In Episode #391 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: the book I'm reading called 'Merchants Of Doubt', the recent crackdown of crypto in Chokepoint 2.0, a list of pros and cons for why regulations should or shouldn't exist, how they differ from rules/laws/protocols/social contracts, why we are both in favour of a smaller government and why Erik Vorhees and Michael Malice should watch their back!A
Monthly Goals | June 2023
Oh me oh my, it's goal time!Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do differently and why?Timeline:
Avoiding The Superfluous | Where To Spend Your Valuable Attention!
What happens when you have too much?In Episode #390 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: how this is different from net negative time sinks, politics/complaining/drugs, personality traits that can lead to time wasting, how to avoid the endless digital scrolling, whether you need to become minimalist, Jordan Peterson time accounting and why it's such an intractable problem.Lots of tasty Satoshi support from Dave Jones, Bitcoinplusfood, Adam Curry & McIntosh. So, so appreciated!T
CHRIS FISHER | The Future Of Advertising, Adopting Value For Value & Creating Jupiter Broadcasting
Chris Fisher is the creator of the Jupiter Broadcasting network and host of many podcasts such as LINUX Unplugged, Coder Radio, Self-Hosted & Bitcoin Dad.In Conversation #90, Chris and I discuss: what it's been like to have 25+ podcasts, the current nosedive in advertising, how value for value is creating a richer experience for podcasters, his mindset in analysing technological ideas, the coming pain from the messed up financial system, why Bitcoin/AI won't be as impactful as the
Dealing With Illness | Prevention, Management & Recovery
Juan's back baby ..... and with a baby!!!In Episode #389 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: my latest contracting of Covid (most likely), why there are 3 big babies in these parts, general preventions we take to avoid getting sick, psychological tricks to reduce the suffering, recent changes that have made us less selfish and a new test of the Boostagram Lounge at the end.Huge support from McIntosh, Chris Fisher & the double from Petar! Massive appreciation to these early ado
Living In The Present Moment | The Utility Of Meditation
Is mindfulness all it's cracked up to be?In Episode #388 of 'Meanderings' I discuss: why I've been feeling anxious recently, the common setbacks that stop people from trying out meditation, helpful podcasts and books to dive deeper into, our inability to fully solve the problem of living in the past/future and some potential downsides that can occur from living too much in the present moment.I hope you have a fantastic day wherever you are in the world, Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:
The Realities Of Becoming A Dad | What Has Changed?
Juan's back baby ..... and with a baby!!!In Episode #387 of 'Musings', Juan & I discuss: the big reveal of his daughter's name, how he has been managing to sleep and train better than expected, the big expenses of prams and nappies, feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders, exhaustion in hospitals, the love you feel as a father and what's upcoming for the podcast.Huge support from Dave Jones, Chad F, Madaltv, Scott, Chris Fisher & Martin (from PodFriend)
PETE SMISSEN | Innate Character In Kids, Persuasive Language & AI Podcasting/Consumption
I can't seem to keep Pete Smissen away, he's coming back for his 5th appearance!In Conversation #89, Pete and I discuss: why you can't control your kid's actions, psychoanalysing our personalities when we were young, the types of language that people use to sound convincing, tangents into music and cool Japanese hobbies, how swearing differs across cultures and my fascinating with AI Harry Spotter.As always, I hope you enjoy. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro to Pete(1:04) -
Programming Vs Human Languages | Are They Comparable?
Is learning coding the same thing as learning Spanish or German?In Episode #386 of 'Musings', I discuss: my recent chat with Dave Jones, how I learnt Spanish/German but failed with Python, why I believe that the differences between the languages are greater than the similarities, human-human communication vs human-computer, some helpful tips to think about whilst learning them and why Chat GPT is diminishing the need to learn a programming language.Huge support from McIntosh, Cole McCo
DAVE JONES | Peak Social Media, Coding Creativity & Philosophy Without A Degree
Dave Jones is a driver behind the Podcasting 2.0 movement & a repeat guest on the Mere Mortals (1st appearance in Conversation #54).In Conversation #88, Dave and I discuss: why fragmented social media might be losing steam, some of his favourite philosophy books, combining the value for value model with music, what a lot of people get wrong about V4V and how I saved him from being nicknamed the Podbro.Hope you're having a fantastic day wherever you are in the world, Kyrin out!Timeline:(
How Did I Survive The Aussie Wildlife? | Growing Up In Australia
Juan's baby is coming, so what sort of childhood can she expect here?In Episode #385 of 'Musings', I discuss: Juan's brand new baby girl fresh out of the oven, why I was attacked by my friend's dog (probably because I was sadistic), my annoyance with Steve Irwin, why climate change or war probably won't effect the Australian environment, the beauty of Australian childhood and some changes you'll see to the show over the next month or so. Huge support from McInt
Monthly Goals | May 2023
You taste that ....... it tastes like it's goal time.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do diff
Obligations To Country, Society & Family | What Is Your Responsibility?
A critical question ..... 'should' you do anything?In Episode #384 of 'Musings', Juan and I discuss: whether duty is turned on by default, the prioritisation technique of must/should/could/would, areas in our life we believe we have obligations, real life hypotheticals of jury duty/military service/UBI, why Juan believes that personal health trumps everything else and why this was such a murky topic to nail down. No boostagrams this week, very sad puppy :'(Timeline:(0:0
Short Clips Won't Get You 1000 True Fans | Riverside Podcast Housekeeping
Time to sweep the podcast house and let you know about upcoming changes!In Episode #383 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: how I forgot the cameras for our last hurrah, why recording convos with guests takes a lot of work, whether that work is producing something valuable, how I've let go of great opportunities, the dilemma of creating/consuming short clips and why we might start pursuing more specific information sources.As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(
Need For Connection | Will Digital Ever Replace Face To Face?
In the age of digital communication will this be enough to satisfy our need for connection?In Episode #382 of 'Musings', Juan and I discuss: the new remote livestream setup we have with Riverside, our personal preferences for interacting with others, studies that indicate our levels of connection, the handiness of being comfortable alone, why ultimately nearly everything will be digital and whether loneliness will be lessened in the future.A huge thanks to Dave Jones for the constant s
PETER WINKLER | Bombing At Comedy, America Vs Australia & Top Conspiracy Theories
Peter Winkler is a comedian and host of the 'Curious Pete' podcast.In Conversation #87, Pete and I discuss: bombing while headlining a comedy festival, stories from rural Qld, drop bears/hoop snakes/yowies, why you don't want to mess with Bigfoot or people from Montana, our personal favourite conspiracy theories and general cultural differences he has noticed after living in Australia for a fair while.Hope you're having a fantastic day wherever you are in the world, Kyrin out
Nostalgia: Yearning For The Past | HINT It Wasn't Better!
What is the obsession people have for the past?In Episode #381 of 'Musings', only I discuss: the origin and definition of the word, my favourite time period to travel back to, why the present is better than any other time, the mini blissful periods of youth/travel and whether there are any cultures where people don't feel nostalgic.A huge thanks to Dave Jones, Cole McCormick, Whoneedsdollars & McIntosh for the support. Handsome bunch they are!Timeline:(0:00) - I screwed up(0:2
Have I Changed Or Has Dating Culture Changed? | We Don't Want To Discover New Podcasts
And we also talk about AI, lots of stuff covered today!In Episode #380 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: the crazy stories of zany people, our unique names, whether we should be concerned about AI causing damage to our lives, the types of podcasts we listen to nowadays and what it's like jumping into the 2023 dating scene.As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Outdoors again(0:31) - The Kimura Lock(0:50) - Masahiko Kimura Bio(4:29) - Our reaction to ou
Why Do We Seek Out Beauty? | The Impact Of Art In Our Lives
What's the most beautiful thing in existence?In Episode #379 of 'Musings', Juan and I discuss: what aesthetics actually means, our encounters with Aziz Shavershian and gym aesthetics, how attractive is complementary to aesthetic, appreciating beauty more when you are older/richer, why I find art to be a confusing minefield of subjectivity and why trying to explain beauty on a conscious level is doomed to fail.A huge thanks to Dave Jones and Floydian Slips and of course Chris Fishe
Monthly Goals | April 2023
You taste that ....... it tastes like it's goal time.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do diff
SAM SETHI | Early Days Of The Internet, Podfans Application & The Future Of Technology
Sam Sethi is the CEO of the Podfans progressive web app, cohost of Podnews Weekly Review and the owner of the 'River Radio' radio station. In Conversation #86, Sam and I discuss: participating actively during the birth of the internet, how digital money will change the world, his 4 focuses whilst creating Podfans, the cool new features in the PWA, why he is going all in on the 'Value For Value' model, technology he think will be important in the next 10 years and books/people
What To Do When It's Not Working? | Finding The Balance Between Idealism & Practicality
At what point do you stop chasing idealism and accept reality for the way it is?In Episode #378 of 'Musings', Juan and I discuss: the current problems I'm having with dating and v4v support, ways in which being all or nothing is helpful, the impossibility of solving governance and interpersonal relations, why you have to let your ideals go and make some concessions, how being too 'unique' is hurting me and Juan's body not being able to keep up with his mind.A huge t
Can You Prepare For A Loved Ones Death? | Taking Supplements & Financial Turmoil
Best to think about death because in the end we're all just mere mortals.In Episode #377 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: using stoic principles to prepare for death, all the time Juan has spent on health and fitness recently, abstract math required to self diagnose elbow problems, the CrossFit masters competition, bank bailouts and why it's nice to have an independent currency that can't be manipulated.As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) -
Asymmetric Opportunity | Determining The Right Risk Vs Reward Ratio
How do you determine the tradeoff's when judging an opportunity?In Episode #376 of 'Musings', Juan and I discuss: the twitter threads popping up for Juan, why it's hard to judge risk, why I place physical safety above emotional well being and material concerns, a sad puppy week, why you don't want to handstand on cliff faces, subjective value changing the opportunities for everyone and why v4v/crypto/introspection/cold approaching might be good opportunities.A huge thank
ALEXANDER WATANABE | The Perfect NFT, Art Discourse/History & The Digital Nomad Lifestyle
Alexander Watanabe is an artist, coder, architect and co-creator of the 'The Perfect NFT' on the Cardano blockchain.In Conversation #85, Alexander and I discuss: why Alex might has a more cynical disposition to NFT's, Sam Bankman-Fried and effective altruism, fun stories from travelling around the world, the cultural critique he is doing with The Perfect NFT and some tips for coding/handstands.Hope you're having a fantastic day wherever you are in the world, Kyrin out!Timelin
What Are Our Greatest Weaknesses Of Virtue? | And How Can We Fix Them?
What would Benjamin Franklin want us to do?In Episode #375 of 'Musings', Juan and I discuss: a founding father's steps to self-improvement, why you must examine your weaknesses first, how ethics might not be captured in your normal habits, Juan's ethics as first discussed in Ep #138, my new plan to keep myself accountable and why you should only go 2-3 levels deep with self-development.A huge thanks to Dave Jones & McIntosh for supporting this week. Go checkout their show
Teaching Children Another Language | Intense Bitcoiners At A Meetup
What's better than a bilingual child, only a trilingual child!In Episode #374 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: a couple of the cool but mostly strange people I met recently, why we only have 2500 books left to read between us, the differences between English/German/Spanish/French, why Juan and I lack finesse with out language skills, my recent chat with Alex again and the ridiculous tendency of the psychoanalysts.As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) -
Decades Of Physical Exercise | What Training Methodologies Work Best?
Simple question, what is the best way to train?In Episode #373 of 'Musings', Juan and I discuss: our experience after training for decades, Juan's advice to a friend who needs a training plan, the difference between our session lengths, how the styles matter little in comparison to volume/time and why a plan is useful for continuing through the 7/10 workouts.A huge thanks to our one and only supporter Dave Jones for this week. Sad puppy apart from him :'(Timeline:(0:00) - Bam
Monthly Goals | March 2023
You smell that ....... it smells like it's goal time.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do diff
JUSTIN FOX | Digital Art, Online Communities & Vulnerable Dating
Justin Fox is the founder of Zen Garage, graphic designer and first appeared on the Mere Mortals in Conversation #72.In Conversation #84, Justin and I discuss: how he is finding an artistic outlet in plants, how technology changes the art scene, the various behaviours found in digital communities, why it's valuable to have the ability to cold approach, finding a girl who isn't just a cookie cutter template and the issues he was having with Patreon and DeviantArt. As always, I hope you
It's Time To Step Into The Future | Improving The Podcast Beyond The Substance
We're going to be experimenting and altering our style soon, what can you expect?In Episode #372 of 'Musings', Juan and I discuss: why we're unlikely to need a trademark, how we will try to move forward but without breaking things too badly, the way to get a Mere Mortals shirt, Juan's creation of a new podcasting room, why I had to give up fixing Juan's spelling mistakes and other mini changes that will occur when Juan's baby arrives.A huge thanks to our suppor
Polarised Reaction To Gorillaz New Album | Will We Get Cancelled?
Juan thinks Gorillaz is trash. I think he is trash.In Episode #371 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: our reactions to the newly released Gorillaz songs, unpredictable feedback coming from YouTube, why I will continue with handstands basically no matter what, why we probably won't ever get cancelled, our daily uses of artificial intelligence and why the book reviews probably won't be going live anytime soon.As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Ch
What's Our Approach To Investing? | Rules Of Thumb That We Personally Follow
What are your principles when it comes to investing?In Episode #370 of 'Musings', Juan and I discuss: Juan's sagely wisdom for the youngsters, where we begin when thinking about investing money, why self-custody is not just a crypto rule of thumb, the paradox of diversification, books and macro people (Ray Dalio, Lyn Alden, etc) who we find knowledgeable and why Juan is going all in on the AI coins.A huge thanks to our supporters of Dave Jones, Petar the Slav, McIntosh and Baz. Re
HOSKY TOKEN | Behind The Scenes, Pressure Of Popularity & The Reality Of Centralisation
HOSKY is the PREMIERE low-quality s#!t coin doggo meme token, exclusively on the Cardano Ecosystem (and it must be true, so says the website)!In Conversation #83, Hosky and I discuss: rules of thumb while investing in the age of meme coins, why his lifespan got shortened by success, the hard facts about non-decentralised money, appreciating the fun times despite the responsibility and why the only thing you should expect from hosky is nothing.As always, I hope you enjoy. Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00
Identifying Ideologies | Common Mistakes That Lead To Tragedy
Did you know that the concept of the 'tragedy of the commons' was fueled by an ideology?In Episode #369 of 'Musings', Juan and I discuss: why a recent book review sparked this topic, a human depopulation article with an underlying ideology, Garret Hardin's hypocrisy, whether people under a spell behave differently, using emotions and cherry picking data, why Juan loves the 'Discipline = Freedom' ideology and why we don't talk about wokism/capitalism/commun
Updated Thoughts On 'Crypto' | Does Everyone Need To Practice Public Speaking?
Lots of crypto talk for this episode so we're on some shaky ground.In Episode #368 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: why I don't understand Ethereum well, the different variations of cryptocurrency staking, my dislike of Patreon's service, why Juan might be flying to the US next month and why I suck at public speaking and don't think I (or others generally) need to improve at it.As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - It's blue out(0
Dating Is A Numbers Game | Do You Want To Play It?
Is it possible to escape the numbers game or is there another game you can play?In Episode #367 of 'Musings', Juan and I discuss: why we don't like to talk about sex, our personal experiences of dating in Australia, whether it is possible to find a girl without crunching numbers, the pros/cons of intros via social groups, why some people like Leonardo DiCaprio might never settle down and how I might get an arranged marriage with the missing Crypto Queen.A huge thanks to our regula
Monthly Goals | February 2023
You smell that ....... it smells like it's goal time.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do diff
EMMET LOUIS | Body Movement, Self-Taught Vs Coaching & Da Xuan Daoism
Emmet Louis is a mobility and flexibility coach, host of multiple podcasts and former acrobat/circus performer.In Conversation #82, Emmet and I discuss: funny childhood and acrobatic stories, why he doesn't use social media much, noteworthy experiences he has had coaching people, particular details about injuries and the one-arm handstand, rules of thumb regarding training philosophy and why Eastern religions can be appealing but misunderstood by westerners.As always, I hope you enjoy. Kyri
When To Call It Quits? | Moving On From What Was ...
How do you know when it is time to let something go because it isn't serving you anymore?In Episode #366 of 'Musings', Juan and I discuss: an Australian slang term, why Juan almost quit acting, how energy rather than time is a better determiner for calling it quits, my list for determining when it is not worth it to continue, why vitamins may be worth not taking and our mutual dislike of telling others what to do.Huge thanks to Petar, Dave Jones, Gene Bean & a nameless Mere Mo
Can You Learn Too Much About Your Health? | Adam Curry On JRE & Spotify
We seemed to have a lot of mild observations and complaints lately.In Episode #365 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: what I took away from watching Adam on the Spotify app, an analysis of podcasting platforms and search engines, a Scrubs reference to illustrate the dangers of too much info, our criticisms of 'Life Force'/'The Catcher In The Rye' and our methodology for having conversations with guests in the future.As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals out!T
Regret Over Missed Opportunities | What Can You Do To Take Your Chances?
Is there a way to stop letting opportunities pass you by?In Episode #364 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: latinos rejecting what I've got to offer, how we neglect to consider what our future selves might want, creating opportunity by simply putting in a bit of effort, why missed ones from fear sting even more, the time I didn't speak to the 2nd most beautiful girl I've ever seen and why you are screwed no matter what.A huge thanks to The Tone Wrecker, Martin Lindeskog, i
OSCAR MERRY | Fountain 0.6 Updates, Cross App Comments & V4V Versus Advertising
Oscar (the cofounder of the Fountain podcasting app) is back on for the 3rd time after a long break between our chats.In Conversation #81, Oscar and I discuss: all the new features in the 0.6 edition, strategic decisions he is making whilst building the app, the complexity of trying to integrate comments from across different platforms, ways in which the onboarding is becoming much easier, whether the 'value for value' model can work for a business and my hesitation to participate with
Beginner Acting Classes | Will They Make You A Better Podcaster?
Juan's been doing some acting classes, do we have a superstar in the works?In Episode #363 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: Juan's experience at his 1st acting class, how we could potentially be more entertaining, why actors might be either fake or crazy, my experiences doing extras work and doing it shit, why your are better off practicing the thing you want to get better at and why we will be authentic and not acting as characters.A huge thanks to Dave Jones, ChrisLAS and M
Teaching Kids Technology | Do They Need More Or Less?
The age old question, how do you raise your kids when technology is changing so rapidly?In Episode #362 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: why Juan's child will be raised with as much exposure as possible, why I think it's fine to ignore everything but the bare essentials, what level of tech adoption will be optimal for the best life, observations from my forays back into the dating world, Game advice from the old Roosh V Forum and utilising 'value for value' in t
The Blessing/Curse Of Self Deception | Are You Living In A Fantasy World?
How much of our life is spent in a deluded state?In Episode #361 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: how a listener email spurred this topic, what it means to be delusional, why my journeyman lifestyle might be stopping me from creating a family, why Juan will probably never become an entrepreneur, the bell curves I created from book reviews and why it's likely neutral-bad to be self-deluded.A huge thanks to Nastia for the inspiration and Dave Jones for supporting us this week, he&ap
PETE SMISSEN | Australian History, Solving World Problems & Integrating Through Language
I'm kicking the conversations back off again with a casual chat with Pete Smissen (who is making his 4th appearance on the Mere Mortals).In Conversation #80, Pete and I discuss: horrible things from general history, why basically everybody in Australian history got wrecked, our thoughts on a whole bunch of issues facing the world, cultural nuances regarding how immigrants view education and why (shock and horror) women are different than men.As always, I hope you enjoy. Kyrin out!Timeline:(
Life Just Cannot Stop Changing | Reacting To The Big News!
Juan's got a big announcement to make!In Episode #360 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: Juan's big news on becoming a Dad, how he is preparing to have a baby, why he would prefer to be overprepared on the risk/reward ratio, why I incline more towards underpreparing for life events, psychological reactions to having unforeseen changes thrust upon you and how you can help support us through the value for value model!A huge thanks to Petar and Dave Jones for supporting the show.
Monthly Goals - January 2023
You sense that ....... it seems like it's goal time.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do diffe
Using Intentful AI To Create Books | Speedrunners Can Achieve Anything (Within The Laws Of Physics)
Would you ever read a book solely (or even partially) written by Artificial Intelligence?In Episode #359 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: an intro for new listeners, what Juan has been doing with Tim Ferriss' NFT, Streets 1:12 and the grinding of speed runs, why I struggle with the concept of infinity, Juan pushing all my triggers, how authors will need to use AI in the future and my recent realisation regarding friend groups.As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals out!Time
Decisions That Determine Direction | How The MM Sausage Gets Made
What are the big and small decisions that have led the Mere Mortals Podcast to it's current point?In Episode #358 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: the actual size of the studios we have used, the OG notes Juan created for our first planning session, the Alpha Baller Club name choice, the decision to split the book review into their own channel, how we choose topics to talk about, our general underlying philosophy for creation and why we use video but don't specialise in short
NIC BLAIR | Midnight Health, Building Companies, Healtcare, Daily Discipline and Lamborghini's
I got a chance to have a second sit down with Nic, who originally came on the podcast 2 years ago. We caught up about his latest venture: Midnight Health (https://midnight.health/), the scaling of this new company, what it means to scale a digital healthcare company, the daily discipline and we finish off with some car chats.Tip: Stick it out with the audio, technical difficulties but hey, we are all mere mortals.As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(2:30) - Chan
Adding Onto Amazing Stories | Where Would We Be Without The Podcast Journey?
Juan has found a new obsession so we're exploring the progression of stories!In Episode #357 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: sticking to our strengths, how an idea can transform over time, Juan's plans to contribute to the Cockpunch community, the first mainstream cartoon band, how our lives would look without Mere Mortals and why it's nice to capture the small steps of our own journey.As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Bing bong(0:50)
Cultivating Virtue In The Modern Age | Is It Useful Or Archaic?
Is it worth trying to develop 'Character' or is this just a good way to get taken advantage of?In Episode #356 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: how my book review influenced this episode, almost going on a date while sick, why great character might just be NOT doing bad things, why behaving virtuously might not pay off in the long run, ways to tell if someone has moral qualities and why we think the V4V model is the most ethical system out there!Big thanks to Petar and Liam F
What Trick Will It Take AI To Impress Us? | A Sleep Debate & Gyming Forever
Consumer facing Artificial Intelligence playthings seems to be getting more and more frequent.In Episode #355 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: his crappy sleep as determined by an Apple and Garmin watch, why I can see a future where I would stop doing handstands, some random interactions I had out and about, why it would take an AI that could mimic a human interaction to really 'wow' me and a brand new 'value for value' pitch aimed at newcomers.As always, we hop
Searching For What Is True | How We Distinguish Signal From Noise
What are your considerations to find useful info on a new topic?In Episode #354 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: techniques for rapidly finding quality information, my method of using Wikipedia and it's sources, how Open AI might be a useful search tool in the future, why it's important to seek out a variety of sources, how we go about seeking truth over a long time period and the ultimate importance of testing things out for yourself.Huge thanks to Petar, Dave Jones, McIntos
Monthly Goals - December 2022
You sense that ....... it seems like it's goal time.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do diffe
Cutting Complainers From Your Life | Consumerism & The Anti-Growth Mindset
Best be a go-getter who doesn't whine otherwise you might not notice Juan around as much!In Episode #353 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: the irony of Juan complaining about complainers, the forgotten intricacies of duelling in the 1800's, public knowledge that gets lost over time, why I like to go to Bitcoin meetups and Juan is moving away from networking, the strange people I first met in Chile and why I personally push back against consumerism and growth for growth&apo
The Extremes Of Conspiracy Theories | Are There Grains Of Truth???
How do you determine what level of truth is behind a conspiracy theory?In Episode #352 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: a looooong article Juan found from Twitter, how we decide if a conspiracy theory has some validity, personality traits that influence our views of them, why I think you really only need to believe one for the good benefits, some faves of MK ULTRA & Area 51, why I am not only a sheep but a willing sheeple, warning signs that something is BS and whether the FTX shit
Fighting The Negative Thoughts | Psychological Tricks To Stop The Neurosis
I've been dealing with a bit of internal criticism recently so it was nice to get this off my chest (or out of my head to be more accurate).In Episode #351 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: feedback from some fellow Brisbanites, why we are so committed to value for value, some changes to our release schedule, YOUI screwing over Juan and his car, compliments on Juan's sweaty armpits, why I've been so self-critical recently, ways I'm trying to fix my thought proces
Complete Transparency On A Broad Scale | Can Corruption Ever Be Rooted Out?
Could humanity handle the truth of how corporations and governments act behind the scenes?In Episode #350 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: if the world would fall apart if Satoshi started moving around 5% of all BTC, if nihilism would rise when we see how nasty things are behind the scenes, if corruption can ever be fully stamped out, why transparency doesn't mean that you will understand everything and why I'm hopeful that we can indeed benefit from a more transparent world.
Don't Trust Companies To Make Ethical Decisions! | Your Reputation Can Be Hurt By Advertising
Small choices can lead to big outcomes, so be very careful of accepting advertising.In Episode #349 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: how Medibank lost all of Juan's data, the collapse of a crypto exchange due to fraud and other BS, which of the 7 deadly sins cause companies to fail, why I'm somewhat careful about not being a HOSKY shill, my rant of why Bankless/Uponly/What Is Money all look silly due to taking advertising and why it is essential to follow the fundamentals
Sequencing Your Day | What Mistakes Are You Making?
How do you plan out your day and what are some common mistakes that people make?In Episode #348 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: what type of routine our days look like now, Juan's progression of activity/deep work/social/play and my progression of focus/exercise/etc, why I stridently believe responding to people in the morning is bad, why you need to have conviction PLUS 8hrs sleep and whether we care about what the science says or what our bodies say.A huge thanks to Petar, McIn
The HOSKY Cashgrabs Sold Out! | How To Protect Yourself From People Who Don't Like What You Say
The end of an era has passed, will HOSKY ever be able to soar like a whale again?In Episode #347 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: ways in which we've felt the 'Fear Of Missing Out', how Juan almost tore the tendon from his pec, the rising death rate due to Fentanyl in the US, why I'm not overly concerned about people whining about words and the free speech that is found by utilising Podcasting 2.0!As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) -
The Psychological Side Of Fitness | What Mental Blocks Are Holding You Back?
We always like to talk about the physical side of training, so let's switch it up and dive into the good and bad of the mental side.In Episode #346 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: my dislike of the progressions for PTS and HSPU, why Juan is a better runner for not caring about his times, whether the mental stress of goals is actually a hindrance, how we interact with other people in optimal workout scenarios, preparing to overcome injuries and having a rigidity to your workout se
Monthly Goals - November 2022
You feel that ....... it feels like it's goal time.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do differ
You Will Never Finish A 2nd Language | Text Vs Audio Communication Which Is More Useful?
How do you say in a foreign language 'sorry I ruined your birthday cake' eeeep.In Episode #345 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: why I yeeted my friends cake all over myself and my car, how Juan changed up his reading style of Ryan Holiday's 'Stillness Is The Key' to finish his monthly goals, why learning another language is so humbling, aspects of Duolingo that help/hinder our learning process, Juan's increased running volume and how my preference for
What Can We Learn From Past People | What Can We Expect From Future Generations?
Are past humans enough like us to learn from and if so, what do you try to apply to look forward in time?In Episode #344 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: how a 5am question brought this about, viewing 50 year old people as young, why the coming generations might have it easy, whether technology could mitigate the worse points of humanity, if curiosity is unlocked by the ability to have a voice, the famous G. Michael Hopf quadrant and why consciousness = attention = fame.Huge thanks to
Distorting Time To Live Longer | Unexpected Surprises From Stereotypical People
Will any of us live to 150, and if so, are we essentially immortal?In Episode #343 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: the annoying fact that time goes fast when you're having fun, ways to slow time without it being unpleasant, the hubris of life extension scientists, people whose actions are markedly different from their external appearance and why supporting early supporters can break the v4v model.As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Friends stole m
How To Change Your Innate Characteristics | What Virtues Will You Seek Out?
How are you developing your character to become a better person?In Episode #342 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: the new change to releasing episodes at 7pm AEST, how leadership is important for a companies character, the difficulty of changing innate personality traits, the good characteristics we look for in people, an assessment of our own qualities and whether outside people will put us in positive/negative buckets.A huge thanks to Dave Jones and Hrinaus for supporting the show wit
A Museum Dispelling The Professional Aura | S#!tties & The Hidden Hosky Chat
Juan gives us a debrief of his freezing Tassie trip and I explain my recent NFT investigations.In Episode #341 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: why Juan absolutely loved the MONA in Hobart, having fun with randoms in an art exhibit, intentionally exposing yourself to cold, our appreciation of companies with non-professional marketing, the NFT's I've been looking at like Disco Solaris, how the Hosky 'project' (lol) is showing signs of professionalism (can't
Finding Stillness In A CRAZY World | Techniques To Let It All Go
It's a wild and crazy world out there. So we'll be going over our ideas on how to tune it out and find some tranquility.In Episode #340 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: Ryan Holiday's book called 'Stillness Is The Key', Juan's definition involving external influences, a lack of stillness whilst reading a book about it (lol), tech distractions and why it's ok to let some vices remain untouched, 3 particular chapters worthy of note and why you need to b
Which Crypto Theme Will Drive The Next Phase? | Taking Souls With Hybrid Training
What exactly is money to you?In Episode #339 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: why rich people can move mountains and alter reality, how BTC, ICO's and DEFI/NFT's where the last 3 crypto trends, why Juan thinks things will only get more centralised in the next 4 years, how a 9/5 job made me stupid and examples of Juan's new silly/crazy workout strategies.As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - We're prerecorded indoors(2:03) - How has you
Our Bad Habits | Why Do We Choose Self-Destruction?
It's a slightly uncomfortable topic this week as we're examining our worst habits and how we deal with them.In Episode #338 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: why my backsliding required I bring this up, examples from each of us in where we are failing, how our minds are quite different, why there is no one-stop solution to fix all bad habits, the need to realise when it's a harmless habit and why it can contain a masochistic tinge of saying 'fuck it, I don't car
Swooping Birds Are Completely Merciless | And We Are Ridiculously Selfish
What could be more selfish than defending our eyes from swooping birds, we must be so greedy :(In Episode #337 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: all our recent altercations with birds in the QLD springtime, why I struggle to connect with animals and likely will never have a pet, a therapy session on whether I am leading my life in the right way, a new learning as we pass 3 years of podcasting and examples of how I'm trying to experiment more.As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere M
Defining Your Life Principles | Rules Of Thumb To Live By
A solo episode this week because Juan's life principle is to go travelling Tasmania. Also just realised that the thumbnail is slightly clickbaity as I'm not going to fight for any of these. Apologies but I'm too lazy to change it, plus I like the pink and white colours.In Episode #336 of 'Musings' I discuss: why these differ from ethical principles, a get out of jail-free caveat, why change is frustrating and maddening, how the world will break you if you're not car
Monthly Goals - October 2022
You feel that ....... it feels like it's goal time.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do differ
Creating An Okugake Journey | Getting Out Of The Comfort Trap
Juan is itching to do something physically crazy whereas I just need to experiment more and get out of my routine.In Episode #335 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: why my laptop is still playing up, the 96 km all-night hike that Juan loved, a bunch of disciplined psychos who take physical activities way too far, the pros/cons of doing challenges in a group setting, why Otter.Ai and transcription services cannot spell my name right (they call me Chyron, that's not my name!), how
Building Upon A Solid Base | Kyrin's Goals For 2023
It's one of my favourite sessions because my yearly goals are kicking off at the start of October.In Episode #334 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: what Juan thinks I'll be focusing upon, why I only have 8 goals every year, the murkiness of lack of definition for this year, why I haven't included any numbers to be striving for, aiming for 80% handstands and 20% calisthenics, the fitness challenge to get a One Arm Handstand & strong pressing movements and the desire fo
Tech Problems Wrecked Us | Real Use Cases Of Crypto
Laptop problems were the reason for our mini break, apologies everyone.In Episode #333 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: how one of my RAM ports is fried, the nonsense of getting back all my settings, our mutual dislike of tech problems, why Juan was clambering out a window with his phone, a sum up of what we discussed the previous week (but never aired), Alexander Watanabe's latest project on Cardano, how you can short the floor price of a CNFT and the difference between Juan
Drawing An Ethical Line In The Sand | This Line WON'T Be Crossed
What are you most deeply held ethical boundaries?In Episode #332 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: why we had a recent enforced break, the Generational Wealth With Cryptocurrency podcast, why we both are wary of money coming from sponsorship or advertising, topics of conversation that wouldn't be talked about, why I won't be fighting in any ways, Juan's requirements to be fit and achieve his goals, why I try to never tell a lie and the reasons we hold all these views.A hu
JEFF YEW | Ex-CEO of Binance Australia, Founder of Monochrome, Bitcoin, ESG and more!
Jeff is the founder and CEO of Monochrome Asset Management - the torchbearer of institutional-grade access to digital assets in Australia. I got to sit down and have a yarn with him, and if nothing else listen to our ESG commentary, because I certainly learned a ton from it. https://www.monochrome.co/Monochrome was founded to solve an industry problem of the lack of objective education, regulated access, and secure custody for digital assets, through blending deep traditional finance and digital
Fake Pics Are Invading Your Life | Will You Be Tricked?
How good are you at spotting fakes and would it matter if you were consuming mostly AI generated content?In Episode #331 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: how Beats by Dre changed gym culture, the rise of deep fakes into your podcasts and media, how to tell what is true so you don't lose a grip on reality, how YouTube is the 2nd biggest search engine, whether a singularity can make a fantastic search engine and why you should check out our chapter art on the Breez app.As always
The Things We Most REGRET Doing: Learning From Our Past Mistakes
We've talked about the topic of 'regret' before but wanted to get more personal this time and share some insights from our own lives.In Episode #330 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: my one-off jackass comment as a kid, why smashing out huge deadlifts maybe isn't a great idea, how regret can pile up later in life as your actions become magnified, why I find it easier to forgive stupid shit I did before 20 years old, how deep fears need to be conquered to avoid regret
Monthly Goals - September 2022
You hear that ....... it sounds like it's goal time.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do diffe
Podcast Changes: Some New Improvements & Why We Will Keep On Creating
From now on we shall be clickbaiting, unboxing Mukbangers; hope you like the new direction!In Episode #329 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: why I've never bothered with transcripts before, the cool new things coming to Fountain, why we had to change the Live date, Juan's experience opening Veefriends card's 'Pokemon' style, why so many podcasts stopped in late 2021, how value for value will look in the future and why we are so excited about it.As always, we
2022 Goals Review: How Good Are We At Actually Doing What We Say We'll Do?
I can give you a sneak peak, we're roughly about 80% good at completing our tasks.In Episode #328 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: our overall impression on how we went last year, why I didn't want to find a partner and Juan didn't want to run, the importance of setting a manageable number of goals, my conquering of my discomfort dancing and keeping things vague if you're unsure of your exact plan.A huge shoutout to Dave Jones, danigamb1310, jimsiefert & Joey Br
False Dichotomies: Being Somebody Vs Doing Something, Adding Vs Subtracting & Gym Vs Outdoors
We set ourselves a lot of one or the other questions this week and yet the right answer is probably ..... both!?In Episode #327 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: concepts from Ryan Holiday's book 'Ego Is The Enemy', a bunch of people who were secret gangstas, how our lives would have to change with a wife & kids, me spending my whole day handstanding/reading/studying/podcasting, why I'd need a special girl to adapt to my lifestyle, tackling problems by adding
Philosophy Books: To Read, Or Not To Read, That Is The Question
I've been disappointed with my reading of philosophy books over the last year, so here are the reasons why.In Episode #326 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: my loose definition of philosophy and philosophers, why I came in with high expectations, whether you should be able to read a book as a stand alone, linking deep ideas back to reality, Interlingua and how a lot of philosophy can be semantics, a list of all the books I read over this last year and some thoughts on being too dum
Bloody Free: Juan's Plan To Live To 100 & The Mentality Of A Martyr
What if there was an app that could detect Karma and it influenced you to stop helping people?In Episode #325 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: Juan's random nosebleeds and tips to grow old and die quickly, whether free can truly be free, trolls and their propensity to sell marketing courses, the funny idea of science being used to prove that the universe is planning everything with a karma molecule, Salman Rushdie's recent attack and how you can share funny as hell Mere M
Juan's 2023 Goals: How Is He Going To Improve His Mind, Body & Soul?
What is Juan planning for this coming year and will he achieve his goals?In Episode #324 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: Juan's explanation of 2022 and how he sets out his goals into 3 categories, my predictions of each category and why they are also a subtle analysis of his weaknesses, the 19 goals that Juan is going after for 2023 and why my Chux cleaner beanie is actually a huge chick magnet!A big thanks to Floydianslips, Dave Jones, Petar, Joey Broadshoulders, Liam F & da
PETE SMISSEN | Stepping On Turtles, Rare House Plant YouTubers & The Economics Of A New Hobby
Pete Smissen is now a Three-Pete (get it) guest on the Mere Mortals and is the awesome host of the Aussie English podcast and the newly created Pete vs Plants YouTube channel.In Conversation #77, Pete and I discuss: some crazy animal stories from his PhD days, shows like Prehistoric Planet and Altered Carbon which appeal to his love of science, random hypotheticals of pre-colonisation days, why both of us have non-conventional jobs (and bloody love it!!), his new passion of exotic house plant cu
Coding Woes: I Dislike Problem Solving But Still Want To Learn A Programming Language
Maybe if I learn Python I can automate our entire podcast to fix Juan getting names wrong constantly?In Episode #323 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: a sneak peak into my 2023 goals, why problem solving can be extremely frustrating, reasons for learning a programming language, Juan's (somewhat inaccurate) description of a chimp doco he saw, whether we would go out and live with animals in the wild, being precise with your words when learning new ones from books, my recent chat
Procrastination: Eh, I'll Think Of A Better Title Later
Wasting time can perhaps be a useful tool, so we suggest using the Mere Mortals as your procrastination destination.In Episode #322 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: the definition of the word, why cavemen could have saved calories by being lazy, whether it is possible to procrastinate without self-consciousness, a cool graph by the writer of Atomic Habits, why procrastination might actually have some benefits, personal ways (and for how long) we avoid priority tasks and how our tactics
Converge On Canberra: Attending A Protest To Free Julian Assange
Have you ever been to a protest before, does your experience match with mine?In Episode #321 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: the reasons why I spontaneously went to Canberra, the 'Converge On Canberra' protest to support Julian Assange, some false information from a fringe protestor, the highlight of supporting ASSange, why I probably won't go to any more protests any time soon (hint: it's related to politics), Juan's seeking of truth by focusing on signal
A Life Of Darkness: How Would Life Change If We Went Blind
How would our lives change if we were blind?In Episode #320 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: how many blind and vision impaired people there are in Australia, whether we would be able to live on our own and continue certain activities, why travelling without sight would still be desirable, why handstands/weightlifting/learning languages would remain mostly unchanged, A big thanks to Dave Jones, Petar the Slav, Liam F, Joey Broadshoulders, fabi_araujo, granizo22 and rrcedb for suppo
Monthly Goals - August 2022
You hear that ....... it sounds like it's goal time.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do diffe
Mandatory Exercise: Would Pullups For Everyone Be For The Greater Good?
Today is a mix of physical training and philosophical pondering, as all good podcasts should be!In Episode #319 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: how my brother is eating 5 servings of fruits and veg to glow up, whether there is any merit in forcing people to do things for 'the greater good', Juan's realisation that he is no longer good at pullups, why we differ on the topic of 'specialisation' in training regimes, why it would be fun to see my dad in a mode
Food: The Nutritional Content One Consumes To Become A Mere Mortal
So how much do we care about food? Well it turns out not that much!In Episode #318 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: why our taste of food is lower than the average, how our lifestyles impact our food choices, the Spartan Juan life of tuna/beans/chicken/bread, why we both need partners who are better cooks than we are, my theory that food can be used to cover up deficiencies in an unhealthy style of living and why the Mere Mortals probably isn't the best place to find culinary tips
Odd Jobs & Odd Socks: The Story Of How I Weirded Out A Chick At The Gym
Odd stuff all around this week. Juan actually worked, I exposed my sock fetish and weird photos from space.In Episode #317 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: why we enjoy manual labour but only in small doses, trying to explain BTC to my dad, how I met and lost a kindred soul, why Dothraki was copyrighted and Luis von Ahn couldn't use it for DuoLingo, Juan's fascination with physics/outer space and how you can help to support us with value for value.As always, we hope you e
Becoming World Class: Our Thoughts On Achieving Undeniable Skill
I'm going to become a world class handbalancer, here is my plan on how I want to do this.In Episode #316 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: what it means to be world class at something, why conscious effort on improving and fixing mistakes is critical, a common occurrence of people getting injured whilst trying to show off, the humbleness of Floyd Mayweather (lol) and my list of principles to achieve this goal I have set for myself.A big thanks to Petar the Podfluencer, Liam F, dani
Overwhelmed: Too Much Tech, New Words & Healing Minor Injuries
Why did Juan cause a car crash?In Episode #315 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: the random as disturbance on a narrow road, our disagreement on being left behind and getting overwhelmed by new tech, the Tim Ferriss episode with Balaji, slang and how words get invented or adopted, Oscar Merry's podcast app and why clipping is awesome and whether it is better to let niggling injuries fully heal or to push through because there is not enough time to be injured.As always, we hope
Living In History: Appreciating The Moment & Identifying The Trends That Matter
Are there any current trends that will impact history as much as 9/11, COVID, social media or the iPhone?In Episode #314 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: how this topic could be easy to confuse, how history is quite subjective, what type of moments matter to an individual, why current hot topics aren't necessarily historical events, the practical benefit of appreciating the moment, making predictions will necessary involve failure and why Juan didn't particularly like this fr
ALEXANDER WATANABE | Unsigned Algorithms, Artistic Pursuits Via NFT's & Japanese Books/Philosophy
Alexander Watanabe is an artist, coder, architect and creator of the 'Unsigned Algorithms' on the Cardano blockchain.In Conversation #76, Alexander and I discuss: why he had the time to read lots of books during his useless undergraduate, how he went about creating the code for his NFT's on-chain, his views on art and using new mediums for expression, why the universe isn't 'fair', how a lot of philosophy is all talk but examples of some practical philosophical book
Explaining New Technology: Helping Others Understand 'Crypto' Whilst Still Learning Ourselves
Juan has been teaching his family about Ethereum and I've been changing the way I look at the difference between Bitcoin and everything else.In Episode #313 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: how a Piccolo latte should be made, how The Coffee Club screwed over Juan (again lol), reading Saifedean Ammous's book on BTC and how it is the only real cryptocurrency, why I'm a slight nuisance at almost all times and why for all the crypto talk not everything needs to be decent
Switching On: How To Get Raring And Going For Life
How do we physically and mentally prepare ourselves for periods of productivity?In Episode #312 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: whether it is possible to be jacked and going all the time, why routine can take away effort in hyping oneself up, how we trigger ourselves into focused concentration, why Juan likes the Ultradian rhythm technique, a detour into the exciting new Podcasting 2.0 developments, how stimulants like coffee can be used and whether it is more important for us to have
Monthly Goals - July 2022
You hear that ....... it sounds like it's goal time.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do diffe
Middle Men: Explaining Concepts You've Engrained And Subsequently Forgotten
There are some subtle differences that Fountain is doing compared to other podcast apps using the advertising model, but explaining them takes a lot of nuance.In Episode #311 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: James Cridland's reaction to our supporter leaderboard, the Petar version of 'Kilroy was here', fee and split talks going on in Podcasting 2.0, the real culprits behind the Nigerian Prince scams, why I like being a fence sitter, some announcements on some mini ch
Realistic Hypotheticals: Are There Times When Abstract Thinking Becomes Unproductive?
What would happen if I didn't tell you that hypotheticals might not, not be useful? Brain explosion ....In Episode #310 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: Juan's inability to put his phone on silent, why I've been struggling with the book 'Reasons And Persons' by Derek Parfit, how we tend to use hypotheticals in real life, why I believe it is more about the intent of their use rather than how close they conform to reality and why a fact based approach might be th
Fixing A Lie: Using Effective Philosophy & Thinking Long-Term
We are bringing back our creation of Effective Philosophy© to solve a recent lie that I told.In Episode #309 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: Brendan highlighting our recent shift away from philosophy, Juan's recent book review, why I lied about the details of car switching within my family, why lies that effect reality are the ones that really need fixing, Juan's recent thoughts on adopting a longer term outlook, the paradox of life always changing and why hypotheticals
From A Boy To A Man: Is A Ritualistic Ceremony Or Rite Of Passage Required To Become A Man?
A lot of this discussion was based on an episode of 'The Art of Manliness' with Jon Tyson.In Episode #308 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: whether tribal and extreme rituals are necessary to enter manhood, why forcing your child to do these things could backfire, moments in our lives that distinguished us, whether it actually is necessary to have a rite of passage and qualities that distinguish a man.A huge thanks to the many boosters from this week, which was our most ever!
SPENCER PEARSON | Building The DeMu App, Finding Podcasting 2.0 & A Go-Getter/Idiot Mentality
Spencer Pearson (also known as Sir Spencer) is the host of multiple podcast (Bowl After Bowl, AbleKraft), developer of a decentralised music app (DeMu) and at the forefront of running with scissors in Podcasting 2.0.In Conversation #75, Spencer and I discuss: what attracted him to Podcasting 2.0, why the music industry is screwing over musicians, how the combination of Bitcoin/RSS/V4V can make this better, the plans he has for his decentralised music app, his unique blend of being a whizz kid ye
The Ultimate Gameshow: Revisiting My Idea With A Different Mentality
If there was an ultimate game show all with different versions of yourself (horny, happy, assertive, angry, confident, etc.,) which of them would win?In Episode #307 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: whether you would prefer your upper body or lower body to be cold, revisiting the gameshow I explain in Ep #203, how different permanent mental states would effect our lives, why goal setting is probably our defining characteristic, the optimal amount of mistakes to make while learning
Decentralised Music: Will Podcasting 2.0 Revolutionise The Music Industry?
It's a special solo episode today that also became a DJ set of decentralised music!In Episode #306 of 'Musings' I discuss: why I'm podcasting alone today, how Podcasting 2.0 infrastructure and technology can help make the music industry better, why middlemen suck and peer to peer payments solve this, a real time example of supporting my favourite artists, potential arguments on why this won't work (hint, it already does work) and a list of musicians already on the bandwa
A Week Of Opposites: Contrasting Troubling Thoughts With The Thrill Of Working Out
Juan has been killing life back in the gym but I've been having a shit time of it.In Episode #305 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: why Juan loves training after being away, the difference between PB's and PR's, why Juan believes it is impossible to over train, my experience of joining a gym chain after calisthenicing for the last 5 years, why I don't want to (but may will be) hitting on girls in the gym and why you should also do the opposite of normal!As always
The Downfall Of Crypto: The Best Arguments On Why It Will All Go To Zero
We don't think it will, but here are the best arguments we came across of why cryptocurrencies will fail.In Episode #304 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: the reason for searching out arguments that go against our beliefs, a series of podcast/video recommendations with great pointers in the negative category, comments from our listeners about why they don't like crypto, why too much emphasis on the monetary aspect and not enough personal responsibility would be red flags for u
Monthly Goals - June 2022
You hear that ....... it sounds like it's goal time.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do diffe
Becoming One Punch Man: Memes Are Invading Into Everyday Life
In one way or another this whole episode was about memes. And you can believe me, because I am now officially Saitama Sensei.In Episode #303 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: my plan for doing one-arm handstands at a comic con, what is was like to listen to Gary Vaynerchuk live in person, the contrast between LA rudeness and Minnesotan niceness, why Microsoft Support are the biggest memelords, how so many memes comes from semi-known sources and why Juan will also be doing handstands
What If: Hypotheticals Galore In This Episode ...... Or Is There?
What if you just want to come up with fun hypotheticals for a while? Well you do it!In Episode #302 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: why we want to do rapid fire hypotheticals, reverting back to old mediums of communication, unknown Colombian fruits, Craig Wright and his claim of being Satoshi Nakamoto, why being a politician would hella suck, a bunch of questions on our own sanity and a big thanks to Medus & Petar for supporting the show.Part 1 of the stream: https://www.youtube.c
Anti-Crypto Learnings: Do The Critics Have Some Valid Points?
I've been on a research quest to find the best arguments for why cryptocurrencies will go to zero, here's what I found out.In Episode #301 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: our thoughts on the upcoming crypto winter, why serious people will still be working on projects (like 'unsigned_algorithms'), chatting about complete capitulations days before the Terra LUNA fiasco, useless mediums for conversation plus Andrew Tate, crappy arguments saying no-one uses it/ is
Veecon Trip: The Fall Out & Juicy Goss From Gary Vee's 2022 Minneapolis NFT Conference
Want to know what happened at #veecon 2022? We've got the post-trip report right here.In Episode #300 (which we forgot to celebrate) of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: Gary Vee's influencer/NFT conference, Juan's couple of first days in LA, a breakdown of each individual day, why the quantity of networking was probably too much, meeting some idols and cool people, whether he would go again next year and learnings he took away from the actual talks.A huge thanks to Petar th
Oh Shit Moments: Heart Dropping Instances That Change Your World
How many times in life does one experience those moments when you realise that the world doesn't work the way you thought it did?In Episode #299 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: the upcoming Brissie winter, Juan's adventures in Veecon, why sloppy communication gets you into trouble, how to fix miscommunication, why an 'oh shit' moment once a year is useful, Stoicism to prepare oneself for a changing world, the dense language in 'Homo Deus' & '
ROYCE DUNNE | Crossfit Open 2022
Mini Convo #5 is a quick burst of questions I got to pose to Royce Dunne, who has previously been hosted on the podcast. This session focuses in on the results of the recent crossfit open workouts and the next steps.As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals out!Connect with Royce:https://www.instagram.com/roycey_boy/?hl=enConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the
Travelling Solo: What To Expect From A Trip Taken Alone
As Juan prepares for his VeeCon trip to the US, we analyse the pros and cons of travelling on your own.In Episode #298 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: the new t-shirts that we're giving out to supporters of the podcast, why I'm being a fence sitter on this topic, the decision making processes one needs to think about, my first meal of Chorrillana in Chile, places we would absolutely not go whilst travelling solo and the details of Juan's upcoming very first solo travel
A Long Cold Trip: Why Did Juan Drive For 6+ Hours For Basically No Reason?
Juan has just lived through my worse nightmare. He is a brave (and foolish) man!In Episode #297 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: why I didn't become a video podcast sensation back in 2006, Juan's failed adventure to go to the zoo, my intimate Colombian dinner with a new friend, why a flat tire caused me to slow down and get a new perspective of a familiar place, the over-the-top assertiveness of Andrew Tate and a plug for our V4V themed episode.As always, we hope you enjo
TODD SHANNON | 2022 Crossfit Open
Mini Convo #4 is a quick burst of questions I got to pose to Todd Shannon. This session focuses in on the results of the recent crossfit open workouts and the next steps.As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals out!Connect with Todd:https://www.instagram.com/toddshannon/?hl=enConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show
V4V Transparency: The Power Of Honesty & Value For Value
An amazing thank you to the ~30 supporters who have directly supported us over the last year!In Episode #296 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: what led us to Podcasting 2.0 and V4V, our personal thoughts on why we care about transparency, where we would draw the limit, our total amount of satoshis accumulated and a break down of the big baller boosters, a comparison of our two main shows and how you (yes you!) can help support us in the future!As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals
Technological Vs Social Innovation: Blockchains Are Influencing New Behaviours Through Micropayments
What new behaviours have we noticed amongst crypto people in the last year?In Episode #295 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: forming a line vs a booking system, why I've been losing track of my money, Juan's struggle to answer my question, why Paypal's micropayments just don't cut it, Juan trying to argue against an Ethics Professor, the real reason our marketing is suboptimal and how to send some micropayment value our way!As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mort
HOSKY & VEGAS | Meme Behaviours, Building On Cardano & Philhoskophy/Techoskology
Woof woof woof, bowowowow ruff rufff ruff ........ arf. Yap yap!In Conversation #74, HOSKY Token, Carl (Vegas Pool) and I discuss: the origins of the hosky project, how the code and policy work on the Cardano blockchain, the different elements that encourage better behaviour of hosky idiots, the paradox between being (the) shit memecoin yet arguably most impactful use of Cardano, the ever growing intimate relationship between the two big dogs and a selection of highly curated meme questions from
Status: Playing The Game, But Which Game To Choose?
Consensus reached. If you want to get the girls, you've got to sleep with their gay guy friends first (apparently).In Episode #294 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: more on the sexy new intro music, why I haven't been thinking about status, can you escape playing the status games at all?, the different types of status one can attain, utilising handstands/the MM podcast/books/languages to show off and why I might just be a tosser for bringing this topic up.A big thanks to Petar
Monthly Goals - May 2022
You smell that ....... it smells like it's goal time.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do diff
The Only True Voyage: What If Our Teachers Travelled With Us Through School?
Would the negatives of teacher dependency and substandard knowledge be countered by the increased motivation of having awesome teachers who know how to teach you more directly?In Episode #293 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: a nice quote from Marcel Proust, the hypothetical of only having 1 teacher throughout your schooling career, what we would consider useful knowledge, Juan's obsession with certain online games and why I might need to think about presenting my status in lif
LISA CAMPBELL | 2022 Crossfit Open
Mini Convo #3 is a quick burst of questions I got to pose to Lisa Campbell. This session focuses in on the results of the recent crossfit open workouts and the next steps.As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals out!Connect with Lisa:https://www.instagram.com/lisa_campbell_7/?hl=enConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show
Friendliness: How To Win Friends And Influence People
Apparently I'm not super friendly because I refused to chat with the drug addled crazy person.In Episode #292 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: can you be too friendly and the downsides to overt friendliness, where we rank on a scale of nicety, practical steps I have taken to make more international friends, why reciprocity could set standards that are hard to meet and how society could be shaped to be more friendly.As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - W
NFT Money & Self Restriction: Does Stoicism Work If It Is Enforced?
Food, alcohol and sugar are all in the firing line for this convo.In Episode #291 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: our request for some feedback on our podcast, Kevin Rose and his latest NFT project, whether we can actually spot crypto scams, how Good Friday is a form of stoicism, what would happen if we enforced an arbitrary restriction on a whole country, the Mamut cookie in Mexico, the beauty of collaborative online art found on reddit, some cool tech goodies, why you SHOULDN&ap
DR JONATHON WEAKLEY | Velocity Based Training, Academia & Overtraining
Dr Jonathon Weakley (https://twitter.com/JonathonWeakle1) is a Lecturer at the Australian Catholic University (ACU), was a Research Associate @ Leeds Beckett University and is trying to make strength & conditioning easier for coaches.In this conversation I got the chance to ask him a bunch of questions that centred around velocity based training (VBT), the definition of overtraining, why he ventured down this pathway professionally and what has him excited in the next few years.As always, we
Fitness Fun: Thoughts On Our Favourite Pastime
Want to know how to get jacked like Juan or not jacked like me? Well we're talking about our fitness progression and mindset over the years!In Episode #290 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: playing varied sports in our youth, the mindset and approach we take whilst exercising, Juan's huge weight gain and my relatively meagre body changes, pics of Juan's boobies, why Juan is super experimental and why I'm quite conservative and how we see our future fitness progressio
Unwarranted Advice: Should You Judge The Source Of The Information Or Just The Info Itself?
Considering how much advice I tell myself and don't follow I wouldn't recommend listening to our advice (although thankfully I rarely give out any)!In Episode #289 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: the pride in his hard work editing a CrossFit video, meeting a younger version of myself, why I generally dislike unsolicited advice, mentors and helping younger people, why the resulting action is more important than the intent of the advice and a whole lot of bitching about do
Mere Mortals Marketing: Some Ideas On How To Spread The Podcast
We've whined about being shit marketers for too long so now it's time to do something about it.In Episode #288 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: our general thoughts on self-promotion, some unique ways that we could get in front of more eyeballs, the phases that are sometimes necessary to put in a big effort, using the attention generated by my handstands to showcase the podcast and a request for user feedback on what makes us special.A big thanks to Petar, Dave Jones, Ana Tho
Shit Shirts & Brilliant Books: Finding Gems Whilst Avoiding Trash
Juan had a topsy turvy week. He was absolutely disgusted by the VeeFriend's apparel but made up for it by reading a fantastic book.In Episode #287 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: the boring crap that NFT projects create as merch, Juan's business idea #386, the ethics of designing your own clothes, my trilingual Zoom event, why I am cutting Duolingo some slack, the excellent books of 'Homo Deus' & 'The Idiot', my mum's sad story of bluey, the
SHANIA CRAYTHORN-MILLARD | Crossfit Open 2022
Mini Convo #2 is a quick burst of questions I got to pose to Shania Craythorn-Millard. This session focuses in on the results of the recent crossfit open workouts, 2022As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals out!Connect with Shania:https://www.instagram.com/shaniavicki/Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the show
NFT Madness: I Need An Intervention
Oh dear, oh dear. I'm starting to see NFT's (and in particular HOSKY) as an investment so I need an intervention.In Episode #286 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: what is a non-fungible token, why the HOSKY team pulled off a very nice April Fools, why I keep getting drawn into the Hoskyverse, Juan's thoughts on using NFT's as an investment tool, why money can change things even if you don't want it to and an affirmation that I need to stay away from NFT's t
Monthly Goals - April 2022
You smell that ....... it smells like it's goal time.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do diff
Podcasting 2.0 Certified: The Return Of The Value For Value Podcast
I've even got the shirt to prove it!In Episode #285 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: my cool new shirt, why I'm restarting the 'Value For Value' podcast, Juan's unhealthy relationship with Agar.io, the excitement building for VeeCon, why I might be an energy vampire, the amount of flight changes Juan is experiencing and the peculiar things we do that somewhat but not entirely make sense.As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Podcas
JUSTIN FOX | Artistic Endeavours, Creating A Community & Resisting Compromise
Justin Fox is the founder of Zen Garage, graphic designer and all around just a fascinating person.In Conversation #72, Justin and I discuss: his artistic talents playing in bands and doing graphic design, our thoughts on the music industry and why it's hard to be real, his emphasis on actually achieving things early on so you can be more content later on and how he has been able to create so many different communities and grow them.As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0
Surviving The Zombie Apocalypse: How The Mere Mortals Will Live On
Worried about COVID-23? Don't worry we've got you covered on what you should do when the zombie apocalypse comes!In Episode #284 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: what to do with a year's worth of prep, choosing a mountainous terrain to relocate to, why the default needs to be avoidance rather than combat, seriously asking whether your new life is worth the pain, contemplating whether the zombie lifestyle is actually good, why society won't come up with one single so
Effective Philosophy: Doing And Not Just Thinking
We've coined and trademarked a new term: Effective Philosophy. And by that I mean we've claimed it on the internet. $1B royalties payable if you ever even think of using it!In Episode #283 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: the cool chapters art I'm making, whether philosophy is just mental masturbation, some random encounters I had with people recently, why we believe in philosophy that can be put into action, people who can throw things really really far, why I drove
JACK JEFFERY | Crossfit Open 2022
Mini Convo #1 is a quick burst of questions I got to pose to Jack Jeffery, who has previously been hosted on the podcast. This session focuses in on the results of the recent crossfit open workouts and the next steps.As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals out!Connect with Jack:https://www.instagram.com/jack__jeffery/Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcast.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the sh
Choosing Your Culture: What If You Could Create A Country & With It's Very Own Customs?
Best start thinking of stereotypes because you have to start picking!In Episode #282 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: our amazing chapter art (check it out!), the new island where we get to choose the culture, why we would incorporate parts of Asian/Latino/Slavic/Nordic/Islander culture, the new lightning comments appearing on Fountain, what your welcome would be like coming into our amazing islands and a typical day in the life of a citizen.As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals o
Celebrating 30 Brazilian Style: Observations From The 2022 Brisbane Brazilian Carnival
If you're going to have a milestone birthday then you might as well party like a Brazilian.In Episode #281 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: why small differences in distance can have a big effect of communication, predictions of our 40th birthday parties, the madness of super gregarious Brazilians partying hard, the latest NFT news, my random dream about weird physics, what you'll find at the end of the universe and why I'm such a sucker for stupid information.As alw
Living To 500: What Would Happen If We Started Living Really Long?
Don't worry Mere Mortalites, we promise to still be doing the podcast until at least deep into our 400's!In Episode #280 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: living to 500 but with a constant degradation of body/mind, why Euthanasia might become a common/noncontroversial topic, why the money system and one's perspective of time would radically change, the core memories we would still keep across the decades, whether people would voluntarily choose to live that long and how y
Drowning In Irrationality: The Brisbane Floods Aftermath & Good Reasons To Not Reason
We're live on the scene next to the murky Brisbane river!In Episode #279 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: what the flooding in BNE was like, how creativity works at the top of corporate hierarchy, the concept of cultivating a habit that you don't want, a philosophy book by Derek Parfit, whether we would take an irrationality pill if given the chance and some fun hypotheticals.As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Pics of Brisbane flooding(2:35)
A World Without Lies: What If We Had An Accurate Lie Detection Device?
Another hypothetical and this time we'll be looking into a world without lies.In Episode #278 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: the device on our apps that could detect lies via your voice, why the world might not embrace this technology, situations in which lying is beneficial, answers to the 'do I look fat in this dress' dilemma, why people might start using email more because of it and why we would need to understand consciousness before such a device could work proper
Monthly Goals - March 2022
You smell that ....... it smells like it's goal time.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do diff
BRIAN OF LONDON | Decentralisation Stops Censorship, HIVE Blockchain & A Crypto Class Action Lawsuit
What makes the HIVE blockchain decentralised and why is Brian suing Facebook & Google?In Conversation #71, Brian and I discussed: why decentralisation is so important to stopping online censorship, the need for peer to peer networks being established before following the value for value model, the whole story of the STEEM/HIVE saga, the global notification service called PodPing and why he is part of lawsuit suing Google & Facebook for banning cryptocurrency advertising back in 2018.As a
A Rainy Adventure: Podcasting Through The Brisbane Floods
Check out the amount of Brisbane rain we podcast through here!In Episode #277 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: an apology for not notifying people about the change in the live date, Juan complaining about technology, empirical data on energy usage, why Juan might never retire, my thoughts on CrossFit Torian, what it would take for us to become professional podcasters, my accidental tipsy Wednesday afternoon and a rainy finale.As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals out!Timeline:
Starting From Scratch: Could Humanity Survive A Calamity?
A witch has taken away all of humanity's progress and we can have everything back if we create an iPhone 13. Can we do it?In Episode #276 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: some recent changes to our schedule, a hypothetical I took from the Lex Podcast, why I am bearish in the short term and bullish on the long term, why most of humanity will die really quickly, the different epochs we will go through and why neither of us think we will be able to recreate the iPhone.As always, we h
Road Rage & Energy Shaming: What Does Our Future Hold For Us?
Will environmentalists ever decide that we are being wasteful with our atoms?In Episode #275 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: why Juan pretends to be an undercover cop, concepts that should just stay as concepts, why Joe Rogan is getting on people of opposite opinions, why I'm happy to be a fence sitter, damn people who won't just answer the question, how we might be shamed for future energy use and what I learnt from my 1st Cuban Salsa dance lesson.As always, we hope you
FARAZ | Livestream Learnings, Philosophical Writing & Switching Languages
Have you ever been bored by philosophy? Worry not as the Indian Youtuber 'Faraz' is here to make it more entertaining.In Conversation #70 Faraz and I discuss: his drive to create multiple YouTube channels, why he is interested in philosophy, the process of writing a book on philosophy, the anxiety of first starting to livestream, how he can switch so seamlessly between multiple languages and what his plans for the future are.I really hope you enjoyed this chat, Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00
Irrationally Angry: What Made Juan So Angry He Bought $70 Of Prawns?
Hint: It may or may or not be tech related.In Episode #274 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: how Juan worked himself into a rage over stupid BS, tips to avoid the escalation of fury, the Empowa property platform built on Cardano, why 50 million homes need to be built in Africa, how Podcasting 2.0 is becoming slicker, anticipatory regret caused by a potato on a stick, the weird phenomenon of 'aphantasia' and what it will be like when moving bitcoin is easssssy.As always, we
Decentralisation: Why Is Everyone So Obsessed With This Now?
Is crypto really decentralised or is it just slightly better than the current system?In Episode #273 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: a blog post highlighting decentralisation issues, why we have collectively decided that servers are too hard to operate on our own, why this is not a binary issue and is more of a scale, not needing to have every aspect of your life distributed and why we were a bit scattered on this topic.A big thanks to Bmasi, Dave Jones & Petar the slav for helpin
The Metaverse & Boring Politics: Is Reality So Shite We Need To Leave?
With all these boring politics I'm not surprised that people are fiending for the Metaverse.In Episode #272 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: why I need to find a nice crypto girl, Juan's recent laziness, a test of Brisbane's citizen quality, why running for office might be fun but actual politics is all backbiting and fake friends, my learnings from the book Snow Crash and how we had to run away from the rain.As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0
Competition: Are Winners & Losers A Necessary Part Of Life?
Juan's going to have at least 8 competitive children, but unfortunately they'll all be losers :'(In Episode #271 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: Grant Cardone's silly article, rivalry between winners and losers, if self-improvement is a competition, the different types of bounded games, why sexual selection and evolution is true but not necessarily helpful to the topic, the varying emotions that can occur from competition, whether it requires a zero sum mindset and
OSCAR MERRY | Mixing Social Media With Podcasting & Reducing Spam With Bitcoin
Oscar is back! But this time for a shorter more casual convo about what has been happening with Fountain.In Conversation #69 Oscar and I discuss: if it's harder to code in good audio features or integrate bitcoin into Fountain, why we need more connection between podcasters and listener, how users are behaving differently on his app, my review of a book he recommended, how he intends to make Fountain even better and my decision to kick back up the Value For Value podcast.I hope you're
Monthly Goals - February 2022
You smell that ....... it smells like it's goal time.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do diff
No Agenda & CrossFit: Are We Witnessing The Rise Of A New Champion?
Whilst I was out meeting some new people Juan has been undertaking secret training to become the next CrossFit champion.In Episode #270 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: going to a local No Agenda meetup, why I don't believe all the hype about online radicalisation, some Joe Rogan news and the definition of misinformation, why Juan will be competing in a CrossFit competition and how we both fare when under the pressure of competition.As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals o
Our Favourite Books Of 2021: An Overview Of Some Bangers!
Of the ~83 books we read between us in 2021 we found a couple that were worth examining.In Episode #269 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: why I wanted to make this a full episode, how we think about the process of reading, why 'Sapiens' was a standout for Juaney, an explanation of my rating system, why 'Lost Horizon' and 'Catch-22' were standouts for me, a list of other books that caught our attention (for good or bad) and how much time we spend reading per
Enduring A Bad Start: Why Nothing Will Stop Our Podcast!
Malfunctioning mic arms and crappy cables can't stop this train.In Episode #268 of 'Meanderings/Musings' Juan and I discuss: our recent double malfunction, how we would have handled setbacks in our earlier episodes, why nurses in blood donor centers are jittery, why I won't be foiling terrorist attacks, what I learnt from a BDSM 101 podcast, Juan's multiple copies of Gary Vee's book, honing into deeper convos in a group setting and the multiple ways you can help sup
Anonymity: The Pros/Cons & Whether It Is Good For Society?
Who we are, you'll never know. What we do, you can only guess. Why we podcast, because it's fun!In Episode #267 of 'Musings' Nuaj & Nyrik discuss: the definition of anonymity, the pros of security/inclusivity/meritocracy, the cons of no accountability/destructiveness, why being anonymous in the crowd doesn't make sense, ways that we use or see it in our daily lives, why Juan wants less of it and I see it as more neutral.A big thanks to Dave Jones (the one and only Po
The Art Of NFT's & Aimless Wandering
Not only do a lot of NFT's within the same series looks the same, but across series as well!In Episode #266 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: Juan's ridiculous NFT purchases, why Juan is delusional about his love for artistic NFT's (they're all the same), how I propose to strengthen my meme muscle, whether the Great Men of history theory is legit, who will be first on Mars, the joy of wandering around and finding new places in your city, why cityscapes are better
Beliefs: What Do You Believe & Why?
We get slightly philosophical on this one as we explore some of our deepest held beliefs.In Episode #265 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: how to catch us live in the future, a few different definitions of the word, why I have a new hated buzzword, some things that we strongly believe, a shoutout to Petar the Slav & Dave Jones for boostagramming, some topics we find immensely boring, why flat earthers are just regular people and why meritocracy will fail when the robots take over.As
Catching COVID & Wacky Watches
Well this turned out to be mostly an episode of complaining. Complaining about COVID, about doctors, about fiat and about dressing up.In Episode #264 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: how Juan caught COVID this last week, my moaning about the medical system, whether we should help you to help us, my surprise erotic encounter, why everyone's watches seem to be broken, why we want to wear a pocketwatch, Juan appearing in random photos from Mexico and how you can support poor Juan
Anime: Our Favourites & The Changing Of Stigma
What's your favourite anime and why? In Episode #263 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: the Japanese definition of animation compared to the west, a huge list of enjoyable anime and their defining characteristics, the great dubbed vs subbed debate, why friendship is always the main takeaway (lol), some epic moments imprinted in our memories, why I felt embarrassed by watching (for a while) and how it compares to reading the manga.A big shoutout to our anonymous supporter for this la
ANDREW TAYLOR | Live_Co x ambitious lifestyle, business, lifestyle and stories
Andrew Taylor, The CEO and Founder of Live Co (https://lvco.com.au/)and the Ambitious Lifestyle, was born and raised in South Auckland. While now residing in Brisbane he has not forgotten his roots and where he came from and the community that he was surrounded with while growing up. Coming from an area that was often portrayed negatively in the media he understands what it is like to be over looked. In todays conversation I sat down with Andrew to talk business, lifestyle and the stories along
Unbelievable Stories: Sorting Out Truth From The Embellishments
Definitely worth watching for the graphics I created as I think this might be one of our best episodes yet!In Episode #262 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: what the 2020's will be remembered for, Juan's unbelievable humility (hahahahaha), thoughts on the stories humans tell, ridiculous but truthful fiction, how ideas travel in the world, the awesome dolls created in the 18th century, Stephen Wolfram's & the Mandelbrot set and getting your money hacked from creati
Robots: Our Future Relationships, The Uncanny Valley & Uneducated Predictions
Domo arigato Mr Juanboto.In Episode #261 Juan and I discuss: some changes to our podcast format, whether we could love or be friends with robots, why robots in our sports could be epic, Bender from Futurama, my fetish for holes of all sorts (apparently), why I want a drone sitting on my shoulder and whether you will like the new format.As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - We're Going Live!(5:17) - New List Of Changes(9:25) - Why Robots & Definition(12:50) - F
Monthly Goals - January 2022
You smell that ....... it smells like it's goal time.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do diff
Heroes, Legends & Icons: Which Types Of Amazing People Do We Look Up To?
What do George Orwell, Henry Spira, Viktor Frankl, Adam Curry, Ian Thorpe & Mark Twain all have in common?In Episode #260 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: the definition of these various terms, why idolising certain people might be unhealthy, figures from history that have influenced us, what characteristics make these people special, why our diversity levels are super super low, which of the 3 options we would like to be and why you (yes YOU!) are a legend for listening to the Mer
PERNIS & SPOOPS: What's The Latest News In HOSKY Land?
Nothing like some memes to end off the year!In Episode #259 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: Xmas NFT's and the sad news of the hosky price rise, how the Cardano network promotes decentralisation, why memecoins are great for dipping your toes in the water, the Immutable X layer 2 for Ethereum, the PERNIS v WENIS debate that will surely end in bloodshed, our version of the $1 Bitcoin video, Web 3.0/sweaty hands/crypto stocks and the EOY Boostagram Lounge.A big thanks to Sir Spe
Making Mistakes: Why We're Full Of Them And Why It's Hard To Admit Them
Well, we know we're full of Mere Mortals mistakes, now the whole world gets to know!In Episode #258 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: some potential reasons why mistakes are hard to admit to, ways in which we've stuffed up our lives (apart from the whole things of course), why one might want to fail to make more mistakes and some of the worst blunders of history.As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - An intro full of mistakes(2:07) - Definition(3:59)
Flat Out Bland Food: What Type Of Delicacies Will You Find At A Minesite?
Juan has been super busy this week and he's been compensating by eating more of his bland food than normal.In Episode #257 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: whether it's good to be super busy, the selection of buffet food at my old work, why I stopped the V4V podcast, our interactions with Podcasting 2.0, the recent changes in our fashion (particularly fancy socks) and a big thankyou to all the people who helped support the show!As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals o
PETE SMISSEN | Dodgy Science, The Complexity Of The English Language & Looking Into The Future
Why did Pete forgo a career in science to focus upon Aussie English?In Conversation #67 Pete and I discuss: preparing for podcast interviews, some of the problems with scientific studies, people behaving in a false/lying manner, how cryptocurrencies are gaining steam, if the future is all about electric cars and other innovation, what he has been reading/listening to recently and some nerdy linguistic talk about English.As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - How much re
The Art Of Learning: What Are The Different Ways To Learn & How Can One Become A Better Learner?
This convo was sparked due to Juan reading Josh Waitzkin's 'The Art Of Learning'.In Episode #256 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: the tai chi championship Josh Waitzkin competed in, examples of how we chose to learn different depending on the context, the difference between acquiring fast knowledge vs mastering a skill, why we can learn more quickly than younger versions of ourselves, the Kyrin approved general learning process and the Japanese martial art method of the
Mere Mortals Merry Xmas: Colombian & Australian Christmas Traditions
Apparently my family's McDonald's Christmas tradition is a bit strange.In Episode #255 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: why we won't be making NFT's anytime soon, the difference between Christmas traditions across cultures, how Juan won a cookie through fooling someone solving a Rubik's cube, my recent experience being part of a livestream, some thoughts on our recent podcasting popularity, this week's boostagrams and my oath to be more prepared.In thi
ADAM CURRY | The Origins Of Value For Value, Living An Amazing Life & The New Age Of Podcasting 2.0
How did Adam come up with the Value for Value model and why does this work perfectly with the advances of Podcasting 2.0?In Conversation #66 Adam and I discuss: buying a Belgian castle with a helipad, the core principles of V4V, the different stages of No Agenda and refining the model, how he crashed a motorbike whilst dressed as Elvis, favourite books/languages/travel, the importance of Bitcoin & micropayments, his amazing ability to be at the forefront of movements and why he wants to be r
Something For Nothing: Is Free Really Free Or Are There Always Costs (Hidden Or Transparent)?
Do you view the world as transactional and think that everyone has a motive behind every action?In Episode #254 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: why I came up with this topic, how 'free isn't free' aligns with the value for value philosophy, how altruism disappears if everyone has a selfish motive, the wisdom behind 'one man's trash is another man's treasure', free NFT's/furniture/scholarship we have received, how we personally think about '
OSCAR MERRY | Fountain Podcasting App, Bitcoin Streaming & Implementing Value For Value
Value for value has jumped forward with the ability to stream micropayments of Bitcoin whilst listening to your favourite podcaster (hopefully it's us)!In Conversation #65 Oscar and I discuss: unique names and finding twitter handles, the fountain podcasting app and how it started, why Oscar was quick to combine his crypto and podcasting passions, awesome design and choosing which features to integrate first, his thoughts on the v4v model, escaping bureaucracy to work on something he loves
$HOSKY Returns: Why Is The Cash Grab Community So Crazy & Also So Generous?
This episode was supported by the generosity of Vegas Pool & Petar The Slav. Let their names be immortalised!!!!In Episode #253 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: how we would hypothetically steal a crypto seed phrase, my poor social skills yet strangely tantalising bubble butt, the latest HOSKY news, Vegas Pool's generosity and how we hope to replicate it, our shitty marketing plan, Juan's learning about Decentralized Autonomous Organizations, the shape of a holacracy
PETE BUI | Staking With A Stakepool Operator, Learn Cardano Podcast & Aussie Crypto Talk
Do you want to know more about the Cardano Blockchain and the process of staking with a stakepool operator (SPO)?In Conversation #64 Pete and I discuss: the purpose of the Cardano cryptocurrency, the idea behind staking/delegation, how to run a stakepool, Australia's position with regard to crypto, his old Joomla Beat and new Learn Cardano podcasts, how you can create a vibrant community and some fun stuff around backflips and travelling.I hope you're having a fantastic day wherever yo
Monthly Goals - December 2021
You taste that ....... it tastes like it's goal time.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do diff
Victim Vs Player: Getting Out Of The Victim Mentality Into A Position Of Making Action Happen
Do bad things happen to you or do you make the choices that cause them?In Episode #252 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: a TED video from Fred Kofman, why you might need to act weak for the sake of brevity or to avoid black truths, athletes & action makers & PUA's, our personal tendencies that result in a suboptimal mindset, the book by Marshall Rosenberg, Adam Curry's bad luck after bad luck for his helicopter company, whether we are actively focusing on self improvem
Responding To Feedback & Falling For Scams: YouTube Is Deleting Valid Comments & Missing Some Spam
One of my main goals with this channel is that if you reach out to the Mere Mortals you will never feel like you are talking into a void. YouTube is starting to make this harder.In Episode #251 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: some theories as to why YT is deleting comments, our methodology of responding to our listeners, times where we have fallen or almost fallen for scams, why Wall-E is apparently a dystopian nightmare, my decision to step away from the NFT space, an interruptio
DIOGO COELHO | Creating Your Own Philosophy, Banned From Podcasting & Remaining Stoic In Hard Times
Diogo's censorship from podcasting is ridiculous but I was super impressed with his reaction to his setback.In Conversation #63 Diogo and I discuss: why Diogo got banned from podcasting and almost from all social media, the Sydney protests and personal censorship he experienced, how stoicism plays a big part in his philosophy, his learnings from reading many of the core spiritual texts, depression and the complexity of the problem, a wild story of when he was in his favela back in Brazil an
Shitcoins Vs Memecoins: The Emergence Of HOSKY & Degeneracy
If you don't own at least 1 billion $HOSKY can you even call yourself a serious investor?In Episode #250 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: why I became obsessed with the Cardano memecoin called HOSKY this last week, why it is a brilliant source of memes and fun, how the degenerates waste their money in the age of crypto, some actual reasons why memecoins have value, why Saitama Inu has some weird money grubbing characteristics, how children interact with blockchain tech, the always
La Niña & Assholes: Rainy Weather Is Creating Bad Drivers & Making Our Workouts Harder
Watch out Brisbane, Juan is getting mad ....... you don't want to see Juan mad.In Episode #249 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: the rainy weather that is coming to Brissie, the last La Niña that caused flooding, Juan's frustrating traffic story followed by his aggravating car fine, how the wet weather will effect our workouts, age catching up and why you need to help support us.As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Juan's bitching and baske
KIERAN NOLAN | Blockchain Education For Kids, Distributing The Web With IPFS & Lifelong Learning
Kieran Nolan is the cofounder of Rocketshoes, educational technologist, host of the IPFS podcast and a lover of all things blockchain. In Conversation #62 we chat about: teaching blockchain tech to primary school children, the difficulties of educating parents, real life use cases of IPFS with rocketshoes, an overview of the InterPlanetary File System, the limitations of blockchain technology and why he is so fascinated by it.I hope you enjoy this as much as I did, Kyrin out!Timeline:(0:00) - Na
Reputation By Association: How Do The People You Interact With Reflect On You?
Should I ditch Juan, is he giving me a bad reputation?In Episode #248 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: responsibility for the type of people and groups you run in, whether we would care if a new acquaintance had a bad reputation, how much this topic plays out in our day to day life, the differences between your online keyboard warrior and IRL notoriety, why everybody absolutely loves us and wants us in all their cool groups (not!), times we have made the choice to push someone away or
Mental Traps: Falling For Bullshit & Awareness Of Blind Spots
What are the mental traps that you fall into and how do you try to combat them?In Episode #247 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: my recent TikTok superstardom with my brothers random friends, essential survival tools, essential entertainment devices (to throw at noisy crows), the mind reading capabilities shown in 'The Portrait Of A Lady' by Henry James, areas where we stuff up all the time, misinterpretation of an NFL kiss cam, the superpower of Dave Chappelle and a recom
JEREMY aka OrigamicPenguin | VeeFriend holder, taking risks and creating your own NFTs
In Conversation #61 I took some time to talk with Jeremy, aka OrigamicPenguin on twitter to talk all things Veefriends, taking risks, establishing his own northern star and creating his own NFT!As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(1:30) - meeting other VeeFriends(2:45) - 60 seconds who is Jeremy(4:45) - What is happening in California?(7:30) - Moving away from corporate America(16:30) - Pursuing passion(31:45) - Ethereum going up(40:00) - Airdrops and NFTs(59:00
Metrics That Matter: What Do You Measure & Why Is It Important?
Get prepared for some numbers people, we're diving deep into the analytical, engineering minds of the Mere Mortals.In Episode #246 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: the reasoning behind talking about metrics & my general philosophy, realisations that it's possible to go overboard, sleep/financial/fitness/random data that we collect and analyse, qualitative metrics that are harder to measure, what happens when the process goes wrong, an example of unique podcasting metrics
Deep Fakes & Airlie Beach Shenanigans: Drinking at a backpacker hotspot will make you sick!
As I write this a week on I'm still coughing up mysterious traveller germs, the fun of Airlie Beach comes with a price!In Episode #245 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: our recent holiday to a vacation getaway in beautiful Queensland, similarities between my brother and I, Juan's recent experiments with photoshops and deep faking faces, getting lost inside a gaming world, some stats on how many podcast episodes are released per minute, favourite moments from our trip and s
Easy Money: How You Can Get It And What You Should Do With It
We're talking about money, and then hopefully taking a break from it for a while. I feel gross when I talk about it for too long.In Episode #244 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: why you don't want to see your net worth decrease, our personal monthly expenses, how much extra it would cost for our dream lifestyle, why chasing the next promotion solely for money is very very silly, how gambling can cloud your judgement and whether there actually is easy money to be made.As alway
Disgusting Dubs & Happy Holidays
Prerecording FTW, where would we be without you!In Episode #243 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: why we had to film earlier due to our upcoming/already completed Airlie Beach trip, why dubbing over anime and foreign language is unacceptable, bringing back the good times by revisiting old and fond memories, ways in which we succeeded without meaning to, some thoughtful input from our local Slav and who it is that can claim to be the #1 podcast in the universe (or in the simulation h
Monthly Goals - November 2021
You smell that ....... it smells like it's goal time.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do diff
What Is Your Motivation?
So ... what's your motivation for doing anything?In Episode #242 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: our demotivating and quite frankly lazy Halloween outfits, the book Humankind: A Hopeful History by Rutger Bregman, personal motivation for why we both workout so much, overcoming apathy and sleeping better, making sure you are not becoming a bad person, a shitty argument about action vs non action and why we refuse to spend the time to become amazing at marketing.As always, we hope y
Duolingo Is Being Sneaky
I'm onto you Duolingo, I see through all your sneaky tactics. Watch your back!In Episode #241 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: our gratitude for Southbank allowing us back in our normal spot, Juan's interaction with a homeless man outside a gas station, why Duolingo has it in for podcasting, why one might be hypocrite and work at cross purposes within oneself, the hilarious translation for jailbait, languages/Colombian culture & the diversity of nationalities one migh
EVERYDAY SLOTHS | Open AMA with the creators of an Australian NFT project
Welcome back all - today's conversation is a little different than most and was a section of conversation that occured during an AMA with the creators of Everyday Sloths - an upcoming Australian NFT project with a MASSIVE game changer in the way you interact with your NFT.As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(1:00) - Marketplace with NFTs(4:40) - Rarity tool conversation(8:10) - The wardrobe behind the sloths(14:00) - What did it take to begin?(20:00) - Regu
The Wastage Of Work: How Should We Collectively Think About Jobs?
This is probably one of my beliefs that will annoy the most people.In Episode #240 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: why I think there is something wrong with the way that we all view 'jobs' as a necessity, why people work in the first case, how many people would stay at their job if they weren't getting paid, why paying for everything is the end goal, a Mexican parable and Humankind: A Hopeful History by Rutger Bregman.As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals out!Timel
Podcasting 2.0 Benefits Are Going Mainstream
There are some exceptional benefits one can gain from using the Podcasting 2.0 tech and it is starting to get noticed!In Episode #239 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: Alex Gladstein mentioning P2.0 on the Lex Fridman Podcast, whether the younger generation is more generous with money, the happiest time of someone's life, what we personally have gained from diving into P2.0, our responses to Petar's boostagrams and our lack of artistic understanding (but Juan's love o
Trust In The Age Of Cryptocurrencies
How might the whole world change if everyone embodies the Bitcoin mantra of 'don't trust, verify'.In Episode #238 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: why this topic popped up for us, ways we believe the world could change with less trust in the ecosystem, process vs characteristic vs institution based trust, some data and graphs about the link between social trust and economic prosperity, how the old lady physically going to the bank demonstrates an individual comfort, the
The Aussie Version Of Squid Game, Why AI Should Be More Inhumane & Making The Hard Decisions
Have you ever heard of the Australian childhood game of Brandy?In Episode #237 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: why the Dere Dortals are feeling dusty (aka, hungover), the popular Squid Game show, turning Brandy into tennis balls with acid, Red Rover come over, how explaining things simply is quite difficult, some thoughts on how a dispassionate artificial intelligence could be beneficial to humanity, if we have the capability to make a high stakes choice and the infamous boostagra
JORDAN MICHAELIDES | An Uncommon Podcast, Crypto’s Effect On Humanity & The Best Books To Read
In Conversation #59 I chat with Jordan Michaelides, host of the 'Uncommon' podcast, cofounder of Neuralle digital agency and Head of Partnerships at CoinJar. Some of the topics we cover include: the origination story of Neuralle/Uncommon, guest selection and how he gets the most out of them, his experience in the crypto industry with CoinJar and a whole selection of books that we both seem to have read.Jordan is a great guy and I highly recommend his podcast, his style is unique and ov
NFT's: Are They A Fad?!?!
A listener suggested topic (props to Petar), are NFT's just the current hype or do they have some lasting value?In Episode #236 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: the definition of a fad (and provide some examples), my 4 categories that are indications of a fad, Juan's thoughts on a product integrating into society, our conclusion on whether NFT's are a fad and why they will certainly have a crash (fad or not).As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00)
Time Wasting Travel Stories
Juan almost got stood up recently and so we both had an outlet to bitch and moan about getting stooged.In Episode #235 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: why we have so many topics for meanderings, Juan's drive to the Sunshine Coast that almost ended in disaster, the dodgy people I encountered in a Macca's carpark, dirt balls vs meatballs, how Juan has a gaming addiction that he keeps under tight wrap, using AfterPay to magnify the world's debt, the Aryan language at t
KATIE FERREIRA | Disney Enthusiast, South Korea Fandom & Two Girls In A Podcast
In Conversation #58 I chatted with Katie Ferreira, co-host of the 'Two Girls In A Podcast' ..... podcast! Katie (along with her co-host Jen) love Disney World and all things Disney related. We discuss what makes it stand out and why it has become a big part of her life. We also get onto the cool/wacky part of South Korean culture, amazing interactions she has had as a podcaster and some of the things that bring joy to her life.Katie's an amazing person and I really enjoyed getting
Monthly Goals - October 2021
You smell that ....... it smells like it's goal time.Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do diff
Looking Forward: Our Goals For 2022
In our last episode we were looking at the past year, now we are looking forward to our goals for the future!In Episode #234 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: why starting your goals on New Year's day is stupid, Juan's 3 categories of Body, Mind & Soul, my 8 categories of Partner, Relationships, Finance, Health, Spirituality, Travel, Character & Knowledge/Skills, the 2022 Fitness Challenge and why your yearly goal should be to send us a boostagram!As always, we hope yo
Looking Back: A Review Of Our 2021 Goals
It's time for a sum episode of everything that we've been doing in the past year!In Episode #233 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: the links between our overarching long-term goals down to our daily checklists, Juan's 3 categories of Body/Mind/Soul and why he is pretty chuffed with an 80% completion rate, my 8 categories (too many to put here) and how I failed some miserably, altered some, smashed some out of the park and even completed one without meaning to!As alway
ROYCE DUNNE | Australia's 2021 Torian Pro Winner, Games Athlete, Mayhem Athlete, Dad And Husband
I got the chance to sit down with the big man himself, Royce Dunne, and briefly touch on competing, the mentality to keep on going, competing at the games, being in the storm, being an athlete and a father and his two great takeaways. Small audio issues towards the end of the video did not stop us from having a good time.As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:20) - Why Crossfit(2:30) - Why be competitive(4:45) - Winning is fun, but what if you dont win?(9:50) -
Intersubjectivity: The Mix Between Objective & Subjective
Get prepared to go deep, we are discussing 'truth' and how it changes between the 3 states of objective, subjective and intersubjective.In Episode #232 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: how Juan found this concept in 'Sapiens' by Yuval Noah Harari, our definition of the three states and how they relate to each other, getting distracted by a Simpsons inspired soapbox car, intersubjective truths (money, morality, success) that are probably wrong and how to connect with
Meeting Bitcoin People In Real Life
What type of person is your typical Bitcoiner?In Episode #231 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: our recent problem with rules & regulations, our experiences going to 2 x Bitcoin Meetups, the funny type of people that you can meet, risky business in the NFT world, why our brains might be a tad different than most people, a debate on how necessary maths really is, more BS and shit behaviour on OpenSea plus shoutouts to Chad & Chris (Sat's What She Said).As always, we hope
JAMES CRIDLAND | The Future Of Podcasting, Playing With Technology & Automating Away Drudgery
In Conversation #56 I chat with James Cridland; the Radio Futurologist and host of multiple podcasts (Podnews/Podland/Podclock). We start off with a bit of tech talk before diving into all things podcasting. This includes an explanation of Podcasting 2.0, how audio programs vary around the world and defining what a podcast actually is. To finish off we explore a bunch of topics I personally love such as travel, cultural differences, books and what brings James joy & meaning.As always, I hope
The Psychology Of Going All In
Is dedicating yourself single-mindedly to a task a psychologically good for you?In Episode #230 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: how Juan is ill prepared and therefore definitely not all in, Tolstoy's book and story that gave me the idea for today's topic, our definition on what this psychology is, why Juan thinks Tolstoy is an average writer and needs to improve (lol), why I believe that the mental process of pure dedication is one of narrowing your focus, liberation from ch
Our Recent Concerns: Vaccines, Politics & Time Wasting
We're talking about some of our recent concerns, but as usual our reasoning might be a bit odd.In Episode #229 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: an intro of just how wild we are (not very), a couple of boostagrams from my recent chat with Dave Jones, Juan's first dose and how it knocked him around, my intense dislike of politics could lead to my future downfall, Juan falling into the infinite feed pools, slavic Petar and why we played science with animals as kids, my distu
ERIKA DE PELLEGRIN | Core Values Of Health, Relationships, Fulfilment & Visualising Balance
In Conversation #55 I had Erika de Pellegrin from The Balance Theory podcast join me again to talk about all things balance and podcasting. We start off by revisiting her core 3 values, diving into her podcasting process and what she has learnt from her guests and audience. We then chat more about her backstory, favourite books, what brings her joy and how she lives out her core values in the real world.As always, I hope you are having a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. Kyrin out!Tim
Mere Mortals 2.0
There's some changes coming to the Mere Mortals and podcasting as a whole. Here's the sum up.In Episode #228 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: our commitment to being awesome & improving, new features such as chapters, links, transcripts, real examples using elephants, benefits that podcasters can now use for themselves, all of this is available to use right now (how very cool), new features like cross-platform commenting & going live, our new 95% schedule, a warning t
Boostagrams, Buying 72 Books & Smooth Brain Actions
Ahhhh shit. My audio is slightly scratchy on this one so I would actually recommend to listen at 1.25 or 1.5 speed as that seems to even it out.In Episode #227 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: Epictetus and how to say his name, shoutouts for boostagrams, Gary Vee's book titled 'Twelve And A Half', the concept of smooth brain, frustrations while coding and tech related mishaps, a podcast I tuned into called Ablekraft, and a look into what we have learned from gaining
DAVE JONES | Podcasting 2.0, Value For Value & Innovative Features
In Mere Mortals Conversation #54 I got to welcome on Dave Jones; a host of Podcasting 2.0 and integral part of the movement to improve podcasting. In this episode we go over some of the core aspects of how he and Adam Curry are making the podcasting experience better for listeners, developers and podcasters. This includes things like the value for value model, innovative new features and how cryptocurrency is becoming part of the process. Towards the end I get to ask Dave some more personal ques
Monthly Goals - September 2021
We're coming to the end of some yearly goals and beginning to start afresh. Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodolo
Our Thoughts On Fast & Slow Money
What are our general principles for investing and how does this mix with the new crypto rules?In Episode #226 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: how my brother is making money through the gambling websites, how your money mindset changes with time, how Wikipedia is the fun version of Newpedia, my general principles when it comes to investing, our relationship with money when we were young and how I am sacrificing car fines to bring you this beautiful Mere Mortality goodness.As always, we
The Meaning Of Life & The Meaning Of Love
So for our light chilled out discussion today ..... we decided to tackle the biggest questions of all!In Episode #225 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: our return to the old stomping ground at South Bank, why I sometimes keep a dream journal, my wacky dream of monsters and aliens, whether dreams can be turned into movies, how suffering and meaning are intertwined, why love is the amelioration of life's shitiness, why it's not important to know the answer to these questions
JACK JEFFERY | 2021 Crossfit Games Semifinalist, TrueAthlete & Coach
I was fortunate to have a conversation with Jack Jeffery, at a young 20 years old he is already knocking at the door in the world of crossfit, reaching the australian semi-finals in 2021 and with good outlook on his future.A coach as well as a TrueAthlete, in this conversation I got the chance to talk all things fitness, why he began crossfit, the stories of the Torian Pro and what it takes to recover from 3 workouts a day!As always, we hope you enjoy. Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(2:
How To Set Fitness Goals
Combining the two things we actually know: how to set goals and how to workout!In Episode #224 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: Juan's new focus on cooking, my recent points in the fitness challenge, reflections on mistakes we made for this years fitness goals, how we would start over give the chance, some advice for beginners starting to workout, the mechanics of swimming properly, why curiosity killed the cat and some shoutouts to people who deserve it.As always, we hope you enj
Restricted User Experience & Crazy Work Parties
Why aren't apps more customisable and crazy money thrown around during the mining boom.In Episode #223 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: Juan's dying goose impersonation, how my plan to conquer the world with QR codes has failed, the most divisive worldwide topic, how travel will change in the future, Topgolf's extremely racist anti-Kyrin policy, the fun world of app development/beta testing/UX, how we got our video clips onto podcast players and a couple of shoutouuu
PETE SMISSEN | Aussie English, Playing The YouTube Game & Linguistic Fun
In Conversation #52 I had a chat with Pete Smissen. Pete is the host of the Aussie English podcast, a pornstar impersonator, mad scientist, linguist extraordinaire and a YouTube thumbnail model (what can't he do)! We chat about some of the decisions he made while creating Aussie English, why you need to dive into the rabbit hole of the YouTube best practices and some of the learnings he has gained from examining his native language, learning foreign languages and raising bilingual children.
The Risky World Of NFT's & Cryptocurrencies
If you want to avoid stress in your life it's probably best to avoid fintech, defi and online money.In Episode #222 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: how we as Mere Mortals fail all the time, the Avastar NFT and Juan's debacle in trying to get one, my experience 'losing' my money whilst transferring Ethereum, how being on the ball and smart doesn't mean a good outcome will be guaranteed, embracing risk to gain greater rewards, a flashback to some recent episodes
Having Fun With New Technology & Fake Apps
Have you ever been fooled by a phone app that was a knock-off fake?In Episode #221 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: how a QR code can have multiple uses, posting potential litter in random locations (but maybe it will go viral?), how social media and technology as a whole keeps evolving and blending to create new stuff, what we really enjoy from our podcast players and their best features, how I have been fooled multiple times recently by apps that aren't actually available in
The New Means Of Decentralization & Is Australia Becoming Orwellian?
We've had some lockdowns recently here in Australia, so therefore from now onwards you must call me Comrade Kyrin.In Episode #220 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: the brief period just before the lockdown of a happy world, details of the restrictions and a theory on what rights one should have if choosing not to get vaccinated, a debate on whether we are becoming Orwellian here in Aus, Gary Vee's new PLP program, why less billionaires is a sign that things are going correct,
Random Meanderings Of A Johnny Sins Doppelganger
We cover a lot of topics in this episode so strap yourselves in for some deep sexy 'hardcore' discussions.In Episode #219 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: the coolness of sport climbing and Kabaddi, the Channel 7 app is not fun to use, moving away from applications that are trying to create silos, Juan's fancy dancy watch that will outlive us all, why I seem to look like every bald/balding guy in existence, additions to our shitty jobs list and how we should be punis
Mere Mortals Monthly Goals - August 2021
For those wondering, this is not a shit green screen. We actually recorded here and this is what it looks like!Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week (in this case second) of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some
Donating Sperm & Questions About A 96 km Hike
I wonder if it's possible to donate sperm whilst doing a 96 km hike?In Episode #218 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: our recent Instagram ad targeting us for sperm donation, our conjectures on why there is a shortage of sperm donors, how the process works and you might have unknown children showing up on your doorstep, what the general public might think of sperm donation, questions for Juan about his hike related to lying/nature/character/hardship and a demonstration of just how
New Olympic Games, The Art Of Podcasting & Improving Podcast Apps
The Olympic Games are coming to Brisbane and we have some suggestions for improvements!In Episode #217 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: our boredom with the current Olympics, the new types of sports that could be added, an explanation of Kabaddi, why podcasting might be harder than simply talking into a mic, the excruciating Jocko & Lex podcast, some learnings we have made on being better podcasters, investing in NFT's, Breez/Podfriend/Curiocaster & some of the new pod
Conquering The Kokoda Challenge
Juan finally completed the 96 km hike known as the Kokoda Challenge!In Episode #216 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: preparation and details of the hike, why false hope can make it mentally harder, the need for dry socks and how your feet will turn to mush, dodgy course officials lying out their ass, the aftermath of poor sleep and weary body, would he ever do such an easy walk again (hehe he's soft as!), my continuing process of eliminating things I don't need to do and choo
Kyrin The Cane Toad Champion & Giving Back Value
Have you ever raced a cane toad, if not ...... have you even lived?In Episode #215 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: our mini holiday that went unnoticed, my adventures in North Queensland, racing cane toads and why humans go on holidays, seeing cats everywhere and hallucinating about running, why insanity might not be as illogical as it appears from the outside, the worst torture methods for us, how I am becoming more generous with age, clarifying some podcasting 2.0 misinformation
Being The Best: Who Are You To Yourself?
We're all about introspection here people. The name Mere Mortals didn't come about because we look at ourselves and are entirely happy with what we see.In Episode #214 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: trying to be/do the best for yourself versus for other people, if you met another version of yourself would you like that person?, authenticity and why it misses the need to act differently depending on the situation, why free speech isn't our ultimate moral/ethic/value (bu
Pure Fun, Pure Savagery & Pure Shoutouts
We are nothing but pure beings. Penetrating light will enter your chakras (damn that's hot). Time is nothing but an empty clock. Deep.In Episode #213 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: why I acclaim a successful convo as one where I barely do any talking, the anime on Netflix of gods vs humans, our typical forms of viewership that bring us nothing but entertainment, my rediscovery of how to train hard, doing burpees for days, some shoutouts to people I like and whether anyone ca
Podcasting 2.0: Adam Curry On The Future Of Podcasting
The future of podcasting is here ...... PODCASTING 2.0. The Podfather decrees it so!In Episode #212 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: how Adam Curry helped to invent podcasting, how podcasting is moving away from accessibility & individuality to conformist conglomerations, his vision of the future with a value for value model by introducing micropayment capabilities into the podcasting applications, how this idea still is probably 10 years too early due to the pain points of cryptos
The Worst Jobs Imaginable & Having Fun With Memes
Talk about light & breezy, this episode was really fun. Dig in if you enjoy my (Kyrin) sense of humour as you'll learn about some memes I used to create and how I have fun nowadays.In Episode #211 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: the 3 worst jobs we can imagine for ourselves, my chill out phase keeps extending, my previous job of being a meme lord, how some people can get stuck in the trap of over productivity, the imaginary humanoid friends I create at the calisthenics pa
WILLIAM KEARNEY | Crossfit Torian Lead Coach, PRVN Coach and Elite Crossfit Athlete #51
William Kearney first got started in fitness at the ripe old age of 14, and in this conversation I got to ask him some fascinating questions around his why, what his future looks like, what it takes to strive to be one of the world's best and many more things in between.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(1:20) - Why Crossfit(3:45) - Transition into the Men's level(5:00) - The drive to compete(6:30) - Expectation to perform(8:10) - Early burnouts(9:45
When False Knowledge Can Be Worse Than Ignorance
Have you ever learnt something that was untrue and that made your life noticeably worse?In Episode #210 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: why Juan is a gorilla with a small penis, how rope climbing is hard as balls, times that we have tried out dangerous activities, a big list of ideals related to religion/character/profession/etc, why being ignorant about some information will let you be in a better position (i.e., maybe fake news actually is dangerous) and our shiny new website. Go ch
One Pound Fish & The Two Types Of Busyness
Do you prefer to be busy via multitasking lots of tasks or having extended periods with one focus?In Episode #209 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: Juan's bizarre choice of winter clothes with summer fashion, a random act of kindness via the internet, shout outs to listeners who are giving some love, how I enjoyed a whole busy day of chatting, exercising and driving, my new longest record convo of close to 4 hours, Juan's new gym gear plus how he got disappointed by it and
Mere Mortals Monthly Goals - July 2021
Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous monthly goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do differently and why? Let us know in the comments.As always, we
Training Holistically With The Four 'Zone 2' Components
Are you training in a smart way for your future self, or are you training like Juan?In Episode #208 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: the four components of 'Zone 2' training as described by Peter Attia, strong hamstrings with weak stability, how delayed gratification can be viewed as earning the right to play, the main thing I learned from Taoism, why I like the concept of Wu Wei, Lost Horizon by James Hilton has jumped into my top 10 books of all time and if the Chux beanie
Our Favourite Movie Genres & The Desire For Fame
What are the benefits of fame and is there any type of fame that would be better than others?In Episode #207 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: Juan's discovery of some NFT's that are truly useless, general dodginess that can be found in the crypto area (due to malice, incompetence or sheer bad luck), which countries would survive a money reset, some of our favourite movies and genres (hint: we don't have that many), a silly TikTok game, how much time we spend/care abo
The Things We Swore We'd Never Do ....... And Then We Did Them
Have you ever stated you would never do something only to suddenly find 1 day/week/year later that you in fact are now doing it?In Episode #206 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: a pineappling that I well and truly deserved for talking shit, running/long distance relationships/buying clothes online/text speak and all the other bullshit we swore we'd never do, maybe we are now the manifestation mortals, Ross Edgley's book on resilience and bullshit standard conventions, two comp
A New Theory On The Optimal Level Of Traffic
Is it possible that an increased level of traffic on the roads can actually make the driving experience more enjoyable?In Episode #205 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: how I discovered that there might be a dip/spike in the middle of the traffic to driving pleasure graph, why this same dip might exist in cheesecake quantity/temperature/women's looks, how the world is turtles stacked upon turtles, what stigmas we agree with and why they are useful, a recitation of my poetry and
LUCAS CULLEN | Co-Founder of Civic Ledger, Cryptocurrency Consultant, Bitcoin, NFT's & DeFi #50
Lucas Cullen started programming from a very young age, liking the idea of being able to make games or tools that others would then use, or to use himself to automate processes. From his early days, this idea of pure logic inspired him and helped him see things early on when most didn't.I was lucky to connect with Lucas to talk all things Crypto, his early days and how he held on, where the nickname Bitcoin Grandpa came from and how cryptocurrency is discussed within his household. Don&apos
What We Know Deeply: Fitness & Isolation
What topic do you feel that you are most qualified or comfortable to talk about?In Episode #204 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: my new Barry White voice, how and where we gain our information and wisdom on a day to day basis, a hypothetical of appearing on a panel with world experts on a certain topic, hobbies that will appear on the Mere Mortal channel in the future (bouldering, wood carving, travel, etc.,) and why I find monks & altering consciousness fascinating.As always, we h
Blood On Blood Sibling Rivalry Will Be The Future Of TV
What would be the best strategy to win a gameshow comprised solely of other gameshows?In Episode #203 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: Juan's cool new lensless glasses, another Juan story of terrible customer service (the bank version!), a difficult hypothetical for Juan, macro vs micro and when it might be important to be aware of the micro, my fabulous new idea for a TV show from reading 'River Out Of Eden' & 'The Chaung Tzu', how we would prepare phy
Intentionally Obscure Communication Is Trash
What is your tolerance level for communication that is not presented in the most accessible way possible?In Episode #202 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: Juan's recent humbling experience of seeing people who are the best in the world at what they do, what I want to change after my silent retreat, not wanting to speak in platitudes but sometimes needing to, peak experiences that you can get from exercise/meditation/drugs, why we hate books that are hard to decipher and some of the
Running A Marathon While Hungover
Would you rather run or meditate for half a day? What about daily for a month or a whole year?In Episode #201 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: why junk food is trash and now that we are old it just sucks, I finally (FINALLY!!!) completed a marathon and why it sucked balls, a fun little game to see what time I ran, a hypothetical about running/meditating and why I got offered coke just after watching an orchestra perform.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00)
Meditating 8 Hours Daily On A 7 Day Silent Retreat
Would you ever want to try a silent retreat and meditate all day? In a celebratory (but quietly so) Episode #200 on 'Solitude' Juan and I discuss: my recent experience of going on a self-organised silent retreat, how I prepared for being alone and what rules I would implement, immense suffering and pain from strong determination sittings, some intriguing moments during the retreat, some thoughts on solitude and travelling, sensory deprivation and the power of memes that even the Buddha
Mere Mortals Monthly Goals - June 2021
Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous month's goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do differently and why? Let us know in the comments, Mere Mo
Discipline & Maintaining An Obligation To Your Past/Future Self
Have you ever asked yourself what the difference is between purposeful pain and pointless suffering? In Episode #199 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: Juan's purchase of a Vee Friend, some of the basics behind non-fungible tokens and gas fees, what NFT's are actually used for, the reasons for doing something painful, why we do the things we don't want to do, a story of drinking at an early age and how much of our own podcasts we would watch.As always, we hope you enjoy, M
Methods Of Communication & The Gullibility Of Humans
Would you describe yourself as gullible? In Episode #198 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: using epistemic modals to communicate more effectively, Juan's direct style of conveying information, the release of CIA/FBI documents related to aliens, why we wouldn't be overly worried about the probing upon a first meeting, questions we would ask the aliens, the difference between gullibility and credulity before finishing up with reputation management.As always, we hope you enjo
Why Do Humans Value Freedom So Much?
What does freedom mean to you? In Episode #197 on 'Freedom' Juan and I discuss: why Juan thinks it is a difficult topic to talk about, what we would do if put in charge of Australia, the difference between freedom of an individual vs having a free society, why I personally didn't like Sebastian much and how this conversation has saved me a lot of time. Just FYI. Our discussion was based on the conversation between Tim Ferriss & Sebastian Junger in Episode #513 of The Tim Ferri
Shaven Headed Strumpets & A Black Ron Weasley
I don't even have a good explanation for why these topics came up. In Episode #196 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: Gary Vee's non-fungible tokens, how NFT's might be used in the future, the absurd stories that appear in Buddhist texts, how it is possible to completely change your deepest held beliefs, why coding will be important and everyone should know it, Harry Potter mishaps and asking yourself whether you actually are a good person deep down.As always, we hope you
The Infinite Money Pool & Opportunities Too Good To Pass Up
Have you ever had an opportunity that just seemed too easy to be real? In Episode #195 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: the absolute apes on Wall St Bets, my brother's recent experience of the infinite money pool, a hilarious study that showed monkeys are better at picking stocks than retail investors, gaining unwarranted confidence from having more and more data, how people of the past used to goal set and make sacrifices, why some parts of evolutionary theory seems a bit dod
Analysis Of 'How To Get Rich' By Naval Ravikant
What makes a person wise & how can one judge if advice received is wisdom? In Episode #194 on 'Wisdom' Juan and I discuss: the meaning behind the word 'wisdom', how wealth is different to having lots of money, why most competition is useless and better off jettisoned, the 4 different types of luck, avoiding the trap of feeling productive while 'networking', reading the books with the fundamental concepts, what it means to be accountable and some of my personal t
Accidental Insults & Swearing Statistics
How many times a day do you swear, the answer may surprise you (shocked emoji face)! In Episode #193 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: the difference between deeply knowing a subject vs being able to communicate on it, my story of accidently insulting someone while trying to give a compliment, insulting nicknames and casual racism, some statistics behind swearing, the actual reasons why people swear and how to be a lake instead of a glass.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!T
If We Had To Write A Book - What Would It Be About?
What kind of book can you expect from the Mere Mortals in the future? In Episode #192 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: Stephen King's book 'On Writing' and what techniques are required to be a successful writer, Juan's books about adventure on Mars and his Mere Mortal Maxims, my book's about being weird and zany outlandish shenanigans, what we might look back upon about this time as being awesome, whether freedom is actually all good and being a monk or Elo
Fight The Inevitable Decline By 'Keeping Your Edge'
What is important to you right now and is there anything you can do now to ensure it will be there in 30-50 years time? In Episode #191 on 'Keeping Your Edge' Juan and I discuss: what we consider to be our edges right now, why having the ability to think is important, what it means to be a physical polymath, how Juan's training is definitely unsustainable and will require changing in the future, why losing your edge might just be due to lower energy levels, our current edge mainte
Entertainment Of The Future: Beautiful People & Virtual Reality
How will the entertainment of the future be different than today? In Episode #190 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: the continued presence of live entertainment, virtual reality and on demand viewing, requiring realness even if it could be faked, why you would want to be your first and last customer, how CRISPR could even the beauty standard playing field, how we would personally use CRISPR on our kids and whether it is better to have a hole or an asshole.As always, we hope you enjoy, M
Useless Junk & Making Fighting More Fun
What would you do to make the UFC or watching MMA more exciting? In Episode #189 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: advertising on product features that doesn't make us want to buy it, the mask you can use for doing drug deals and collar to spy on your dog, adding electrified cages to the UFC, adding elements of WWE to real fighting and Juan's experience getting dragged down on a Tough Mudda course.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:32)
Analysis Of 'The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas'
Would you walk away from a utopia if its very existence was dependent on the abject suffering of one child? In Episode #188 on 'Injustice' Juan and I discuss: the basic plot of the fantastic short story by Ursula K. Le Guin, why people might actively create injustice in the world, the internal processes we use to justify with doing morally dubious things, times in our life when we have felt injustice, how being utilitarian might both be good and a bad thing, our decision if we were cha
PAUL BOYD | Experiencing Chernobyl, Childhood Bullying & Life As A Ballet Principal Artist
Paul Boyd is the Head of Academy Program (Upper Levels) and Choreographer in Residence for Queensland Ballet. Paul grew up in Wagga Wagga during the 1960's and found his passion for dance, and in particular for ballet. Over his long career as a dancer he got to perform across the world and even in front of royalty. After retiring from actively dancing he still maintains an absolute passion for the art, helping to grow the next round of Australian talent in Brisbane.In Mere Mortals Conversat
CrossFit Learnings & Stress Inoculation
What has Juan learned about being humble since joining a CrossFit gym? In Episode #187 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: starting as a beginner (even in an area where you are experienced), whether there is any benefit to showing off in a training sense, how to criticise someone's ideas in a useful manner, how to cope with stress and areas in life where trying to improve would be detrimental for our wellbeing.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:
Monks Just Want To Have Sex With Monkeys
Why are there so many rules in the Buddhist texts that forbid monks from having intercourse with sexy monkeys? In Episode #186 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: my recent hilarious reading of the Vinaya Pitaka, the strict rules of monastic Buddhism, biting caterpillars that cause erections, more and more cryptoscams, the impure motives of scientists, some funny hypotheticals on how we will discover how to live to 150+ and Juan's story of being screwed around while trying to get
Learnings From The COVID-19 Pandemic
After a turbulent 2020 what did the Mere Mortals takeaway from the whole Corona madness? In Episode #185 on 'COVID Learnings' Juan and I discuss: that feeling in the air when everybody is anxious, why we went through a collective period of grief, stoicism and how one can prepare for hard times, the changing perception of health to take a longer-term outlook, why excessive news consumption is bad for your health, why COVID is a crap excuse for not getting shit done and how the whole pan
Mere Mortals Monthly Goals - May 2021
Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous month's goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do differently and why? Let us know in the comments, Mere Mo
Running Until The Pain Becomes Unbearable
What happened to me (and my calves) after I attempted my first 3/4 marathon, unbelievable pain is what happened! In Episode #184 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: my longest run of 31.65 km and Juan's description of the aftermath, some of the stats that show the point of hitting the wall, learnings I gained from running this distance, why the universe might not make sense but that doesn't justify outlandish claims and using anger/tranquillity in everyday situations.As always,
What Would You Do With $1,000,000 In Marked Bills?
What are some creative ways you would use $1 Million in cash if there were some questions of its legality? In Episode #183 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: forcing people to jump in rivers and setting up a lemonade stand gang, creating art and opening a museum, stories of criminals who were hunted by the police, a funny tale of the stoner nerds I encountered at the park and how we would try and hide from the police for 48 hours if they were searching for us.As always, we hope you e
Why Climate Change Should NOT Be A Priority!
Why does Bjorn Lomborg believe that the current discussion & solutions for climate change are not only unhelpful, but will hurt the poor? In Episode #182 on 'Climate Change' Juan and I discuss: Bjorn Lomborg and his book False Alarm, the outcomes predicted by the UN climate science reports, analysing how much good $1 spent can achieve across varied categories, why some of the proposed solutions to climate change will actually end badly, implementing a carbon tax/innovation/adaptati
ALYSE GRACE | Breaking The Rut, Attracting A Mentor & Women In Business
Alyse Grace was a highly experienced Business Development Manager and Public Relations Consultant, who transitioned into her own online business project, took on new challenges, became an ironwoman, started the "Trillions" podcast and much, much more!Alyse joined Juan for Conversation #48 and discussed the ways she broke the rut she was in, the way to attract mentors and their importance, what it was like to converse with the likes of Gary Vee and Grant Cardone alongside her thoughts o
The Downsides Of Being Default Assertive
Unreasonable confidence and an assertive attitude can be positive traits in a lot of situation, but when can they lead you astray? In Episode #181 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: Juan's troubles with being too assertive in personal relationships and at work, why having a more chilled out attitude can help in a lot of situations, making yourself humble when starting something new, some stats from my increasing mileage and trying to do a marathon in less than 4 hours, our general t
Skills That Would Make You Dislike Someone
Yodellers, debaters, salsa dancers, contortionists and sales people beware; the Mere Mortals may not like you! In Episode #180 of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: why certain skills may not be an attractive thing to have in a friend, what sort of TV show would make us watch +100 hours, Juan getting click baited by a shit show, how some things can change their qualia with an extra bit of quantity and our introduction for our Yowie animal names.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals
A Breakdown Of Jordan Peterson's Rules
The Ultimate Rule: Pet a house in perfect order while pursuing skateboarding child-cats & comparing the truth with your shoulders back! In Episode #179 - Rules For Life, Juan and I discuss Jordan Peterson's book called '12 Rules For Life' and go through a thorough breakdown of what we found useful and what did not stand out.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro & JBP's '12 Rules For Life'(5:36) - Definition(7:13) - Are having
BRENDAN JAYO | Learning How To Handstand & Meme Recommendations
Brendan Jayo is the handstand man! In Conversation #47 we discuss all things handstands including: the reason people balance on their hands, common injuries that occur from this exercise, what it is like to teach other people in a group setting, personal inspirations and the best handbalancers at the moment, how long it takes to learn a 60s handstand, where Brendan gets his memes and whether we are hopeful about the future.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro &a
The Dark Side Of Cryptocurrency
What is it about cryptocurrency that brings with it the dark side of hustlers & scammers? In Episode #178 of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: my recent shithouse banking experience, crypto makes sense but has some dodgy people in the community, the extreme left and extreme right, the complexity of the financial systems and what our fitness goals will look like when we are older.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Intro(0:47) - Let's talk about banking
Disgusting Foods & Valuable Everyday Items
Do you like cauliflower and if so, explain to me how you managed to burn off your taste buds? In Episode #177 - Meanderings, Juan and I discuss: disgusting foods that we have tasted, Juan's lack of care for taste, the dropping sperm counts of men due to plastics, items nowadays that could become very valuable in the future, why I hate buying things, the scale of difference between a good/shit book and the testing out of the new hat/glasses.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Time
Sleep Consistency, Working Under Pressure & Visionary Leadership
Are humans lazy, hard working or somewhere in between? In Episode #176 - Hard Work, Juan and I discuss: the episode between Lex Fridman and Simon Sinek on the Lex Podcast, our personal thoughts on skipping out on sleep to do more work, Juan's hatred of people who clock in and clock out of their job, why 100 hour work weeks are a bad idea, how much pressure one should apply to get the most out of their employees, founders of companies and whether legacy is important to us.As always, we hope
TOFE EVANS | Endurance Running, Simulated Depression & Unworthiness
Welcome to Mere Mortals Conversation #46. Tofe Evans is the author of the book 'Everyone Has a Plan Until Sh!t Hits the Fan'. To some, he’s known as that kid who ran a race down the slopes of Mt Everest but most of the time he gets called ‘crazy’ or ‘nutcase’ more times than his name. All for the right reasons though. As a firm believer of pushing the boundaries of what the human body and mind is capable of, Tofe is constantly reinventing himself to advocate how anyone can rise above a
Reading Books For A Purpose
Why do people read? In Episode #175 - Musings, Juan and I discuss: another examination of some ideas from Simon Sinek, a clarification on my purpose for doing the podcast, why a small act of volunteering can have an exponential/compounding impact, the areas in our lives that act as bottlenecks for action or achieving goals, my genetic makeup that forces me to read, ensuring you are reading a book for a valid reason, the realisation that my author gender/geography can use some diversification and
The Rudest/Impolite Thing We Have Ever Done!
Share some stories with us of when you have behaved (knowingly or not) like a complete asshole! In Episode #174 - Meanderings, Juan and I discuss: sneaking into organisations and causing havoc, the meme economy and where to get the best memes, our recent bulk spamming on Instagram, why it might be necessary to be impolite on occasions, insulting people about their age, our first ever photobombing (and why future photobombers should watch out) and my list of heroes all seemingly are losers and de
Starting With Our WHY (Episode #173 - Podcasting)
Simon Sinek says to start with WHY, so why do we do the Mere Mortals podcast? In this themed episode on 'Podcasting' Juan and I discuss: some minor changes that are coming to our themed episodes, improvements/changes we have noticed in ourselves in the last 1.5 years, the definition of what a podcast is, Simon Sinek's book and our reasons for continuing to put time/effort into this project, the 3 different stages that we have experienced so far, the little techniques we have stole
Time Management Vs Energy Management (Episode #172 - Musings)
In the long-term is it better to be more focused upon the management of your time or energy? In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: why it can be stressful to always be trying to be the most efficient possible, why we both have changed our opinion on time & energy, the difference between long-term and long-long-term, why actively asking for constructive criticism is important, a couple of work stories to emphasise the point, our personal strategy for dishing out advice/fe
Getting Kicked Out Of A Monastery (Episode #171 - Meanderings)
What are some steps that one could take to get expelled from a monastery in a plausibly deniable way? In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: why it might be useful to be less serious at work, how inefficient we all actually are at our jobs, why Nike was inspired by the last words of a death row inmate, the fun times of chimpanzees in cars and usefulness of anteaters, sweating/farting/scaring & annoying meditators while on retreat, Leslie Nelson's 'Naked Gun&
Fanatics, Activists & Religious Zealots (Episode #170 - Zeal)
Who are the people that you have met in your life that have the most zeal? In this themed episode on 'Zeal' Juan and I discuss: the fervour and tireless devotion of someone with zeal, the religious connection with the word, whether humanity is less zealous with the decline of religion, coming across as desperate, whether we care about anything enough to die for it, my growing appreciation for activists who actually care about results and Henry Spira's campaign to stop animal exper
Mere Mortals Monthly Goals - April 2021
Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first week of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous month's goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do differently and why? Let us know in the comments, Mere Mo
A Week Of Being Humbled (Episode #169 - Musings)
When was the last time that you were humbled in your day to day life? In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: Juan's changing opinion on free will and how he has been influenced by Sam Harris, the three levels of consciousness and why they matter, Juan's theory on how emotions are the basic motivation for every action we take, how I was repeatedly humbled this week (in a good way), people like JBP or Naval Ravikant who are unbelievable smart/clear thinkers, the 5 bes
Gymnasts & Gymnastics People Are Crazy (Episode #168 - Meanderings)
My recent experience attending a gymnastics class has convinced me that gymnasts are a different breed of people. In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: just how dangerous it is to be moving through the air without control, first-hand account of people getting hurt doing flips, the point behind using swear words, substituting swear words for silly made up things, whether we would choose eating over sleeping and our desire to one day become animated!As always, we hope you
Would You Actually Want To Be Young Again? (Episode #167 - Youth)
No-one ever talks about the downsides of being young so the Mere Mortals are here to change that! In this themed episode on 'Youth' Juan and I discuss: the ages between that someone could be called a youth, having less freedom and the turbulence of being in your teens, some things we would personally love to have again, the concept of 'The Fountain of Youth', some tips that we can all follow to maintain a youthful body/mind and the worst age to lose a child as a parent.As alw
MATT WARD | Minimalist Shoes, Outback Queensland & Ethical Investing: Mere Mortals Conversation #45
Did you know that there are specially designed shoes just for CrossFit? Matt Ward is a long-time friend of both myself and Juan, harkening back to our days on the wild prairie of the high school playground. In this conversation we chat about: Matt's conversion to the barefoot/minimalist shoe lifestyle and the benefits he has gotten from it, how someone can get into CrossFit and know whether they have joined a good gym, what it was like to live in a rural(ish) town during the pandemic and th
Learnings From A 5 Day Fast (Episode #166 - Musings)
What is the experience of fasting for 5 days and how should you prepare for this? In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: my recent experience of fasting, the reasons behind intermittent (and longer) fasting and the necessary preparation, the disappearance of hunger pains, potential hurdles and pitfalls that can arise, the mental fortification required to do things that are uncomfortable, why fasting might not be great for weight loss, a sum up of my learnings and a little bit
The Shittest & Most Disappointing Books (Episode #165 - Meanderings)
Which are the most disappointing books that you have had the displeasure to read? In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: the discrimination in the children's romance section, how the Mere Mortals would keep the Earth safe from potentially hostile aliens, what are our sensory triggers for recalling memories, Juan's story of playing Monopoly with a hidden cockroach, recreating our most disgusting rum cocktails, a list of the shittest or most disappointing books we
Stranger Danger & Australian Race Riots (Episode #164 - Xenophobia)
What are some examples of xenophobia in Australia and is the word actually useful? In this episode on 'Xenophobia' Juan and I discuss: how rare it is to hear the word being used correctly and why that makes it kind of pointless, why it often gets confused with 'racism', the Australian immigration system and the open/closed border dilemma, the comparatively tame race riot of 2005 in Cronulla, personal experiences of feeling xenophobic, steps that one could take to reduce xenop
SARAH NEWPORT | TwentyTwo Digital, New To Leadership & Neuromarketing: Mere Mortals Conversation #44
Sarah Newport is the Founder & Managing Director at TwentyTwo Digital, a Brisbane based digital marketing agency, offering SEO, Paid Media, Design, Web Development, App Development, Data Analysis and Holistic Marketing. Sarah is a highly motivated and driven individual, and in this conversation her passion for marketing/growth in all aspects of life were open for discussion.The convo starts off lightly with Sarah's athletic regime and her personality traits that drove her to start her o
How To Practice & Find Comfort In Being Uncomfortable (Episode #163 - Musings)
What is there to be learnt from putting oneself in situations that are uncomfortable or cause discomfort? In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: my learnings from living the vegan lifestyle for a month, why most of the time things just appear in the mind to be harder than they actually physically are, Juan's encounter with a flying spider, my coming to the end of a 5 day fast and the utility to be gained from being uncomfortable, taming the dragons of the mind, the myth
The Basics of Non-Fungible Tokens aka NFT's (Episode #162 - Meanderings)
Are cryptocurrencies already too boring and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFT's) the newest craze? In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: being a wimp for eating food too much, everybody on Earth has probably tried rapping at some stage, NFT's and why they are useful for selling art or other rare items, where we want to travel to in the future, some things you could do right now to make your future travel better & being able to free up mind space and memory while sip
Performing WWE Stunts As A Kid (Episode #161 - Wrestling)
I think this might be our best introduction yet. The flair. The passion. The costume. The belts. What more does one need? In this episode on 'Wrestling' Juan and I discuss: some of styles of wrestling across the world, the difference between the western 'grind' and eastern 'art', stories from mayhem when we were kids, watching WWE and Lucha Libre in person before ending with Juan's recommendations for the most insane and impressive stunts in the professional wr
FRANKIE LEE | Content Removal, Authentic Self & Mindset To Not Fit In: Mere Mortals Conversation #43
Frankie Lee is an entrepreneur hailing from Peterborough in the UK. He is the owner of a business dedicated to removing harmful content from online as well as the host of 'The Frankie Lee Podcast'. I came across Frankie through his podcast and loved the energy he put out, as well as some of his fascinating character aspects, which we dived into this episode.We started off chatting about content removal and the technical steps of how it actually works to take photos/vids/etc off the int
Mere Mortals Monthly Goals - March 2021
Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first Thursday of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous month's goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do differently and why? Let us know in the comments, Mer
When Is A Good Point To Stop Asking Why? (Episode #160 - Musings)
Questions can't be asked forever, so when is optimal to stop inquiring? In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: Juan's recent ankle rolling fiasco and being able to appreciate running, John Keats concept of negative capability, learning the ability to live in paradox, are we capable of making music if we had the drive and my gripe with the artistic mindset.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Timeline:(0:00) - Yes yes yes yes(0:33) - Rolling your ankle and
The Feelings You Are Unwilling To Feel (Episode #159 - Meanderings)
Are there any emotions that you don't allow to rise to the surface because of an internal fear of what will happen? In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: stealing quotes on the internet and how to do it in an ethical way, my method of diverting the blame when being accused of something, the difference between not wanting to experience negative emotions and being unwilling to experience them, my recent verbal assault and people who are like cartoon characters.As alwa
The World Would Be Better Off Without Bald People!!! (Episode #158 - Violence)
Have you noticed that bald men in movies are either the villain or extremely violent heroes? In this episode on 'Violence' Juan and I discuss: how 1.28 million people died in 2013, where it comes from in the human character and if it is necessary, the possibility of a World War III, what would happen if everybody learnt a martial art, why it is abhorrent but simultaneously entrancing and my 100% legit no-nonsense theory of how the world would be a better place if we eliminated all bald
GLEN SPEERING | Struggling With Depression & Learning Languages: Mere Mortals Conversation #42
Glen is an experienced language teacher and fascinated with the world around him. He speaks three languages, is working on a fourth and is the Director of Teaching at Australians Teach English. He is a relaxed and fun loving teacher who enables students to relax and enjoy the learning process. Glen also has a background in science as a specialist science teacher, with a Masters of Science and multiple publications in education and science.He has lived in multiple cities and towns in Australia an
Realising When You Are Wrong (Episode #157 - Musings)
What are some tell-tale signs that you need to introspect and find out if your thinking is incorrect? In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: a bit about Buddhism, Dharma and testing the theories for oneself, using the podcast to figure out when I hold contradictory beliefs, directing introspection to find incorrect patterns of thought, using negative emotions as a guide to realise when something is wrong and accepting right action in the meta sense.As always, we hope you enjo
Paying With Your Phone & The Future Of Banking (Episode #156 - Meanderings)
Will the rise of cryptocurrencies change how the banking system operates? In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: some new changes coming to the podcast, why my shoe is tastier than vegan cheese, losing your key and getting locked out, Juan's recent experiment paying with his phone, where Juan thinks online monetary transactions will take us, buying shit online, why tall socks are making a comeback, the different sounds of yelling in Spongebob and the scenery around t
How To Face Your Fear Of The Unknown (Episode #155 - Unknown)
What is the proper mental state and risk management strategy when you are confronting your fears? In this themed episode on 'Unknown' Juan and I discuss: the multiple definitions of the unknown, how Juan had to face his fear of not having a phone, lessons from explorers of the past on how to venture into unknown territory, fears that creep into the mind and how to properly judge risk, being flexible enough to change your mind and the greatest unknown things that exist to this day.As al
BRENDAN JAYO | Zen Philosophy, Crazy Lefties & Outrageous People: Mere Mortals Conversation #41
Brendan is back again and this time we are talking all things Zen. We start off with a discussion on the general overview of the religion/philosophy and some of its core aspects of Zazen, the Koans & Satori. One of the things that Brendan (and I) enjoy about the Zen way of thinking is that there is relatively little dogma and that one can come into it from a Western perspective without needing to buy into a whole lot of other beliefs. The second half of the convo is a bit looser as we chat a
A Sad Story Of Bad Parenting (Episode #154 - Musings)
Why is it so heart-breaking to see bullying parents in real life? In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: what is the best amount of physical exercise per week to improve, how day trading promotes short term thinking in general, purposefully stopping to smell the roses, my story of seeing a Dad being an asshole to his kids, a podcast about a Brisbane woman in a terrible situation, empathy and connecting with people who are like yourself and whether Clubhouse will become a supe
Will Driving Ever Be Banned? (Episode #153 - Meanderings)
With the coming wave of AI and self-driving cars, will it ever be illegal for humans to manually take the wheel? In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: Juan's plans to become a rapper, why driving and traffic suck balls, the ethics surrounding the use of self-driving cars and whether anyone actually enjoys driving, the slow grind of life and repeating the same things over and over again, how much effort day trading actually involves and if the returns actually outper
How To Raise Your Testosterone Naturally (Episode #152 - Testosterone)
What actions does one need to take to get guns as big as Juan? In this episode on 'Testosterone' Juan and I discuss: what testosterone is and how it differs in men/women and with age, how it contributes to the sex drive of males and females, Kyrin's research on natural methods to raise your testosterone levels, the nutrition that is optimal to create the largest amount of free testosterone levels, what happens when using exogenous chemicals to boost your test and the characteristi
MICHAEL FOX | Developing A Product, Plant-Based Meat & Fable Food Co: Mere Mortals Conversation #40
Michael is the Co-Founder and CEO of Fable Food Co, a company that develops and produces delicious meat alternatives based on mushrooms. He is also a mentor and investor in Startmate. Prior to Fable, Michael co-founded online retail businesses Shoes of Prey and Sneaking Duck and was a founding board member of the National Online Retail Association in Australia. He has also worked for Google and originally graduated with a degree in Law.In this conversation, Juan had the pleasure to take a journe
The Longest Time Without Sleep (Episode #151 - Sleeping)
What happened to the guy who went without sleep for 11 days? In this episode on 'Sleeping' Juan and I discuss: the anatomy of the brain and why sleep is crucial for neural plasticity, the actual reasons that animals sleep, the detrimental effects of too much and too little sleep, the amount of sleep that science recommends, the Uberman sleep schedule of only taking 20 minute naps during the day, stories of consultants and their insane work hours, some fun hypotheticals and our optimal
The Happiest Man On Earth (Eddie Jaku) - Book Review
What circumstances would drive someone to voluntary smuggle themselves back into a concentration camp? 'The Happiest Man On Earth' by Eddie Jaku is the memoir of a man who endured tremendous suffering, managing to survive through the holocaust. The book starts with life before WWII, his subsequent experiences in the concentration camps before moving away from Belgium/Germany and emigrating to Australia. There are some intense and amazing stories from his time in the camps, including his daring e
Meditation Training & Jiddu Krishnamurti (Episode #150 - Musings)
Can meditation actually be great training for increasing your fortitude? In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: not becoming discouraged and being able to start over again, vibrational science and how yelling at jars can make mould grow (apparently), using language correctly and judging people based on how they speak, signs that someone's ideas aren't worth listening to, Jiddu Krishnamurti and the Theosophical Society, figures from history that the Mere Mortals vene
The Coddling Of The American Mind (Greg Lukianoff & Jonathan Haidt) - Book Review
What are the reasons for the rise of safe spaces, microaggressions and extreme social justice on American college campuses? 'The Coddling Of The American Mind' by Greg Lukianoff & Jonathan Haidt attempts to explain the psychology and cognitive distortions of iGen (also known as Generation Z). Three Great Untruths have been adopted by these students which has led to the culture of 'safetyism' in which safety has become a sacred value that cannot be questioned.I summarised the book as follows.
Sleep When You're Dead? - 4M's #57
I'll sleep when I'm dead might sound fancy, but you better believe it'll be a quicker trip underground if you pursue that mentality long term.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!About Mere Mortals:Striving for excellence through life's lessons. Daily uploads @ 5pm AEST. 4M's, Book Reviews, Musings, Bonus, Themed Podcast, Conversations & Meanderings.Connect with Mere Mortals:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/
Gamestop Stonks & The Meme Economy (Episode #149 - Meanderings)
Can the individual win against the big banks in the battle of Gamestop stonks in the new meme economy? In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: how one should behave when called out for getting something wrong, the hilarious situation of a reddit group fighting against the financial system, why the banks will probably end up winning the fight, understanding a book by only hearing its reviews, what heavy squatting actually feels like and a fun hypothetical of taking psychede
IAN PARKE | Diversified Assets, Learning How To Hire & CEO Founders: Mere Mortals Conversation #39
Ian is a signal fire for the next generations of entrepreneurs and modern business development. After kick-starting his career in assets management, Ian merged his financial prowess and cultivated his creative ambition, founding multiple successful ventures. He launched his first technology company in 2017, which handled corporate compliance and risk management around background screening for ASX listed companies.Disrupting the disruptors is Ian's approach - inspiring him to co-found FIN-PA
Running Even If You Hate It (Episode #148 - Running)
How do you push through the boredom and pain to be able to just keep on running? In this themed episode Juan and I discuss the topic of 'Running'. Running can be considered to be moving the legs at many paces, but there are some things it is not. It is not powerwalking, racewalking, skipping or hopping. The ridiculous thing is that there are world records for doing marathons for these other methods that will easily best our finest marathon time (once we actually do it).In the rest of t
Mere Mortals Monthly Goals - February 2021
Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first Thursday of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous month's goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do differently and why? Let us know in the comments, Mer
Misinformation Is A Neutral Entity (Episode #147 - Musings)
Are podcasts bad because they produce too much misinformation? In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: why Juan enjoyed the latest JRE podcast with Lex Fridman, how I am starting to receive lots of benefits by taking a day off from tech with screens, will David Goggins be healthy in the long run, would Juan be able to resist technology for 24 hours, whether podcasts are unhelpful due to getting too many things wrong, why misinformation is neutral and that lying is the real pro
In Evil Hour (Gabriel García Márquez) - Book Review
What is the strange attraction and repulsion that we have towards violence? 'In Evil Hour' by Gabriel García Márquez is a fictional story set in the same universe as his most famous work of '100 Years of Solitude' but without the magic realism he is famous for. The story starts and ends with a killing, depicting the start of the oppression and the escalation that is to follow. Violence (both overt and subtle) lingers throughout the interactions of the tyrannical mayor as he re-institutes a curfe
Get Comfortable being Uncomfortable - 4M's #56
How often do we find ourselves shying away from the prickly things in life, in being uncomfortable. Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable can be a real super power.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!About Mere Mortals:Striving for excellence through life's lessons. Daily uploads @ 5pm AEST. 4M's, Book Reviews, Musings, Bonus, Themed Podcast, Conversations & Meanderings.Connect with Mere Mortals:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcast/Support the s
Deep Conversations With A Light-Hearted Touch (Episode #146 - Meanderings)
What is the essence of having a profound conversation but simultaneously not taking yourself too seriously? In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: our slight re-branding for the Mere Mortals brand, starting a new project for a bad reason and then transitioning out of it, how you could use your body issues as a catalyst for change, kids nowadays who have their entire childhood recorded, why extreme ownership might not be for everyone and how stressful it is to be anti-conf
TANYA HALL | Barefoot Running, Zone 2 Training & Living Rural: Mere Mortals Conversation #38
Tanya Hall is officially a repeat guest on the Mere Mortals Conversations. Tanya is an ultramarathoner, combined with being a foodie and lives rurally on a farm in the Brisbane outskirts. In this convo we discussed: how barefoot running sounds great but is hard to implement in reality, the difference between running on trails vs roads, the method of burning fat doing zone 2 training, some mental benefits she has seen from moving out to a farm and the fun that can be had from climbing tree and di
What Makes A Terrible Question? (Episode #145 - Questions)
What are the differences between terrible, bad, stupid and good questions? In this themed episode Juan and I discuss the topic of 'Questions'. We start of with a definition and a little bit of history from Thomas Babington Macaulay before getting onto the topic of terrible questions. We mostly agreed that intent and context play a large part of the equation, rather than the actual words themselves. This can take the form of trolling, insincere, loaded and rhetorical questions, in which
Cat's Cradle (Kurt Vonnegut) - Book Review
Looking for a book full of truth that is actually full of shameless lies? 'Cat's Cradle' by Kurt Vonnegut is a satirical novel of black humour that treats of a dangerous situation similar to the Cold War. It follows the writer John as he researches Felix Hoenikker; one of the fathers of the atomic bomb & the inventor of the insanely dangerous Ice-Nine. Along his journey he meets an enigmatic midget, the most beautiful girl in the world and the mysterious Bokonon. The underlying themes of the
Letting Go Of The Things You Love (Episode #144 - Musings)
How do you know when you are holding onto something for too long? In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: the unusual podcast format between Mr Ferriss and Dr Attia, the benefits of fasting, how difficult it is to actually translate text and books, not judging people too quickly, credit cards and the uselessness of Qantas points, my bizarre day dream involving plane crashes and heroic feats, signs that you are holding on too long to a relationship/hobby/passion and the ability
Range (David Epstein) - Book Review
Is it better to generalise or specialise? 'Range' by David Epstein argues that generalists actually manage to do better in a specialised world. He previously wrote a book called 'The Sports Gene' and he himself said he put around 150% more effort into producing this book. Some arguments he makes are that hyper specialisation can be detrimental due to becoming cognitively entrenched in a field and that a thinker can become worse not better by the additional information they are provided.Juan summ
Sharing Misinformation 😮 - 4M's #55
Misinformation can be the sharing of inaccurate information, REGARDLESS of an intention to deceive Mere Mortals! Juan talks through the thoughts on misinformation, inclusive of the podcast information we share.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!About Mere Mortals:Striving for excellence through life's lessons. Daily uploads @ 5pm AEST. 4M's, Book Reviews, Musings, Bonus, Themed Podcast, Conversations & Meanderings.Connect with Mere Mortals:Instagram: https://www.instagr
Anti-Agility: Becoming Worse At Sport The More You Play (Episode #143 - Meanderings)
Have you ever thought of Nassim Taleb's antifragility in the context of sport? In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: our unfortunate friend Joey and how some people are not genetically suited to do the thing they love, millions of dollars locked in Bitcoin because people can't remember the password, Juan's mistaken belief that Elmo is not part of Sesame Street, the misogyny of Skeletor in his old cartoon, purposefully watching sport just to be able to soci
TRENT MASON | Flying Planes, Becoming Agile & Calisthenics: Mere Mortals Conversation #37
Trent Mason is a certified executive coach and enterprise agilist, an individual who leverages systems thinking and strengths based approaches to foster a lean/agile culture, valuing people, relationships, collaboration and continuous improvement.In his own words:"My practice is best described as a humanistic approach to agile. I focus on coaching ‘the self’ and how we make conscious choices to create the right environment and conditions for performance. At a system level, it’s about agile
Sex Work In Australia (Episode #142 - Prostitution)
Did you know that Australian prostitutes are more educated than the general population? In this themed episode Juan and I discuss the topic of 'Prostitution'. We start off with the definition which is actually pretty broad and includes most kind of sex work, not just prostitution as the selling of sex for payment. There are some pretty interesting worldwide and local statistics as well as some funny points from history about the 'oldest profession in the world'.After the prel
Cool It (Bjørn Lomborg) - Book Review
Do you believe the global warming debate is full of hyperbole and needs calmer arguments? 'Cool It' by Bjørn Lomborg (a Danish statistician/political scientist) is the sequel to his wildly successful book 'The Skeptical Environmentalist'. In it he argues against dramatic climate change response due to the overhype & poor ROI of the proposed solutions. The book is also largely a rebuttal against Al Gore's 'An Inconvenient Truth' and focuses upon unemotional realism and deciding upon our prior
Determination In Any Context (Episode #141 - Musings)
Is it possible to cultivate the skill of determination? In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: the increasing ease to be unknowingly not-truthful, gamma waves from meditation, whether it is worth practicing determination to be able to use it whenever, Ross Edgley swimming around Great Britain, people who take it to the absolute extreme, when will the Mere Mortals be at the physical prime of their lives and learning the fundamentals to be able to do the cool tricks.As always,
Sort Your Sh!t Out (Gary Waldon) - Book Review
Have you got your shit sorted? 'Sort Your Sh!t Out' by Gary Waldon is a guide to confronting your own mind and the self-talk that goes within. The book is a mix of mini-activities, deeply personal stories and an introduction to Bob (the negative persona inside your own head). The book is split into 4 sections: knowing, owning, dealing and maintaining your shit. Gary essentially induces the reader to take responsibility for their own problems and their own life.I summarised the book as follows. "
Start Being Curious 🤔 - 4M's #54
The power to question is the basis of all human progress. Start being curious about the world around you, through conversations and about your own thinking.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!About Mere Mortals:Striving for excellence through life's lessons. Daily uploads @ 5pm AEST. 4M's, Book Reviews, Musings, Bonus, Themed Podcast, Conversations & Meanderings.Connect with Mere Mortals:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mere_mortals_media/Support the show
The Hilarity Of Scots Wikipedia (Episode #140 - Meanderings)
How much damage can one eager American do in an obscure Wikipedia language? In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: the recent lockdown in Brisbane, the story of the Scots Wikipedia scandal and why you can't reference Wikipedia, Kyrin's new Space Jam shirt, feeling comfortable in extravagant fashion, why there is no middle of fashion, spending extra money on something you love and being lied to as a kid.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Timeline:0:00
GARY WALDON | Sorting Your Sh!t Out & Sharing Personal Experiences: Mere Mortals Conversation #36
Gary Waldon is the author of the book 'Sort Your Sh!t Out' and a transformational change specialist. Coming across his CV I remarked to myself that he has been doing career hopping before it was cool. Some of his previous jobs include: topless waiter, gym instructor, bank teller, teacher, lecturer, consultant and all around entrepreneur. Quite the list of areas and he is full of wisdom from the experiences gained across them!In this conversation we start off with his book and some ques
Is It Possible To Enjoy Being Oppressed? (Episode #139 - Oppression)
Can a person/people be brainwashed into liking the cruel exercise of authority? In this themed episode Juan and I discuss the topic of 'Oppression'. The convo begins with a tightening of the definition before discussing whether this topic has ever been a personal concern for ourselves. We then go over some examples from history and ask some hypotheticals related to the psychology of people under an oppressive regime.The second half of the podcast centres around how the word is used in
Superbugs (Matt McCarthy) - Book Review
Did you know that the world is running out of antibiotics? 'Superbugs' by Matt McCarthy explains how antimicrobial resistance is rising against our current batch of antibiotics, thus creating superbugs. The book is a mix of the author's clinical trial of Dalbavancin, the history of antibiotics (think Alexander Fleming), the relationship he has with his mentor Tom Walsh, the science of antibiotics and exactly how these superbugs are developing.I summarised the book as follows. "The book follows a
Eminent Human Being (Episode #138 - Musings)
How is Juan planning on becoming an eminent human being? In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: the joys one can get from the process of setting and achieving goals, knowing when and where to communicate your goals to others, changing your value system, creating a daily tracking system for oneself, when measuring your own progress becomes detrimental, how to get better at storytelling and whether we would prepare if required to give a graduation speech.As always, we hope you
The Wim Hof Method (Wim Hof) - Book Review
Deep in, deep out. Breathe Mother Fuckers!!!!! 'The Wim Hof Method' is the layman's guide to the daily practice created by Wim Hof. The book teaches you the direct instructions but also contains a biography of the Iceman, testimonials of advocates and ends with his spiritual philosophy. The book explains how he came about his 3 Pillars (Breath/Mind/Cold) and the benefits to your health and performance that can be gained.I summarised the book as follows. "It's an overview of Wim Hof's method that
Being Naive Enough to Start 🙉 - 4M's #53
Being Naive enough doesn't have to be a bad thing always, just enough that it lets you get started in a pursuit most others might not consider.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!About Mere Mortals:Striving for excellence through life's lessons. Daily uploads @ 5pm AEST. 4M's, Book Reviews, Musings, Bonus, Meanderings, Interviews & Themed Podcast.Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalsmedia.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mere_mortals_med
Duct Tape For Shoes (Episode #137 - Meanderings)
Maybe it is better to use duct tape for shoes instead of running barefoot? In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: why a witches hat is the optimal shade protection, virtual reality so good that you wouldn't want to leave, people who are so optimistic that you can't stand being around them, the human characteristic of wanting to break something just to see what happens, why animals might actually be boring as all hell, the pointlessness of knowing lots of languag
BRENDAN JAYO | Opinions Of The Wim Hof Method & Esoteric Practices: Mere Mortals Conversation #35
Three-peat guest Brendan Jayo is back for another conversation. The bulk of this conversation revolves around the Wim Hof Method and how both of us have fared with it. Our ultimate conclusion seems to be that it is potentially useful for those with health problems but both of us being young and healthy, we didn't see any big changes to our life. We also talk about: strange experiences while eye gazing, different branches of Buddhism & Buddhist meditation, going a day without any technol
Some Men Want To Watch The World Burn (Episode #136 - Nihilism)
Why does a loss of meaning lead to despair and destructiveness? In this themed episode Juan and I discuss the topic of 'Nihilism'. As usual we start off with our MMM's and a definition before talking a little bit about the history of the word. The Russians of course have the market cornered on all things despair related so it's no surprise that they made the word popular with Ivan Turgenev's book 'Fathers & Sons'. The rest of our discussion revolves around
Mere Mortals Monthly Goals - January 2021
Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first Thursday of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings; what we didn't achieve in the previous month's goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do differently and why? Let us know in the comments, Mer
Trying Too Hard To Impress People (Episode #135 - Musings)
Have you ever noticed yourself telling stories or taking unusual actions to try and impress someone? In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: how to know when you are telling a story because it is interesting for the convo versus stoking your own ego, the paradox of conflicting truths and how to psychologically handle that, the insane work schedule of basketball players, getting anxious about trying to consume too much data, why 1984 is the best book ever, what makes a book a t
Born To Run (Christopher McDougall) - Book Review
Have you ever tried running barefoot? In Christopher McDougall's best-selling book titled 'Born To Run' we dive into the world of ultramarathon running with a race that combines the modern with the old. The book is a mixture of biography, history, science and adventure; all wrapped up in a story of an ultramarathon held deep in the Mexican Copper Canyon. The principal themes of the book explore the lost art of endurance running and why a barefoot/minimalist shoe style might actually be beneficia
Naikan Practice 🌿 - 4M's #51
Naikan is a structured method of self-reflection and on today's Mere Mortal Monday Movement Juan talks about how he hopes to bring this practice into everyday.You can check out the blog mentioned in this video here:https://www.meremortalsmedia.com/post/naikan-reflection-how-can-this-help-youAs always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!About Mere Mortals:Striving for excellence through life's lessons. Daily uploads @ 5pm AEST. 4M's, Book Reviews, Musings, Bonus, Meanderings, Inte
Congolese Fashion & Sapeur Culture (Episode #134 - Meanderings)
Have you heard of the Congolese Dandies and their expensive fashionable attire (suits) whilst living in ghettos/slums? In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: the difference between being highly focused vs getting into a flow state of non-thinking, gym etiquette and if it is permissible to use two machines for supersetting, wasting precious resources on random crap in Sapeur culture/potlatches, why you might be reading something created by artificial intelligence, Instagra
JACQUES MASSIE | Insights & Learnings From A 7 Day Silent Retreat: Mere Mortals Conversation #34
Jacques Massie is the host of the 'Couple A Lattes' Podcast, photographer and aspiring author. I first met Jacques when he reached out to Juan and I to be guests on his podcast to talk about meditation (and finance). I really enjoyed the convo I had with him and resolved to question him on the Mere Mortals channel after I heard him speak about his self-organised 7 day silent retreat.This conversation is split into roughly 3 parts: the practical, the subjective & the learnings. We b
10,000 Hours To Become A Master (Episode #133 - Mastery)
Is 10,000 hours actually enough time to become a master of your craft? In this themed episode Juan and I discuss the topic of 'Mastery'. As usual we start off with our MMM's and a definition before asking how to tell if somebody is a master? This led us onto the 10,000 hour rule popularised by Malcolm Gladwell and why you might need to broaden your skillset. Robert Greene has a fantastic book on the topic (called 'Mastery') where he outlines the three phases necessary to
Philosophising From 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' - George Orwell
"In the face of pain there are no heroes." This is a small quote from the book 1984 (usually fully spelt out but I'm lazy today) by George Orwell. In this bonus episode I philosophise about some of the intriguing concepts raised by the book, which include: the structural and grammatical components of Newspeak and how the language was aimed to diminish consciousness, why living in the present was discouraged and how negative emotions were used as an energy outlet, the psychological burden of tort
The Most Effective Way To Do Good (Episode #132 - Musings)
Is volunteering worth it or is it better to directly donate? In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: using binary decision making to take away the stress from certain options, effective altruism and why volunteering may not be the best use of time, becoming overly rational and missing out on the human connection, intangibles that make a difference but can't be quantified, why being selfish in the long run may benefit humanity more, a list of some of the most effective cha
Nineteen Eighty-Four (George Orwell) - Book Review
Will the censorship enabled through technology be our downfall? 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' is an already classic fiction book published in 1949 by the author Eric Blair (under the pseudonym of George Orwell). We are treated to a small snippet from the life of Winston Smith as he battles a futile fight against a totalitarian regime. The core themes of the book revolve around control through censorship and the addiction of pure, raw power. Kyrin had this say about the book. "A book that keeps on givin
Don't Go Too Hard - 4M's #51
During the festive season, don't be tricked into going too hard at ny one thing that will negatively impact other priority areas of your life.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!About Mere Mortals:Striving for excellence through life's lessons. Daily uploads @ 5pm AEST. 4M's, Book Reviews, Musings, Bonus, Meanderings, Interviews & Themed Podcast.Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalsmedia.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mere_mortals_medi
Killing As Many Humans As Possible (Episode #131 - Meanderings)
What would be your strategy to try and kill as many people as possible within a strict time limit? In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: quality assurance/quality control for the mind, only listening to those with skin in the game, is it better to be a great singer or dancer, Daniel Schmachtenberger and the meaning of life, driving big mining vehicles/4WD's and the shit box cars that we and our families used to drive.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Ti
MIGUEL SANT'ANA | Hard Work, Mental Discipline & Dealing With Stress: Mere Mortals Conversation #33
Miguel Sant'ana is a professional hand balancing teacher operating out from Melbourne. Miguel is originally from Brazil and worked all sorts of odd professions until finding his passion in the art of balancing upside down. If you want to see some of the amazing shapes that the human body is capable of creating then come no further. This strength and balance of course is not a natural talent and can only come from hard work, lots of it!In this conversation we talk about: discipline/habit and
Reading Law Is Boring!! (Episode #130 - Law)
Do we have any lawyers in the building? If so, maybe don't watch as in this themed episode Juan and I are giving the layman's, highly uneducated dive into the topic of 'Law'. As usual we start off with some MMM's and the definition to clarify our thoughts. Juan kicks off with some examples of when he worked with interpreting Australian Law for his consulting company before then asking where the law comes from and if it is possible to have a human society without some sys
Learnings From 'The Hero With A Thousand Faces' - Joseph Campbell
In this little bonus episode Juan goes over some of his learnings from Joseph Campbell's 'The Hero With A Thousand Faces'. His previous review of the book goes over the general themes of the book so this is more of an exploration into certain ideas and quotes that stood out to him. These include: being conscious of your own emotions while making decisions, getting too stuck in particular details of the story, asking if the ego can put itself to death, not mistaking something for what it really i
Following Passion Vs Meaning (Episode #129 - Musings)
Do you agree with Juan that perhaps it is better to follow meaning rather than chase your passion? In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: mentally and physically preparing oneself for the bad situations life can create, the difference between passion and meaning, how chunking practice is good for some things (it depends) and why spreading it out can also be beneficial, knowing how much personal information to share with the world, the point of listening to people you are draw
The Hero With A Thousand Faces (Joseph Campbell) - Book Review
Are you looking for a hard to read book with a vocabulary that will leave you uncertain of your English abilities? 'The Hero With A Thousand Faces' is one of the most famous works by Joseph Campbell, detailing the archetype of the hero and comparing myths/legends from across the world. It is a highly influential work with its impact reaching out from the era of Star Wars up to modern day philosophers such as Jordan Peterson.Juan had this to say about the book. "It was enjoyable in pieces and I w
2021 Goal Setting - 4M's #50
2021 is just around the corner folks, what are YOU going to do about it? Here at the Mere Mortals we are locked and loaded to look back, learn and move forward.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!About Mere Mortals:Striving for excellence through life's lessons. Daily uploads @ 5pm AEST. 4M's, Book Reviews, Musings, Bonus, Meanderings, Interviews & Themed Podcast.Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalsmedia.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mere
The Dangers Of Fast Money (Episode #128 - Meanderings)
Is being greedy and earning quick money negative for everybody? In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: developing a curiosity mindset when meeting new people, the difference between being curious and social, starting interesting conversations quickly without any preamble, boring people produce boring conversations, annoying magicians who won't leave you alone, why greed leads to comparing yourself to others, wanting anything fast is a crap method of living, the lack
JAMES PENNY | Heavyweight Running, Run Slow To Run Fast & JB Peterson: Mere Mortals Conversation #32
James Penny is a Brisbane based personal trainer who regularly competes in triathlons, marathons and ultras. I was initially intrigued by James's ability to race in these competitions as he is a big guy, 6'4" and 110 kg to be exact!! In this conversation we begin with his personal story of running, particularly the mindset and tactics that he has found useful in his fitness journey. Later in the conversation we talk about Jordan Peterson's book '12 Rules For Life'.
Kaleidoscope Videos On YouTube (Episode #127 - Kaleidoscopes)
Have you been down the psychedelic YouTube rabbit hole of kaleidoscopic videos? In this themed episode Juan and I discuss the topic of the 'Kaleidoscopes'. We start off with our usual MMM's and definition before explaining the story of Sir David Brewster and his misfortune on not making any money from one of the biggest fads/crazes to ever exist! We also touch upon: how to build a kaleidoscope, the different types of scopes out there, what you can expect from the most expensive ve
Why Buddhism Is True (Robert Wright) - Book Review
What are the secular parts of Buddhism that align with evolutionary biology/psychology? In the somewhat provocatively titled 'Why Buddhism Is True', Robert Wright explains the insights that can be gained from mindfulness meditation and juxtaposes these with observations from hard science, natural selection and Darwinian thinking. The central themes revolve around Dukkha, Anatta and Sunyata, all of which weave together to create an explanation for why humans experience suffering and what we can d
What Is Eye Gazing? (Episode #126 - Musings)
Have you ever stared into a strangers eyes for a long period of time? In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: our recent spreading of false info in Ep #122, the default mode network, my recent experience going to an eye gazing event, the different types of people you can encounter in life, my recent experience going to a Buddhist meditation session, the different types of meditation, finding your tribe, Juan's adventure to the Dragon Ball Z style Ivory Temple and the styl
Doing Good Better (William MacAskill) - Book Review
How can we use our resources to help others the most? William MacAskill, one of the cofounders of the Effective Altruism movement tries to answer this question in his book 'Doing Good Better'. Effective altruism essentially tries to provide guidelines for what an individual can do to have the maximum impact of 'good' in their lifetime. The book is roughly split into two sections; the theory and the implementation. The theoretical side addresses questions related to measurement of charities and w
Be Relentless - 4M's #49
Relentless - the act of being unceasingly intense, become relentless when it comes to the things that have meaning in your life.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!About Mere Mortals:Striving for excellence through life's lessons. Daily uploads @ 5pm AEST. 4M's, Book Reviews, Musings, Bonus, Meanderings, Interviews & Themed Podcast.Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalsmedia.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mere_mortals_mediaFacebook: https://
UBI: Productive & Lazy (Episode #125 - Meanderings)
What would happen if Australia introduced a Universal Basic Income (UBI)? In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: would people quit their work and become lazy with a UBI, have we all been tricked into working for others, what would happen if we all received $1000 a month, the difference between a large UBI and small one, why incentives matter, why we need to be careful about Soviet style socialism and the Mere Mortals run for the 2024 presidency.As always, we hope you enjo
TOM LIBELT | Haggling With Russians, Semi-Retirement & Silver Bullets: Mere Mortals Conversation #31
Tom Libelt loves to bounce around careers and is a man of many skills. He began his work life haggling with Russians/Poles outside of soccer stadiums before being faced with the ultimatum; to be an astronaut, circus performer, businessman or musician. He ended up choosing the two latter options (for now!!), releasing two albums before becoming a master salesman. Nowadays he runs Smart Brand Marketing whilst travelling between Thailand, USA and Poland.In this discussion with Juan they begin with
Prank Videos Are Trash (Episode #124 - Joking)
What is the worst type of humour out there? In this themed episode Juan and I discuss the topic of 'Joking'. We start off with our usual MMM's (big overlap this time) and a definition before diving into the serious side of humour. But we don't stay there long before getting into some humour of our own. We chat about crappy styles of humour (pranks/sarcasm/dad jokes), my crash course in how to be funny, Sid the Cookie Monster and ending with how to take life a bit less serious
The Psychopath Test (Jon Ronson) - Book Review
How many people do you know that you would describe as a 'psychopath'?. If you answered none than you might be surprised at some of the info contained within 'The Psychopath Test' by Jon Ronson. The book is written in Ronson's signature style, jumping between different branches of the topic and interviewing bizarre people connected with the world of prisons, insane asylums and high powered CEO's. Kyrin had this to say about the book. "Psychopaths are disturbing and morbidly fascinating, there is
What's The Point Of Learning A New Language? (Episode #123 - Musings)
With the rise of instant translation technology is it a waste of time to learn a new language? In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: why consultants always are flexible depending on the context, the miracle morning and the SAVERS acronym (silence/affirmations/visualisation/exercise/reading/scripting), what our morning routines look like, whether we are losing skills due to an overreliance on technology, how translation earbuds won't work very well in practice, is the ne
Two Who Survived (M. Lee Connolly) - Book Review
'Two Who Survived' is the story of Rose & Max Schindler in the Nazi concentration camps, written by M. Lee Connolly. It follows their separate journeys as kids in an increasingly hostile Europe leading up to WWII, their survival through the Holocaust and subsequent life post-war. The book touches upon the need for hope/optimism in the darkest of times when staring in the maws of death. For those wanting more explicit detail, Rose appeared in a fantastic podcast episode with Jocko Willink.Jua
Is it a Sprint or a Marathon - 4M's #48
Is it a Sprint folks, a Marathon or something else entirely...As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!About Mere Mortals:Striving for excellence through life's lessons. Daily uploads @ 5pm AEST. 4M's, Book Reviews, Musings, Bonus, Meanderings, Interviews & Themed Podcast.Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalsmedia.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mere_mortals_mediaFacebook: https://facebook.com/MeremortalsmediaSupport the show
Exercising So Hard You Need To Puke (Episode #122 - Meanderings)
Is it good to workout at such intensity that at the end of a session you need to vomit? In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and I discuss: the wonderful powers of baking soda to eliminate body odour, our differing philosophies on a healthy intensity for a workout session, avoiding exogenous chemicals in shampoo/deodorants, whether constant use of hand sanitisers can actually make you sick, the book 'The Dorito Effect' and why food tastes differently than the past and heirlo
JAMES DOONER | Foot Health, Physical Play & Getting Back To Nature: Mere Mortals Conversation #30
James Dooner is the director of the Australian division of 'The Foot Collective'. TFC focuses on creating foundational health in the body by focusing on proper foot health and also creating a community around the aspect of 'play'. In this conversation James and I explore the ways you can create better foot health (walking barefoot/minimalist shoes), why intrinsically motivated play is so important for not just children but also adults, getting back into nature and how to crea
Are Ideas Inherently Good Or Bad? (Episode #121 - Ideas)
When an idea appears in your mind is it already inherently good or bad? In this themed episode Juan and I discuss the topic of 'Ideas'. To start off the episode we announce the winner of the suit voucher giveaway and close off on our learnings from doing it. We then jump into an immediate conflict of definitions and spend a bit of time sorting out what we each think the word 'idea' means. Juan's definition requires some sort of link to action while mine is more theoretic
Mere Mortals Monthly Goals - December 2020
Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? Juan and I on the first Thursday of every month go over our progress from the previous month and where we are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings, what we didn't achieve in the previous month's goals and how we will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do differently and why? Let us know in the comments, Mer
Become Harder To Kill (Episode #120 - Musings)
Why did Juan's animalistic workout make him harder to kill? In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and I discuss: my recent foray into free diving breathe techniques (and how it differs from the Wim Hof method), Juan's poor customer service experience with Reebok, the euphoric gorilla workout that Juan had on Tuesday, why mastering your emotions allows you to become stronger, the downsides of hyping yourself up, certain mindstates becoming addicting and our personal motivations fo
Thinking, Fast And Slow (Daniel Kahneman) - Book Review
How well do you really know your own mind? 'Thinking, Fast And Slow' is a hugely influential book published by the Nobel Prize winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman. In it he summarises 40 years of psychological research that helped to create the field of behavioural economics. The book is littered with gems of insight into the human brain and why humans behave the way we do. This includes heuristics such as loss aversion/anchoring/priming as well as larger concepts such as System 1 vs System 2,
Reactive vs Proactive - 4M's #47
The mindset shift, from a reactive to proactive state is HARD. Often the best way we can tackle this is by reflecting on failures and making adjustments to our future from the learnings.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!About Mere Mortals:Striving for excellence through life's lessons. Daily uploads @ 5pm AEST. 4M's, Book Reviews, Musings, Bonus, Meanderings, Interviews & Themed Podcast.Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalsmedia.com/Instagram: http
The Danger Of Buying Things Online (Episode #119 - Meanderings)
Have you ever been totally scammed after buying something from the internet? In this special pre-recorded inside version of 'Meanderings' Juan and Kyrin discuss: a Chinese scam from TikTok and a dodgy phone holder, buying things online that turn out to be crap, the new PlayStation 5 and buying physical discs, the vulnerability of Terry Crews when he appeared on the Tim Ferriss podcast, how you need the right environment and people to be truly vulnerable, Jon Ronson and his visit to a r
JOHN LYNSKEY | Subconscious Programming & Setting Your Intent: Mere Mortals Conversation #29
John Lynskey is a Results Coach whose aim is to help people transform their lives through Laws Of Attraction & Subconscious Programming. John's path to coaching began when he was still in school and received advice from his Dad on how to use visualisation to help achieve better grades to get into university. When combining this with setting an intent and clarifying his purpose he realised this tool set could be used to help motivate others into beneficial action.In this conversation Jua
Why Can't I Break Bad Habits? (Episode #118 - Habits)
Why are habits so strong and so hard to break? In this themed episode Juan and I discuss the topic of 'Habits'. We start off as usual with a definition and a quick dive into whether it is useful to talk about habits in the subconscious or conscious domain. Us Mere Mortals have many habits (good and bad) so we go over some of our favourites and ones that we would like to start implementing in the future.If you are interested in this topic then a great book to read is 'The Power of
Shoutouts (Helpers, Supporters & Collaborators) - Bonus
Following on from their recent themed episode on 'Gratitude', Juan and Kyrin decided to show some appreciation for all those who have helped them on their podcasting journey so far. The episode is split into roughly three parts, giving shoutouts to those who have directly contributed, those who have supported us by listening/interacting and those who have been collaborators. This was by no means an exhaustive list and if we have neglected to name you, just know that we still do appreci
Silence In Conversations (Episode #117 - Musings)
Can silence be used to actually enhance your conversations? In this episode of 'Musings' we discuss: how to begin researching a new interest, Juan's experience in the consulting world, triangulating for the basics across multiple sources, why looking at the top performers might not be useful for the layman, the tell-tale signs of bullshit artists, intentionally introducing a silent pause while conversing, a surprising fact about people on silent retreats and the mental difference
So You've Been Publicly Shamed (Jon Ronson) - Book Review
What is the most shame you have felt and was it something public or private? 'So You've Been Publicly Shamed' is a deep dive into the topic of shame by the gonzo journalist Jon Ronson. In the book he interviews some notable people who have been shamed on a worldwide level (thanks to social media) as well as investigating the psychology of the people instigating the shaming. In his research he touches upon the role of technology, anonymity, privacy and the creation of an online persona.Kyrin had
Beat The Competition, Really? - 4M's #46
“Work hard to beat the competition” can be just as negative as it can be positive. As Terry Crews puts it, competition is the opposite of creativity. As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!About Mere Mortals:Striving for excellence through life's lessons. Daily uploads @ 5pm AEST. 4M's, Book Reviews, Musings, Bonus, Meanderings, Interviews & Themed Podcast.Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalsmedia.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mere_mortals_m
Consciousness & Virtual Reality (Episode #116 - Meanderings)
In the future will consciousness replace money as a placeholder for value? In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and Kyrin discuss: the possibility of virtual reality allowing consciousness to become a commodity, why the attention economy is becoming the most valuable economy, why consciousness isn't already the most valuable item to humanity, how the Mere Mortals will disagree in an argument, deciding whether to resolve or simply avoid a conflict, a couple of real-life examples o
BRENDAN JAYO | Free Will, Universal Basic Income & Loud Motorbikes: Mere Mortals Conversation #28
Brendan joins Kyrin again but this time out in beautiful nature of Brisbane. No punches are held, going straight into a conversation about whether humans have free will. Also touched upon were: the manipulative advertising of companies trying to maximise profits, Alex Jones and why certain extreme viewpoints can be quite liberating, the world tricking us into working, whether UBI would create bad incentives and reduce human motivation, the love some people have for toiling at their job, realisin
Gratitude Doesn't Come Easily (Episode #115 - Gratitude)
In this themed episode Juan and Kyrin discuss the topic of 'Gratitude'. As usual they kick off with their MMM's before defining the word. Being thankful doesn't seem to come easily to most people and a lot of the language tends to reflect this. It somewhat needs to be treated as a skill to be acquired, hence the need to 'cultivate' or 'grow' the habit of showing appreciation and returning kindness.The role that gratitude plays in religion also seems to be
A Life On Our Planet (David Attenborough) - Documentary Review
How bad is climate change really? In this bonus episode Juan and Kyrin go over their thoughts of the recent David Attenborough documentary. This starts with a summary of the doco, before leading onto the parts they liked/disliked as well as the thought provoking questions that were raised. These included discussion points on: providing actionable advice and an uplifting ending, personal accountability and gratitude, humans propensity to hate change of any sort, animal extinction perhaps not alwa
Making Sacrifices To Train (Episode #114 - Musings)
In this fitness dominated episode of 'Musings' Juan and Kyrin discuss: realising the podcast is a serious venture due to the sacrifices being made, Kyrin's problem with ever elongating workouts due to all the fun exercises out there, taking shorter rest times in the gym, exercising based on feel vs based on data, Bradley and his propensity to take things to the extreme and taking care of your body. As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Timeline:0:00 - Intro & Mere Mor
Disgrace (J. M. Coetzee) - Book Review
Disgrace: the loss reputation/respect as the result of a dishonourable action. J. M. Coetzee is a Nobel Prize winner and also was awarded the Booker Prize for 'Disgrace', a fictional story of a disgraced professor in post-apartheid South Africa. The books touches upon many themes such as: sexual misconduct, growing old, race relations, creating art, rape and animal rights. However the two principal themes are about desire and disgrace.Kyrin had this to say about the book. "Be prepared for an unc
How To Gamify Life - 4M's #45
An example from everyday life on how gamifying life can help you stay on track and keep progressing, specifically discussing the term SWOLF in swimming.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!About Mere Mortals:Striving for excellence through life's lessons. Daily uploads @ 5pm AEST. 4M's, Book Reviews, Musings, Bonus, Meanderings, Interviews & Themed Podcast.Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalsmedia.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mere_mortals
We're Doing A Suit Voucher Giveaway!! (Episode #113 - Meanderings)
In this super special episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and Kyrin are announcing their mini-partnership with Jonathan from Suit Society to giveaway a $150 suit voucher to the Mere Mortal listeners. The offer is only applicable for those living in the Brisbane area but the reward for those unable to enter is the knowledge that both Mere Mortals really appreciate you for listening from across Australia (and across the seas) and that we are and will continue to send positive vibes your way.Bu
LILIANA MARIA | Experience Of A Refugee, Storytelling & Identity: Mere Mortals Conversation #27
Liliana Maria is an experienced & skilled cultural trainer, educator and storyteller. She has over 5 years experience in the refugee and asylum seeker sector. Liliana arrived in 1988 as a refugee herself on a humanitarian visa from Santiago, Chile. In this conversation they first touch upon her family's backstory of fleeing from political repression under the military dictatorship of Pinochet.Identity is also an intriguing question that Liliana has had to deal with, having strong cultur
Do Humans Have Free Will? (Episode #112 - Free Will)
Do we actually have the ability choose our own actions? In this themed episode Juan and Kyrin discuss the topic of 'Free Will'. As usual the discussion kicks off with the MMM's and definition before explaining where the crew were influenced on this topic. Kyrin explains why he doesn't believe in free will but how it is a very useful psychological tool. Juan also details how he believes we have free will but it is in a diminished capacity and depends on the boundaries of the d
Learnings From 'The War Of Art' - Steven Pressfield
In this bonus episode Juan goes through some of his favourite quotes and learnings from Steven Pressfield's 'The War of Art'. This is supplementary to his main book review, which can be found in the link below. Although it is a relatively short book, there is a bounty of quotes and beautiful language contained within. Juan found that many of these were great for keeping him motivated and on track with his goals related to business and fitness. That's it for today, Mere Mortals out!Timeline:0:00
High School Career Advice (Episode #111 - Musings)
What do you wish you had been told in High School to prepare you for entering the workforce? In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and Kyrin discuss: a mini Q&A session following on from their engineering episode, different meditation techniques and how Juan dealt with a situation of a conflict of ideas, Kanye's appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience and the speed at which his brain works, discussing general ethics from Kyrin's use of the Instagram app and why certain wor
The War Of Art (Steven Pressfield) - Book Review
Do you find yourself procrastinating and unable to overcome the negative self-talk of why you can't do something great? 'The War Of Art' is a fabulous kick in the pants by Steven Pressfield. In this book he explains his concept of 'Resistance', which is essentially the force that stops one from achieving the internal desire of creating and accomplishing something. It is similar to procrastination but he talks about it in a way that makes it easier to understand and overcome. The book is split in
Trump Lost, Now What! - 4M's #44
Is it time to loose our minds yet or is it really blown over proportion. In this little monologue, Juan goes over his thoughts on Trump loosing, spending energy on the subject and who exactly benefits from knowing such information.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!About Mere Mortals:Striving for excellence through life's lessons. Daily uploads @ 5pm AEST. 4M's, Book Reviews, Musings, Bonus, Meanderings, Interviews & Themed Podcast.Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: htt
Politics Is A Waste Of Time (Episode #110 - Meanderings)
Have you heard young kids talking about Trump, Biden and the latest American political news? In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and Kyrin discuss: the absolute waste of time that the average Joe spends on watching politics, how to deal with poor customer service, the let-down of buying a 2L beer tower, sports becoming gamified and Ultimate Tennis Showdown, why there is a strong emphasis for Colombians to attain degrees in higher education, what the MM's would do if they had to
TANYA HALL | Running Ultra Marathons, Brisbane Foodie & Optimism: Mere Mortals Conversation #26
Tanya Hall is an ultramarathoner, food blogger and mother/spouse to a loving family. Previously a journalist/editor in the UK, Tanya now lives in Brisbane devotes large amounts of time to following her passion for running and food. In this conversation we chatted about her relatively recent deep dive into the world of running very long distances, the mental process she goes through and touch upon the books 'Born To Run' (Christopher McDougall) and 'The Run-Walk-Run Method' (J
Early Signs Of A Good Engineer (Episode #109 - Engineering)
What are some of the early childhood signs that might make for a good engineer? In this themed episode Juan and Kyrin discuss the topic of 'Engineering'. Both Mere Mortals initially went to university for engineering (graduating in Civil and Mining) and subsequently worked as engineers for the early part of their careers. This episode covered their experiences at university, in the workplace and what it is like to be an engineer.The discussion starts off with indications in high school
Mere Mortals Monthly Goals - November 2020
Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? The Mere Mortals crew on the first Thursday of every month go over their progress from the previous month and where they are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings, what they didn't achieve in the previous month's goals and how they will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do differently and why? Let us know i
The NXIVM Cult (Episode #108 - Musings)
Where is the boundary point that separates a cult from a self-development type 'success program'? In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and Kyrin discuss: Juan recanting on previously strongly held position that The Social Dilemma was bullcrap, taking small actions of integrity in the micro-level, the cruel voice in your head and how to have compassion for it, a discussion on the NXIVM cult and the type of mindset required to be fooled so convincingly, joining Wim Hof's brea
The Age of Innocence (Edith Wharton) - Book Review
How much can one man endure while fulfilling his personal obligations to family/society? 'The Age of Innocence' was published in 1920 and one year later Edith Wharton became the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize. Her book is set in the 1870's and follows the personal dramas of high society New York, centring around the love triangle between Newland Archer, his fiancée May Welland and her captivating, enigmatic cousin Ellen Olenska.Kyrin had this to say about the fictional drama. "I was somew
Be Honest With Yourself - 4M's #43
Mere Mortals is built on the foundation of striving for excellence through life's lessons and one of the critical ways to do that.. is to be honest with yourself.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!About Mere Mortals:Striving for excellence through life's lessons. Daily uploads @ 5pm AEST. 4M's, Book Reviews, Musings, Bonus, Meanderings, Interviews & Themed Podcast.Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalsmedia.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.c
Running Into A Kangaroo (Episode #107 - Meanderings)
What has been your scariest moment in life? In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and Kyrin discuss: how Kyrin went about creating his Halloween costume for Dora The Explorer, what movies scare the Mere Mortals and their scariest moments in life, the experience of driving into a kangaroo at 80 kmph, the experience of being in Mexico for the Day of The Dead, a philosophical question about punishing people for not helping out or doing the right thing, global connectedness and how bad it
NIC BLAIR | Mere Mortals Interview #025
Do you want to delve into the mindset of an entrepreneur running two companies at the same time? Nic Blair was the Australian Young Entrepreneur of 2019, founder of Search Factory and cofounder of Brus Media. In this interview Juan and Nic discuss his starting from humble beginnings/early failures and the mindset (and work ethic) that is required to grow a successful business. Nic also has a passion for cars and shares some of his current play toys and visions for future acquisitions.Also in thi
How To Cultivate Self-Discipline (Episode #106 - Discipline)
Do you struggle to hold yourself accountable and do what is the right thing? In this themed episode Juan and Kyrin discuss the topic of 'Discipline'. The crew start off as usual with the MMM's/definition before diving into whether the concept is something that they think about often in their day to day life. For Kyrin it has a bit too much of a negative connotation and he prefers to use other language, whereas Juan constantly uses it to motivate himself to do the hard things even
Talking Shit With Marty - Feat. Marty
For this short bonus conversation, Juan and Kyrin were joined by Marty for a little bit of talking shit and reminiscing. This was a little bit of an experimental conversation so the audio and video quality might be at a true Mere Mortals level. Touched upon in this convo were: the deceptive smallness of the Mere Mortals studio, exercise & breaking the rules, some memories of Brisbane's party scene from the 90's, the changes of technology on the past/future and some contrarian views
Are Classic Books Any Good? (Episode #105 - Musings)
Is it worth reading classical books in today's day and age? In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and Kyrin discuss: that bitch Tina who is in every workplace, how the shit talk you throw out immediately comes back round and bites you, Kyrin's learning from spending time out and about with friends, mindsets/running/planning, before finishing up with some interesting experiments that have been done on rhyming, priming and whether we have free will.Timeline:0:00 - Intro & Mere
The Fourth Age (Byron Reese) - Book Review
“The Fourth Age not only discusses what the rise of A.I. will mean for us, it also forces readers to challenge their preconceptions. And it manages to do all this in a way that is both entertaining and engaging.” —The New York TimesJuan tackles the book The Fourth Age: Smart Robots, Conscious Computers, and the Future of Humanity by Byron Reese. This book proved to be a great read if you want to think about AI and machines from a primal basis, based on the way we might think of our universe at l
The Buy In - 4M's #42
The buy in, attributed in some forms to the Crossfit term for something you must complete before the main workout, can be expanded across further realms as a way to form habits.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!About Mere Mortals:Striving for excellence through life's lessons. Daily uploads @ 5pm AEST. 4M's, Book Reviews, Musings, Bonus, Meanderings, Interviews & Themed Podcast.Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalsmedia.com/Instagram: https://www.i
Dodgy Stock Market & Corruption (Episode #104 - Meanderings)
How much corruption actually goes on in the stock market? In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and Kyrin discuss: getting older and the way you take care of yourself after a big night out, instances of dodginess and corruption amongst different companies and countries, getting decent REM sleep for less hours of actual sleeping, running barefoot and little kids needing orthopaedics, humans not getting enough roughage and the need to eat glass (joking!!) and our new camera acquisition.T
CHRISSIE JUNGE | Mere Mortals Interview # 024
Could you live in a van/truck for 4 years of your life? Chrissie Junge is a soon to be author as well as the Brisbane Girl In A Van. Chrissie packed in traditional housing in favour of a bare metal delivery truck, and lived around Brisbane’s greenery in its rough truck bed while slowly teaching herself to build it into a comfortable tiny house.In this conversation Juan and Kyrin asked Chrissie all of their accumulated questions of living out of a van and becoming a children's author. These
Bodily Fitness & Grace Of Movement (Episode #103 - Calisthenics)
What is calisthenics and why are bodyweight movements useful? In this themed episode Juan and Kyrin discuss the topic of 'Calisthenics'. Calisthenics has become a large part of Kyrin's life since he began practicing 3+ years ago. Essentially it is a system of body weight exercises (dynamic and static) revolving around the fundamental movements of pushing and pulling. For example, the most basic exercises are pushups, pullups, planks, dips and air squats.In the conversation Juan an
Republic (Plato) - Philosophising
In today's bonus episode we have some additional notes taken by Kyrin while reading Plato's 'Republic'. These expand upon some of the deeper themes encountered in the book and there were not covered in the previously released episode of the actual book review. These include: Kyrin's personal opinions on 'justice' and the treatment it received in the dialogues, game theory and how modern knowledge and techniques can be applied to age old questions and the defects in Socrates' arguments as well as
Don't Use The Triller Social Media App (Episode #102 - Musings)
Have you tried the new Triller social media app (the competitor to TikTok) and did you find your user experience as shit as Juan did? In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and Kyrin discuss: Juan's theory of personal relativity that relates to subjective opinions, the polyglot community and speaking Spanish in a stilted, mechanical manner, the requirement of +95% comprehension when reading 2nd language books, taking the time to slow down in the moment to avoid making costly mistakes a
Republic (Plato) - Book Review
How does one become a 'Philosopher King'? Plato's 'Republic' is one of the seminal works of philosophy and one that has had a tremendous impact on critical thought and culture. It follows Socrates as he converses with friends and interlocutors on the purpose of defining the nature of 'justice'. As part of his argument, Socrates develops the concept of a perfect 'Republic' led by his Philosopher Kings. Another famous cultural icon to emerge from the book was his allegory of the cave (Plato's Cave
Theory of Relativity - 4M's #41
The theory of relativity usually encompasses two interrelated theories by Albert Einstein: special relativity and general relativity. Today however, we spin this around into the Mere Mortal take on relativity.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!About Mere Mortals:Striving for excellence through life's lessons. Daily uploads @ 5pm AEST. 4M's, Book Reviews, Musings, Bonus, Meanderings, Interviews & Themed Podcast.Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalsme
Content For Content's Sake (Episode #101 - Meanderings)
Is content for content's sake useful or is it promoting mindless sharing? In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and Kyrin discuss: Elon Musk and being cheeky, a philosophical discussion of Lamborghini's and Mazda's, a dislike of reading on the computer and preference for books, an intense argument about content and the level of attention that should be given while posting, Kyrin's bitching about the poor IG content and a happy resolution between the two amigos. As a
JOHN PLUMLEY | Mere Mortals Interview # 023
John Plumley is the host of The Plumley Podcast (formerly the JP Bar Podcast) as well as a creator on YouTube. John lives in Calgary, Alberta and has only recently dove into the world of podcasting and online creation. Kyrin connected with John via Instagram and found there were some large overlaps in their interests as well as general styles of discourse.The conversation kicked off with a dive into the self-help world, particularly focusing on books and speakers. Both Kyrin and John have receiv
Craving, Suffering & Gratitude (Episode #100 - Buddhism)
What are the essential teachings Buddhism and how much do the Mere Mortal ascribe to them? In this episode Juan and Kyrin discuss the topic of 'Buddhism'. Neither had particularly dived into religion before so the first third of the conversation was a summary of the background knowledge and general teachings of The Buddha. The crew then brings it to a personal level and talk about: the benefits and things that strike us as wise, some comparisons to other religions and where it differs
BRENDAN JAYO | Mere Mortals Interview # 022
Brendan Jayo is a personal trainer and balance coach specialising in hand & arm balancing. Kyrin first met Brendan in his local calisthenics park and the connection was immediate. They are both obsessed with a mutual passion for calisthenics but also drawn into obscure philosophical discussions and this conversation was no different.They start off with a chat about internet rabbit holes before meandering through NLP, straddle planches and parenting almost all in one sentence. The middle of t
Laugh When The Abyss Stares Back At You (Mere Mortals Episode #99 - Musings)
There is the Nietzsche quote "when you gaze long into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you", but what is the optimal response to this? In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and Kyrin discuss: techniques for maintaining sanity when under large amounts of pressure/stress, correcting unhelpful attitudes and checking oneself, the use of mantras and TM in everyday life and some wisdom nuggets on being an optimist and constantly learning. As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals
Sons And Lovers (D.H. Lawrence) - Book Review
If you enjoy long, boring, tedious, conversation filled books, then look no further. 'Sons And Lovers' is the fictional story of a lower class English family living in the 19th century. It revolves largely around Gertrude Morel's two sons (William & Paul) and their unsatisfying relationships due to their overbearing mother. Her prolonged estrangement from her husband and vicarious living through her sons ultimately ends in a ruinous end for the whole family.Kyrin had this to say of his readi
Pressure is a privilege - 4M's #40
Pressure is defined as the physical force exerted on an object. Defined for a Mere Mortal, it is the force that life exerts on us everyday and in today's Monday Movement we have a quick word on how we can perceive this as a privilege.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!About Mere Mortals:Striving for excellence through life's lessons. Daily uploads @ 5pm AEST. 4M's, Book Reviews, Musings, Bonus, Meanderings, Interviews & Themed Podcast.Connect with Mere Mortals:Webs
Let's Get Rid Of Weekends (Mere Mortals Episode #98 - Meanderings)
With work time being increasingly cut from our lives, will there ever be a time where the concept of a weekend is irrelevant? In this episode of Meanderings Juan and Kyrin discuss: The Fourth Age by Byron Reese and his analysis of what makes a human, disliking certain words due to the ambiguity of their meaning, fun thought scenarios of what the crew would change if every day was 2 hour shorter, whether this conversation will be viewed in 1000 years time and the insane, isolated 8th World Wonder
KELLY CAMERON | Mere Mortals Interview # 021
Welcome to another Mere Mortals interview. Kelly was 10 when her grandparents’ home was sold and her and her family (grandparents, parents, uncle, brother and sister) were forced to rent. Seeing her grandmother, a very stoic woman, upset at the kitchen sink, worrying about losing the house, a young Kelly made a decision to buy her grandmother another house when she got older. Seeing the distress that not having a family home had on her family, Kelly made it her business to help people buy houses
Stress, Fear, Disorders & Health (Mere Mortals Episode #97 - Anxiety)
A more serious episode this time on an issue that touches all of us in our daily lives. In this themed episode Juan and Kyrin discuss the topic of 'Anxiety'. As usual the crew starts with their Mere Mortal Moments, before diving into the definition (particularly focusing on the difference between anxiety, stress and fear). They also explore their previous disagreement from Episode #91 about whether there are any benefits to feeling anxious.The bulk of the episode then is centred around
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Mark Twain) - Book Review
What is the experience of reading English literature in Spanish? 'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer' is the classic fictional account of carefree youth in the American antebellum south. We follow Tom and his faithful companions through adventures of piracy, playing hooky and finding buried treasure. The book evokes the childlike naivety/innocence that we all once experienced as well as the superstitions and simple mindedness of the people in the American south.Kyrin had this to say of the tale. "I re
The Social Dilemma Is Trash (Mere Mortals Episode #96 - Musings)
Some Mere Mortal advice, don't watch The Social Dilemma as it is rubbish! In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and Kyrin discuss: why Juan intensely disliked the recent documentary on the dark side of social media, hypocrisy amongst people and how to fix it with accountability, developing patience through annoying computer issues, the fitness challenge and how Kyrin is an absolute weapon, the inbuilt restrictions of the Global Positioning System and some thoughts of knowing when to s
Dracula (Bram Stoker) - Book Review
Is there a price for everlasting life? 'Dracula' by Bram Stoker is the origin story of the most famous vampire in literary and movie culture. We follow Dr Van Helsing and other intrepid heroes on their mission to destroy the undead creature after his relocation from Transylvania to London in the pursuit of fresh victims. The story evokes our fear of the unknown and the everyday qualities of normal people who transform into heroes.Kyrin had this to say of his reading experience. "It was great to
Dealing with Chaos - 4M's #39
Something that was recently shared by Gary V and also discussed on a few podcasts of ours, to deal with Chaos you can use the GAP principles.. Gratitude, Accountability and Perspective.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!About Mere Mortals:Striving for excellence through life's lessons. Daily uploads @ 5pm AEST. 4M's, Book Reviews, Musings, Bonus, Meanderings, Interviews & Themed Podcast.Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalsmedia.com/Instagram: https
Breatharians & Extreme Views (Mere Mortals Episode #95 - Meanderings)
Will you join Juan in his recent conversion to subsisting on purely oxygen and sunlight? In this episode of Meandering Juan and Kyrin discuss: the recent changes to the Mere Mortals brand and content, taking responsibility for mistakes, spreading some love to those who have helped us, breatharians (the hottest new diet), talking/arguing to people with extreme views, knowing your why and the types of interview questions that are useless and those that are beneficial.Timeline:0:00 - Introduction &
SALLY HETHERINGTON | Mere Mortals Interview # 020
Welcome to another Mere Mortals interview. Sally Hetherington is an author, CEO and recipient of The Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM). Sally's backstory is of travelling to Cambodia in her 20's and learning of the negative effects of voluntourism. To make up for her own inadvertent contribution to this she began working with local Cambodians to register the charity organisation, Human and Hope Association Cambodia (HHA). This interview began with a detailed look at her backstory a
Put Another Shrimp On The Barbie Mate (Mere Mortals Episode #94 - Accents)
Are you prepared to hear some impossibly awful accent impersonations? In this themed episode Juan and Kyrin discuss the topic of 'Accents'. These are defined as 'a distinctive way of pronouncing a language, especially one associated with a particular country, area, or social class.' They differ from dialect, which a particular form of language using different words. Isolation and evolution contribute to a common baseline language developing different accents, then different d
Monthly Goals - October 2020
Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? The Mere Mortals crew on the first Thursday of every month go over their progress from the previous month and where they are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings and why they didn't achieve their goals and how they will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do differently and why? Let us know in the comments, Mere
The Dark Side Of Bookstagram (Mere Mortals Episode #93 - Musings)
Do you also feel there is something a bit weird in the bookstagram community? In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and Kyrin discuss: the infinite feeds available on social media and techniques to avoid losing yourself in the never-ending void of content, Kyrin's big booty and how it is NOT necessary for the Mere Mortals brand, some lessons and practical take-aways from a year's worth of podcasting, the small innocuous comments that can really kill a passion and why Juan's
Gulliver's Travels (Jonathan Swift) - Book Review
How would your perspective change in the world of the giants or amongst the little people? 'Gulliver's Travels' is the classic 18th century travel adventure by Jonathan Swift. The book follows Lemuel Gulliver across his four adventures in strange lands amongst strange people. It deals with contrasting perspectives changed by viewpoint, the different types of government and the practicality of misanthropy.Kyrin had this to say of the book. "I found the book to be more enjoyable and thought provok
Effort - 4M's #38
What is the one thing you can concretely rely on.. your effort. Today's Monday Movement rolls quickly into a discussion of effort.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!About Mere Mortals:Striving for excellence through life's lessons. Daily uploads @ 5pm AEST. 4M's, Book Reviews, Musings, Bonus, Meanderings, Interviews & Themed Podcast.Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalsmedia.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mere_mortals_mediaFacebook: h
Viewing Death Differently (Mere Mortals Episode #92 - Meanderings)
How would the sum of human psychology change if every person's death was preceded by an ecstatic euphoria? In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and Kyrin discuss: changing the overall perception of death as a negative event, Juan's ambivalence towards food, desiring every piece of gym equipment known to man, learning to perfect the fundamental movements and general fitness/flexibility goals for 2021. We hope your day isn't as windy as our was and as always, hope you enj
SAMMY & DON APPAH | Mere Mortals Interview # 019
Sammy & Don Appah are two brothers living in London and are the hosts of 'The Family' podcast. Kyrin connected with them via Instagram and loved their mix of humorous banter with deep philosophical questionings. The brothers kindly made themselves available for a discussion on some topics that immediately jump out when listening to their podcast.The convo started off with some personal role models that have had a big impact for both Sammy and Don. This led into the commonality of t
Becoming An Eminently Qualified Human Being (Mere Mortals Episode #91 - Long-Term Goals)
What are long-term goals and why are they important? In this themed episode Juan and Kyrin discuss the topic of 'Long-Term Goals'. First of all we want to apologise for the inferior audio quality in this episode. We had some technical glitches that unfortunately were not able to be fixed to our normal standard, but felt that the listener would still receive sufficient benefit from the conversation. Rest assured, one of our long-term goals is to continually improve the Mere Mortals podc
The Turn Of The Screw & The Aspern Papers (Henry James) - Book Review
Were the ghosts real or was the Governess crazy? 'The Turn Of The Screw' & 'The Aspern Papers' are two novellas written by the uber-prolific Henry James (seriously, the dude wrote a lot). Both stories deal with a central character losing themselves in their situation, whether it be an uncertain horror transported into everyday reality or a man single-mindedly pursuing what he wants. Kyrin had this to say of the two tales. "I really don't like horror and thrills so these probably weren't the
The Most Useless Meeting Ever (Mere Mortals Episode #90 - Musings)
Have you ever been stuck in an IQ-killing, mind numbingly boring, uselessly impotent work meeting? In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and Kyrin discuss: the reasoning process between going for short term gains while taking long term damage, sleep and how much is necessary for the Mere Mortals, verbal fillers of like and ummm, a collection of differences between Juan/Kyrin and why they work well together and terrible communication patterns resulting in absolutely useless work meetings. T
Life On The Mississippi (Mark Twain) - Book Review
The most enjoyable book that Kyrin has read all year! 'Life On The Mississippi' is a non-conventional book, alternating between memoirs, story telling, historical facts, reminisces of the past and cultural observations. Mark Twain gets the chance to recount his old adventures as a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi river in his youth and explore some of the changes that he has seen from before and after the American Civil War and the effects of the Industrial Revolution.Kyrin had this to say abo
Self-Distortion - 4M's #37
Building on our discussion of Gullibility not too long ago, Juan take's on the topic of self-distortion.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!About Mere Mortals:Striving for excellence through life's lessons. Daily uploads @ 5pm AEST. 4M's, Book Reviews, Musings, Bonus, Meanderings, Interviews & Themed Podcast.Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalsmedia.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mere_mortals_mediaFacebook: https://facebook.com/Meremo
What If Cars Were Sentient? (Mere Mortals Episode #89 - Meanderings)
Would Kyrin face the criminal justice system if cars became sentient and exposed his abusive relationship? In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and Kyrin discuss: role models who have had a significant impact on their lives, not allowing external factors to kill your passions, creating a brand to rival Mcdonald's, a couple of fun 'what if' questions regarding cars/exercise and the strangeness of caffeine addiction.Timeline:0:00 - Outdoor introduction0:40 - Are you neuro
JOHN VICKERS | Mere Mortals Interview # 018
This week Juan got the chance to chat with John Vickers. As a senior executive, John has held the positions of General Manager, Vice President, CEO, CIO, Partner, and State Manager, in the Private, Public and Not-for-Profit sectors. His rich and varied life have led him across assignments that spanned the UK, USA, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. This interview was far reaching, beginning our conversation with running at a young age and progressing to taking on the Comrade's maratho
The One Easy Trick To Earn $100 Trillion Dollars!!!! (Mere Mortals Episode #88 - Gullibility)
If you are easily tricked and gullible, fear not the Mere Mortals are here!!! In this themed episode Juan and Kyrin discuss the topic of 'Gullibility'. Before diving in the team want to give a big shout out to all those who have joined us for our journey so far. The team has just passed the 1 year anniversary of starting the podcast and we feel like we are just getting started!To start off the conversation, the Mere Mortals ask themselves if they are gullible? This leads into talking a
The Odyssey (Homer) - Book Review
"He smote his breast, and thus reproached his heart. Endure, my heart; far worst has thou endured." If you are looking for an uplifting tale of a man's struggle through life, then look no further. 'The Odyssey' is the second of the epic poems by the Greek author Homer. Kyrin from the Mere Mortals crew has already reviewed the well renowned 'The Iliad' and herein contains his opinions of the journey of Odysseus."The poem brings forth suggestive questions still applicable to a modern context. What
Life Is A Locked Room (Mere Mortals Episode #87 - Musings)
Life is like a room filled with suffering, locked on the outside by a guy in a silly hat. In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and Kyrin discuss: enjoying/reflecting on the small wins and not needing the big life changing moments, Juan's morning routine to ground himself, Man's Search For Meaning and 3 ways to find it, some analogies for life and the inherent nature of suffering and allowing yourself to lose hobbies/work/whatever and replacing it with something else. As always,
Crime And Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky) - Book Review
Are great men born or made? Fyodor Dostoyevsky explores this question amongst many others in his extraordinary novel 'Crime And Punishment'. Published in 1866 this Russian masterpiece is still considered one of the greatest books ever written. It tells the story of Rodion Raskolnikov and his psychological undoing after committing a horrific crime in an insane intellectual pursuit. Raskolnikov's subsequent subconscious guilt and near descent to insanity is beautifully captured in a book that does
Feeling Down - 4M's #36
A Monday morning and you feel DOWN! What to do? Juan takes us through this very feeling on a fine Monday. As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!About Mere Mortals:Striving for excellence through life's lessons. Daily uploads @ 5pm AEST. 4M's, Book Reviews, Musings, Bonus, Meanderings, Interviews & Themed Podcast.Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalsmedia.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mere_mortals_media/Facebook: https://facebook.com/Meremort
A Science, Pseudoscience Or Art? (Mere Mortals Episode #86 - Physiognomy)
Can we actually predict the innate character/personality of someone, solely based on their face? Juan and Kyrin try and answer this question in this themed episode of 'Physiognomy'. The definition of physiognomy is hard to pin down, explaining why it actually appears to be a combination of science, pseudoscience and art. The debate also gets muddled due to the underlying nature vs nurture argument that rears its head after sufficient discussion.This led to a more practical discussion o
JACQUI OOI | Mere Mortals Interview # 017
This week Kyrin got the chance to chat with Jacqui Ooi, the host of the 'What She Did Next' podcast. Jacqui has had an intriguing career, first starting off as a journalist/editor in woman's magazines before heading into the NGO sector and working in senior communications roles for large charities (notably ChildFund Australia and The Smith Family).Recently she decided to start her own podcast, focusing particularly on woman who have had non-standard career paths. Jacqui also share
Jehovah's Witness Conversion Attempt (Mere Mortals Episode #85 - Meanderings)
Have you had an intense interaction with someone trying to convert you to 'insert religion here'? In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and Kyrin discuss: Kyrin's recent interaction with a crazy Jehovah's Witness, the best argumentative method to change another person's mind and the type of Mere Mortals mind states that leave the crew in their weakest and strongest positions.Timeline:0:00 - Introduction1:37 - Crazy lady and her JW org conversion attempt3:45 - W
What I Talk About When I Talk About Running (Haruki Murakami) - Learnings
Following on from the review of What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami, Juan from the Mere Mortals digs into the learnings that he found through the book.As always, enjoy!About Mere Mortals:Mere Mortals documents the journey of Juan & Kyrin to understand themselves, others and the limits of all us mortals, then subsequently push beyond these limits by discussing/analysing the successes and more importantly the failures.Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.me
Holidaying On Hamilton Island (Mere Mortals Episode #84 - Musings)
What did Kyrin get up to on his recent holiday to Hamilton Island? In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and Kyrin discuss: wearing a 20 kg weight vest to stop being too comfortable, the not-so-secret cardio weakness of the explosive Mere Mortals crew, coronavirus air travel and the definition of good customer service, overcoming claustrophobia and facing a new fear and how to better bond with your family on vacations.Timeline:0:00 - Introduction1:18 - Chunky Juan's weight vest4:40 -
What I Talk About When I Talk About Running (Haruki Murakami) - Book Review
You really get to know what Mr Murakami talks about when he talks about running. A really wonderful piece of literature which comprises a few short pieces throughout his time in 2005/06 , it goes through the trials and tribulations of preparing for a marathon as he has aged, not doing as well as he would have expected, running distances longer than a marathon, the feelings around that and many more. Tune in for Juan's short take on the book.As always, enjoy!About Mere Mortals:Mere Mortals docume
Early Mornings or Late Nights - 4M's #35
Should you be getting up early to start the day fresh, or burning the late night candle to get your work done, which one works best?As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!About Mere Mortals:Striving for excellence through life's lessons. Daily vids @ 5 pm AEST. 4M's, Book Reviews, Musings, Bonus, Meanderings, Interviews & Themed Podcasts.Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalsmedia.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mere_mortals_media/Facebook: http
Using Music To Create Memories (Mere Mortals Episode #83 - Music)
Do you intentionally listen to a specific song/artist to recall a memorable time period? In this themed episode Juan and Kyrin discuss the topic of 'Music'. As usual the crew start of with some Mere Mortal Moments as well as the etymology and definition of the word. They then start listing some of their favourite artists and genres before diving into how music can evoke past memories and whether this is only a good technique or could potentially ruin songs.Music plays a big part in all
ALEX TROLL | Mere Mortals Interview # 016
It was a pleasure to welcome back Alex Troll, founder of PodUnion, a platform to listen to and host podcasts. We started off this interview talking about how to market yourself by simply providing value and letting that speak for itself. We then transitioned to transformative innovations that will change the world of the future. Alex predicts that the instant ability to translate between languages will open up a huge new space for ideas to spread and cross over barriers previously blocked by the
Muscle-Bound Goons & Hairless Toads (Mere Mortals Episode #82 - Meanderings)
What is the greatest compliment that the Mere Mortals would like to be called? In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and Kyrin discuss: hot versus cold and if summer is better than winter, compliments that are the opposite of your natural ability, useless routines and Kyrin's OCD with pegs, doing uncomfortable actions and asking for discounts, Juan's hypnotic ability to control his minions and some hypothetical pictures that would be on the official Mere Mortals Only Fans acc
Monthly Goals - September 2020
Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? The Mere Mortals crew on the first Thursday of every month go over their progress from the previous month and where they are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings and why they didn't achieve their goals and how they will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do differently and why? Let us know in the comments, Mere
Who Listens To The News? (Mere Mortals Episode #81 - Musings)
Do you still watch the news and if so, how much? In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and Kyrin discuss: their new camera quality, personality versus character and which is more important, tips on making new connections and dealing with social snubs, how both MM's consume their news, why Kyrin likes to live in the squalor of ignorance and the absurd amount of daily emails that Juan receives.Timeline:0:00 - Intro and camera quality0:37 - Personality vs Character2:46 - Socrates is a ja
Thérèse Raquin (Émile Zola) - Book Review
Is there a moral boundary that cannot be crossed, even by those who act unthinkingly? 'Thérèse Raquin' is a simple story with only four main characters. Set in 19th century Paris, it tells of passion, betrayal, murder, deception and ultimately, accountability. Émile Zola wrote the book in a literary style known as 'Naturalistic'. In the preface he expressly states that he was interested in the temperaments of the personas, rather than their characters. By this he explores how humans would behave
Take a Break - 4M's #34
Taking a break is an essential part of growth, go too far however and it can just become a way to make excuses. Join us for another edition of Mere Mortals Monday Movement (4M's).About Mere Mortals:Striving for excellence through life's lessons. Learnings from podcasts, interviews, book reviews and reflection on how to push beyond a Mere Mortal.Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalsmedia.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mere_mortals_media/Facebook: https://f
The Benefits Of Conscious Breathing (Mere Mortals Episode #80 - Breathing)
Why should you care about how you breathe and what is the difference between nasal and mouth breathing? In this themed episode Juan and Kyrin discuss the topic of 'Breathing'. The crew start off with some fun facts, like that continuous breathing through your mouth can actually change the shape of your face. This tends to be a deleterious change and there are in fact numerous benefits to gaining your oxygen nasally versus through the mouth.The MM crew then get onto techniques (Wim Hof
MATSEN JASCH | Mere Mortals Interview # 015
Matsen Jasch is the host of the Inner City Hermit podcast, a local Brisbane based lifestyle/comedy podcast. We start off with a common problem (that is not unique to podcasters) of comparing yourself to others. Matsen gives us a couple of tips of how to get out of this mindset and into one of mutual cooperation and collaboration. He also reveals his method of reaching out to people and how he gets such a large variety of guests on his show.The rest of the time we jump around a multitude of topic
Proud Of Being A Mere Mortalite (Mere Mortals Episode #79 - Meanderings)
Do you find yourself judging and comparing yourself to the pinnacles of 'success'? In this episode of Meanderings, Juan and Kyrin discuss: recognising that even the best of people can't do everything, the common traps of self judgement and comparison, the unfairness of life, knowing when to quit and give up and rekindling lost passions through introspection.0:00 - Intro0:25 - Being proud of being a Mere Mortal6:15 - Comparing life to a video game8:18 - The traps of self comparison
The Trial And Death Of Socrates (Plato) - Book Review
Are you willing to put it all on the line and to die for your beliefs? In 'The Trial And Death Of Socrates' we indeed find someone who is willing to do this. This short book is composed from three of the four Socratic Dialogues (Apology/Crito/Phaedo) by the Athenian philosopher, Plato. It mostly takes the form of monologues by Socrates with some short back and forth with his friends. It tells of his trial, reasons for not fleeing, musings on death & the soul before his final suicide by poiso
What Are The Best Karaoke Songs? (Mere Mortals Episode #78 - Musings)
Join the debate. Are the best karaoke songs those which require you to sing in strange ways or those which suit your natural tone? In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and Kyrin have a look at the week that was and pick out the choice selections of their learnings. These included the power of negative visualisation, looking back on your progress as unbearable situations now become easily manageable, the result of experience on one's decision making as well as the untapped daily poten
The Iliad (Homer) - Book Review
“Let me not then die ingloriously and without a struggle, but let me first do some great thing that shall be told among men hereafter.” This is a wholly Mere Mortal endorsed quote from 'The Iliad'. Written sometime long ago (thought to be 8th century B.C.) by the poet Homer, it is an epic poem of part of the war between The Greeks and The Trojans outside the walled city of Ilium. The main focus of the numerous battles rests with two heroic fighters, the Trojan prince Hector and the demigod Achil
The Secret to Happiness - 4Ms #33
The secret to happiness - "See all the marvels of the world and never forget the drops of oil in the spoon" - The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!About Mere Mortals:Striving for excellence through life's lessons. Learnings from podcasts, interviews, book reviews and reflection on how to push beyond a Mere Mortal.Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalsmedia.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mere_mortals_media/Twitter:
Kurt Cobain's Death (Mere Mortals Episode #77 - Suicide)
What are the reason's that drive someone to take their own life? In this sombre themed episode Juan and Kyrin discuss the topic of 'Suicide'. While not a pleasant theme the MM crew were suggested the topic and it follows the recent discussion Juan had with Jodie Addis (MM Interview #014) about mental health. 0:00 - Introduction1:17 - Mere Mortal Moments4:30 - Definition & Etymology5:32 - Kurt Cobain's suicide details10:12 - It's better to burn out than fade away13:18
JODIE ADDIS | Mere Mortals Interview #014
The team had the great pleasure of interviewing Jodie from The Mental Health Podcast, a brand new podcast raising awareness on some often swept under the carpet type of topics. Among other things we discussed her own personal "rock bottom" scenarios, her Why behind bringing the podcast to live and the message she wants everyone to walk away with.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!About Mere Mortals:Striving for excellence through life's lessons. Learnings from podcasts
Blacking Out While Freediving (Mere Mortals Episode #76 - Meanderings)
What drives a person to put their health on the line just for the sake of being the best? In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and Kyrin discuss:0:00 - Intro & MM improvements2:55 - Deep breathing and freedivers8:53 - Retaining information and Juan's new process13:20 - Kyrin's purpose for doing book reviews20:55 - Do the Mere Mortals miss travelling?23:40 - Will future generations travel if VR is improved?26:32 - When did the Mere Mortals last play video games?27:55 - Is
Tribe of Mentors (Timothy Ferriss) - Book Review Quotes
Tim Ferriss, the #1 New York Times best-selling author of The 4-Hour Workweek, shares his book a Tribe of Mentors, a choose your own adventure type book where you can pick and reach from 130+ of the world's top successes. Hand in hand with the existing book review, the team went through some of the favourite quotes we encountered through this book (note there is a LOT of quotes in this one). Juan divulges why these quotes resonated so well with his Why's through this quote series. Enjoy!
Trust Vs Vulnerability (Mere Mortals Episode #75 - Musings)
Which comes first, trust or vulnerability? In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and Kyrin attempt to answer this question and also discuss: Tristan Harris (the good guy of Silicon Valley), phone tips/tricks to reduce the attraction of social media, chasing the story-line, choosing between hell yes or no, altered states from Wim Hof breathing, the problem with the Pareto principle and cutting out negative bullshit. Pride cometh before the fall. Upon celebrating improving our lighting quali
Tribe of Mentors (Timothy Ferriss) - Book Review
Tim Ferriss, the #1 New York Times best-selling author of The 4-Hour Workweek, shares his book a Tribe of Mentors, a choose your own adventure type book where you can pick and reach from 130+ of the world's top successes. Tim uses a great selection of questions that allows each of the individuals in the book to share open and honest insights into their life and how they handle things like "how to say no" and "the best things they have bought under $100". An insightful book, best served as a pick
Control your Decisions - 4Ms #32
Controlling your decisions is often easier said than done. Today is a short little take-away on how emotions control your decisions, and in turn mastering your emotions can truly free you up to control your destiny.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!About Mere Mortals:Striving for excellence through life's lessons. Learnings from podcasts, interviews, book reviews and reflection on how to push beyond a Mere Mortal.Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalsmedia.c
Do You Believe In Aliens? (Mere Mortals Episode #74 - Aliens)
Do you believe in aliens and if so, have they visited us? Juan and Kyrin start off this themed episode of 'Aliens' by answering this question and their reasoning process. There has been many attempts at attempting to scientifically argue for their existence (such as with the Drake equation) and explain why we lack evidence of their being on Earth (the Fermi paradox). The Mere Mortals crew then explored into unknown territory. What will change if/when we colonise Mars? What would humans
ERIKA DE PELLEGRIN | Mere Mortals Interview # 013
Erika De Pellegrin is the host of The Balance Theory podcast, a podcast to help gain insight, tools & tips across the areas of health, relationships and fulfilment. As usual we start off with a Mere Mortal Moment before diving into her story about getting to a low body fat percentage. The most interesting aspect of this journey was the mental reset required when she realised that there was a disconnect between how she was physically feeling and what the 'numbers' were saying.We th
Mr. Gu & The Missing Money (Mere Mortals Episode #73 - Meanderings)
Why should you be careful about mixing money and pleasure? In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and Kyrin discuss: Mr. Gu and his Ponzi scheme, making sure you are doing something for the right reason (and not just the side benefits), choosing between impending death from an asteroid or black hole, asking how you would run 110 km over the course of a month and some mental tricks on how to fail a challenge physically before mentally.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!About
The Gulag Archipelago: Abridged (Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn) - Quotes
Welcome to a Mere Mortals bonus piece of content!! In this video Kyrin goes over some of his favourite quotes from abridged version of 'The Gulag Archipelago'. These are select snippets that highlight some of the most important particulars of the book with Kyrin then adding his own personal reflections on the quote and why it struck him so deeply. If you are looking for a general overview of the book, please head to the Book Review, which deals with the principal themes.Kyrin had this to say, "T
Pivot On My Problematic Grave (Mere Mortals Episode #72 - Musings)
Are there any words that infuriate you to the point on pulling out your hair (Exhibit A = Mere Mortal Kyrin)? In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and Kyrin discuss: why Kyrin would hate consulting, letting yourself be more spontaneous, Juan's justified hatred of his university assessor, the crazy story of a navy seal who got shot 27 times, 800,000 US children being trafficked per year and being more careful with your words.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Support the s
The Call Of The Wild (Jack London) - Book Review
Nature vs Nurture, which is more influential? This is one of the queries that pop up when reading 'The Call Of The Wild' by Jack London. Probably the most well known of his works, it is very similar to 'White Fang' in many ways. We follow a St Bernard cross Scotch Collie named Buck as he returns to the icy wilderness of Northern Canada. Along his journey he rediscovers his baser, deep rooted instincts.Kyrin of the Mere Mortal crew had this to say. "Sometimes you can read two very similar books a
Content Creation - 4M's #31
Why do so many of us out there feel like creating content is such a huge barrier, or not just content but in taking action until everything is EXACTLY as you need it to be. Focus on taking action, progressively improving and letting the market, your customers, friends and family give you the feedback you need to continue improving. As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!About Mere Mortals:Striving for excellence through life's lessons. Learnings from podcasts, interviews, book revie
Is Common Sense Really That Common? (Mere Mortals Episode #71 - Common Sense)
How is common sense defined and what level/percentage of commonality is required to even be able to use this phrase? In this themed episode Juan and Kyrin discuss the topic of 'Common Sense'. Of all the themed topics to date, this was probably the hardest to define and have a sensible conversation about. Both Mere Mortals agreed with the general definition of 'sound judgement on practical matters' but also needed an extra personal addition to really make sense of it. Common s
JONATHON RADFORD | Mere Mortals Interview # 012
Jonathon Radford is the Co-Founder at Suit Society, a leading suit company that provides the modern gentleman with quality tailored suits and accessories. Based in Brisbane, Jonathon is also an external CFO for Adama Digital and the founder of Attica asset management. In this conversation we talked all things suit, where the idea initiated from, some of the learnings he found throughout the beginning, the pivotal points that helped the company expand and what lays ahead. Outside of a business co
Assertiveness & Chicken! (Mere Mortals Episode #70 - Meanderings)
Are you assertive enough to order all the chicken that McDonald's owns? In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and Kyrin discuss: the responsibility of having absurd amounts of money, Kyrin's dream of Juan ordering too much chicken, Juan's rant on people expecting perfection from you, internal vs external motivation, what you would enjoy but never spend money on and a final inspirational note to try for the seemingly impossible!Support the show
Monthly Goals - August 2020
Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? The Mere Mortals crew on the first Thursday of every month go over their progress from the previous month and where they are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings and why they didn't achieve their goals and how they will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do differently and why? Let us know in the comments, Mere
Introspection With A Pie & Almond Croissant (Mere Mortals Episode #69 - Musings)
Jump in to find out Juan's deep epiphany on his recent birthday! In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and Kyrin discuss: the paradox of wanting something so badly that it becomes further out of reach, Kyrin's faith in humanity being dependent on not interacting with people, not changing your life even if you had a $100 million, reaching the social media critical mass and judging the persona instead of the actuality of ultra-famous people.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortal
The Gulag Archipelago: Abridged (Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn) - Book Review
What can be learned from the senseless death of millions and how can we ensure it never happens again? 'The Gulag Archipelago' is a three-volume work that transformed the World's opinion on the USSR and communist ideology. The author, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, spent 8 years in the forced labour camps before being released under the sweeping reforms put in place after Stalin's death. He wrote of his experiences and those of his comrades in the frozen Russia tundra under essentially unlivable condit
Digital Communication - 4M's Episode #30
What's better, a well articulated video/audio that gets the message across in a perfectly edited way.. or a slightly rougher piece of content that still gets across the message with the minimum expected quality. What's more, it depends on what context you look at it being better for. On one hand, it might be better for your target audience to have the value from the video delivered in the ideal timing, but what about from the context of being better for yourself. Ie to be able to learn
Striving For Excellence Through Life's Lessons (Mere Mortals Episode #68 - Excellence)
Why do the Mere Mortals crew strive for excellence? In this themed episode Juan and Kyrin discuss the topic of 'Excellence'. In the dictionary, excellence is defined as "the quality being outstanding or extremely good". However both Juan and Kyrin went a bit deeper in their own personal meanings of the word. For Juan, it meant achieving a high level of competence in a figurative scale (more than 7 out of 10) as well as being known for that competence. For Kyrin, it meant achi
The Mindset Of Being Undeniable (Mere Mortals Episode #67 - Meanderings)
Is the way out of the 'Cancel Culture' game to aim for being so great, so excellent in your chosen avenue that you are undeniable? In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and Kyrin discuss: hair sticking out like a twat, saving money on Monster energy drinks, presenting better by preparing less, ScoMo and the wombat wobble, becoming the best but not aiming for perfection, what the Mere Mortals crew want to become undeniably good at and why Domino's is so interesting. As al
How Often Should One Review Old Information? (Mere Mortals Episode #66 - Musings)
Is continually taking in new information the best way to learn or should there be some sort of review process to consolidate learnings? In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and Kyrin discuss: being pleasantly surprised by old insights, key methods to absorb information, the hidden steps actually behind innovation and adding 'adherence' to the effective vs efficient debate. As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Support the show
The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho) - Book Review
"To realize one's destingy is a person's only obligation". This is a quote taken from the book 'The Alchemist' by Paulo Coelho. It is a relatively short book of a simple story; a young shepherd goes on a journey to find his treasure. However the tale is enrapturing and one can't help but be drawn in and identify parts of oneself in Santiago, the Andalusian shepherd. Although it primarily addresses the spiritual/psychological barriers that prevent us from fulfilling our dreams, it also packs in p
Effectiveness vs Efficiency - 4M's Episode #29
Effectiveness and Efficiency are often misunderstood concepts that both play an integral part towards doing the right things and doing things right. Juan runs through both of these, a short summary from the last podcast on the subject and provides two take away pieces to get you moving on a Monday.As always, enjoy.About Mere Mortals:Mere Mortals strives for excellence through life's lessons. Come along for the journey. Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalsmedia.com/Inst
Where Should One Direct Their Effort? (Mere Mortals Episode #65 - Effective Vs Efficient)
If you could be 10% more effective or 10% more efficient, which would you prefer? In this themed episode Juan and Kyrin discuss the topic of being 'Effective Vs Efficient'. While closely related, there is actually a big difference between these two ideas. Simply put, being effective is doing the right things (goal orientated) and being efficient is doing things right (process orientated). As always, the Mere Mortal crew begin with their Mere Mortal Moment of the week and really hone in
Will Amazon Be Around In 40 Years? (Mere Mortals Episode #64 - Meanderings)
In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and Kyrin discuss: eating so much you make yourself ill, the mindset required to properly diet, the death of magazines (and what will replace them), the absurd amount of wealth/power concentrated in single hands and whether technology will allow fake things seems so real that we have to treat them as real. As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Support the show
You Can Do Anything, But You Can't Do Everything (Mere Mortals Episode #63 - Musings)
To achieve great things one must achieve a single-mindedness state, which can only be achieved by using the Do Not Disturb button your phone! In this episode of Musings Juan and Kyrin cover: getting lost in the internet looking up the weather in Germany instead of working, meeting new people to practice a new language, actually connecting with people using social media, the insidious nature of unhealthy bargains, Philip Zimbardo and the Stanford Prison Experiments, being devious for a day and th
100 Years Of Solitude (Gabriel García Márquez) - Book Review
Have you read one of the classics of Latin American literature? '100 Year of Solitude' is the magnus opus of the Nobel laureate Gabriel García Márquez. Although only published in 1967 it is already a classic book of worldwide literature. It is a long meandering book that tells the story of the Buendía family in the magical town of Macondo.I read this book in Spanish so my impression of the book comes from the original text, however with a bit less comprehension as Spanish is not my native langua
Knowledge Absorbtion - 4M's Episode #28
How one absorbs information should be seen hand in hand as important as the actual information that you take in. If you are only capturing and understanding 10% of the information you are absorbing through inadequate means, there is a lot of efficiencies to be made by using better sources of informaton. Another Mere Mortals Monday Movement for you all. Team out.As always, enjoy.Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalsmedia.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mere_mortal...
Empowering Victims & Perpetrators (Mere Mortals Episode #62 - Restorative Justice)
Is there a better, utilitarian form of administering justice than the system of retributive justice? In this themed episode Juan and Kyrin discuss the topic of 'Restorative Justice'. The basic principle of restorative justice is to repair the harm caused by criminal behaviour, rather than the retributive justice system of ensuring that people get what they deserve (i.e., punishment). This usually involves a meeting between the victim and offender with the aim of making amends for the h
The Wim Hof Method & Cold Showers (Mere Mortals Episode #61 - Meanderings)
Are you actually challenging yourself, or just think you are? In this episode of Meanderings Juan and Kyrin dive into the icy cold topic of the Wim Hof Method. For those who are unaware, Wim Hof is a beautifully insane dutch man known as the Ice Man, who invented a breathing technique that allows him to endure cold (but also heat) well beyond what is considered normal. Kyrin has recently started practising this method, as well as facing his mortal enemy, the cold.In the second half of the sessio
Purely Existing To Continuous Elation (Mere Mortals Episode #60 - Musings)
How can one move from being in a state of purely existing to one of continuous elation? In this episode of Musings Juan and Kyrin discuss this question as well as: what is your own personal philosophy (or set of rules to live by), feeling the negative more strongly than the positive, how much as an individual one should pay attention to apocalyptic risks and providing principles rather than a personal story to those who ask for advice. As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Support the s
The Food Of The Gods (H.G. Wells) - Book Review
How would 19th century British folk handle a situation of their children growing to the size of 4 story buildings? If you have ever asked yourself this very specific question than 'The Food of The Gods and How It Came To Earth' by H.G. Wells is the perfect book for you. The book raises some interesting questions one of these being: are there inventions/discoveries that can or should be un-invented?I was very excited after reading the initial pages and the basic premise of the plot, but was let d
Supplementation - 4M's Episode #27
To supplement or not to supplement, that is the question. In today's Mere Mortal Monday Movement we look at the topic our hand in our last themed podcast discussion. Key to our discussion was the need to treat supplements as what they should be, ehancements of the basic natural levels that us as mere mortals all have and can influence through basic foundations such as sleep, nutrition, fitness and a settled mind. As always, enjoy.Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalsmed
The Additional Enhancement (Mere Mortals Episode #59 - Supplements)
What's the purpose of supplements, to cover for deficiencies, enhance beyond the norm, or both? In this episode Juan and Kyrin discuss the topic of 'Supplements'. This conversation largely concentrates on supplementation in the fitness world, but touches upon taking supplements for health reasons and the debate of what is 'natural'.Both Mere Mortals give an account of their own experiences using supplements, with the intriguing adventure of Juan in the Supplement Den and
JOSH BUSBY | Mere Mortals Interview # 011
JOSH BUSBY is a podcaster living in Omaha, Nebraska. He is the host of the 'Just A Guy Podcast', a comedy podcast where he chats with friends and strangers alike, always with a beer in hand! In this interview we start of with the light stuff; morality and its interplay with technological advances. Josh also gives his take on some uniquely American topics: the 6 branches of the military, gun control laws & the necessity of responsibility in combination with freedom.We end the podcas
TikTok & Dogecoin (Mere Mortals Episode #58 - Meanderings)
Welcome to episode #58. In this episode of Meanderings Juan and Kyrin discuss: getting investing advice from TikTok (don't do it!!!), becoming more perceptive of time in your mid 20's, shifting age of consent laws if we lived to 200, getting varied sources for your news and being 8 foot-nothing tall.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Support the show
An Unquiet Mind (Kay Redfield Jamison) - Book Review
What is it like to have bipolar disorder? 'An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness' is a biography by Kay R. Jamison, a doctor/psychologist who researches this very topic and who also is afflicted with the same disorder. Previously known as manic depression, it is a mental disorder with a strong genetic component that results in intense mood swings with little ability of regulation.I was interested in this book as I wanted to read more about the subjective experience of depression. While
Pain & Suffering - 4M's Episode #26
Pain is inevitable: suffering is optional. A quote popularised by Haruki Murakami is an old Buddhist saying and forms the basis of today's brief discussion to help everyone move forward. Another monday, another chance to sit within your mind or step outside of it and make things happen. Enjoy.If you want to check out the full podcast on pain, find it on your favourite podcast network or through the video here: https://youtu.be/5Q7Ixw50m-IConnect with Mere Mortals:Website: www.meremortalsmed
The Ethics of Pain Management (Mere Mortals Episode #57 - Pain)
Where does the responsibility of doctors lie, to reduce short-term pain or to increase the probability of long-term rehabilitation? This is one of the questions Juan and Kyrin ponder in this themed episode of 'Pain'. There can be many types of physical pain (psychogenic, phantom, acute, chronic, etc.,) as well as the addition of emotional pain (i.e,. pain not caused by an unpleasant physical sensation conveyed by sensory neurons).Some of the others topics we touch upon were: treating p
TAMAR HELA | Mere Mortals Interview #010
Tamar Hela is an entrepreneur based in Shanghai and the COO of the digital agency Genius Encel. She helps Fortune 500 companies in Asia generate leads through LinkedIn and we were lucky enough to have a long discussion on all fronts including the key points to know when working with a foreign culture, what Shanghai is all about, how LinkedIn can help ALL businesses and many many more.Connect with Tamar at these places:Genius Encel website: https://geniusencel.agencyGenius Encel Blog: https://blo
The Problem With Latinos (Mere Mortals Episode #56 - Meanderings)
Did Latinos discover that time is relative before Einstein? In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and Kyrin discuss: the constant tardiness of hispanoamericans, the live and interactive components of future social media platforms and making friends with people from the places you want to travel to. As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Support the show
What Your New Car Can Teach You (Mere Mortals Episode #55 - Musings)
Never did you know the amount of wisdom that a new car can teach you (surely there is another Herbie movie in here somewhere). In this episode of Musings Juan and Kyrin discuss: Juan's learnings from buying a new car, asking a question only looking for praise or confirmation, methods for allowing mental resets and asking yourself how you can make the path to accomplishing your goals easier. As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Support the show
Monthly Goals - July 2020
Do you set yourself monthly goals and if so, how many do you set? The Mere Mortals crew on the first Wednesday of every month go over their progress from the previous month and where they are heading for the next. Emphasis as always is on the shortcomings and why they didn't achieve their goals and how they will fix that for the month that comes. We hope you get some value from this series, showcasing our own methodology. What do you do differently and why? Let us know in the comments, Mere
White Fang (Jack London) - Book Review
'White Fang' is the tale of a wolf cub who is born in the wild, learning the call of the wild and the brutal lessons of nature. Through a gradual period of interacting with indigenous and white Americans, he gradually becomes tamer, but still with the spirit of a wolf within. The story lends itself to children but is masterfully told and can draw in a reader of any age.While a captivating tale, it is not exactly a pleasant story. White Fang fully experiences Thomas Hobbes description of life 'na
Feeling Of Guilt & Asking For Forgiveness (Mere Mortals Episode #54 - Guilt)
What is the difference between shame & guilt? Find out within this themed episode, as Juan and Kyrin discuss the topic of 'Guilt'. Guilt is an emotional experience that occurs when a person believes (accurately or not) that they have compromised their own standards of conduct or violated universal moral standards. It can come in different forms (individual, socially imposed, collective, guilty pleasure, etc.,) but we all know that heart wrenching feeling of having done something wr
ZACH NADLER | Mere Mortals Interview # 009
After 9+ years as the top performing agent in the speakers department at Creative Artists Agency (CAA), in October 2018, with a longtime client and now partner, Gary Vaynerchuk, Zach Nadler launched VaynerSpeakers.Zach Nadler is the CEO of VaynerSpeakers, a traditional speakers bureau built to help the modern event planner, consulting with organizations hosting events to help provide speakers that will impact audiences in a meaningful way. Alsongside having worked with olympians, actors, musicia
50,000,000 Subscribers & Fixing The Education System (Mere Mortals Episode #53 - Meanderings)
How would your life change if you had 50,000,000 subscribers/followers on YouTube or the social platform of your choice? In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and Kyrin keep it loose, following the path of wherever the conversation leads. We start off by answering the above question before going on to discuss the downsides of fame, why the education system is the only thing that almost everybody agrees needs changing and if there are any benefits for participation trophies for kids? As
Don't Sweat The Small Stuff (Mere Mortals Episode #52 - Musings)
Are you being distracted by shit that doesn't even matter? In this episode of 'Musings' Juan and Kyrin start off with a discussion on prioritisation and delegation. This leads onto how to be an effective leader and making sure your subordinates don't become resentful. Some of the other topics we discuss are: getting out of a scarcity mindset, seeing your own hypocrisy/judgemental mind and confronting it, squashing small kids and becoming more confident in front of the camera.
Meditations (Marcus Aurelius) - Book Review
'Meditations' are the reflections of Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor from 161-180 AD, renowned for his wise ruling as 'The Philosopher'. The book is a collection of personal notes to himself and is split into 12 chapters (or books) each containing many small quotes/larger thoughts on Stoic philosophy, the nature of Death, living in the present moment and dealing with emotions (amongst other subjects).He never intended for his writings to be published as a book, so we gain the unadulterated wisdom
CLAUDE ZIEHBRUNNER | Mere Mortals Interview # 008
Claude Ziehbrunner is a Swiss-born adventurer who Kyrin met while travelling through Mexico. If you are looking for knowledge or advice on what it is like to travel for more than 12 months, he is the man to dish out the wisdom! In this conversation we join Claude as he recounts his journey through the paradises of Asia, breathtaking beauty of North America, seductive perils of Central America before closing his trip in the land of salsa, Colombia. Amongst this he gives tips on how to prepare for
The Good & Bad Of Following Your Passion (Mere Mortals Episode #51 - Passion)
Can you have passion for a pursuit without a struggle? This is one of many questions posed in this special outdoors episode of 'Passion'. Funnily enough the etymology of the word derives from the latin 'pati', which roughly translates to 'that which must be endured', a different impression from the passion talked about nowadays. For this episode we focused solely on the perceived positive interpretation of the word, such as following one's own passion.Unfortuna
Working Extra Hours & Anti-Quotes (Mere Mortals Episode #50 - Musings)
Are you the type of person will work extra hours on top of what is scheduled? In this episode of Musings Juan and Kyrin discuss their own differences in work ethic and whether it is good to recommend that others work longer. They also touch upon: the uselessness of motivational quotes if they don't produce action, difference between discipline and self-control, whether work hours in the future will be totally flexible and having gratitude that our isolation is nothing compared to that of An
How Long To Achieve The Splits? (Mere Mortals Episode #49 - Stretching & Flexibility)
In this episode Juan and Kyrin discuss the topic of 'Stretching & Flexibility'. I think we can all agree that it is better to be more flexible (and mobile) rather than not, but what is the ideal amount? Obviously this is dependent on one's own circumstances but the Mere Mortals give some suggestions on how to find this limit. We also explore Kyrin's journey from starting yoga to being able to do the front splits and Juan's struggle to find motivation to do more stret
Storm of Steel (Ernst Jünger) - Book Review
'Storm of Steel' is a first person account of life during World War I as told through the eyes of a young German soldier. We journey with Jünger as he faces unending blood, raining steel, bone-numbing cold, asphyxiating gas, energy snapping mud and a meeting with death. If you ever wanted to know what the experience of a modern day adrenaline junkie would be during war time, then this is the book for you. Though it might glorify war in some aspects 'Storm of Steel' is as real as it gets and the
All Quiet On The Western Front (Erich Maria Remarque) - Book Review
'All Quiet On The Western Front' is the harrowing experiences of fighting and dying, as told by a German WWI soldier. The author uses an alter-ego of Paul Baümer to fully describe the brutal reality of average life in the trenches. The book details the minutiae of frayed shell shocked nerves, mind-numbing boredom and explosive sudden bloodshed. One of the central themes we understand from the book is that nobody comes out of this experience for the better. Even those who survive come out apathet
Busted Finger Gang (Mere Mortals Episode #48 - Musings)
A bit of a different episode this week than usual. This was first live stream episode of the Mere Mortals Musings. Big thanks to Joey Broad Shoulders for joining us at the start as well as Gus & Patricia. We hope to make this a bit more professional in the future, but we all have to start somewhere. As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Support the show
Pinocchio (Carlo Collodi) - Mere Mortals Book Review
'Pinocchio' is the 1883 classic children's book of a puppet come to life by Carlo Collodi. Though written for children it initially had a very tragic ending, with poor Pinocchio left for dead, hung by the neck from a tree. Thankfully Collodi added more chapters to the book and we now have an uplifting ending to the tale. It is is surprisingly deep with many life lessons (such as reaping what you sow, developing virtue, not to case pearls before swine, etc.,), which is why it is one of the most t
Invisible Man (Ralph Ellison) - Mere Mortals Book Review
'Invisible Man' is a commentary of American society in the late 1940's as told from the perspective of an unnamed African American narrator. The book is fictional but contains similarities to real events experienced by Ralph Ellison during his lifetime. It changes between pure narration to lyrical prose, poetic drama and even fantastical dreamlike scenarios. The narrator experiences a loss of identity due to the societal insistence of viewing him solely as part of his racial group. He undergoes
Deciding What Is Fair (Mere Mortals Episode #47 - Equality & Meritocracy)
In this episode Juan and Kyrin discuss the topic of 'Equality & Meritocracy'. The MM team go over: how to decide what is fair, sharing and dividing in an inherently unequal world, trying to make improvements but making things worse, nepotism and meritocracy in the workplace before finishing off with some practical psychological techniques to deal with inequality. As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Support the show
Demian (Hermann Hesse) - Mere Mortals Book Review
'Demian' by Hermann Hesse takes us through a psychological journey of facing fear, pursuing the inner voice and preparing oneself for a life of lonesome transcendence. We follow a young Emil Sinclair as he grows out of adolescence into early manhood with the help from his enigmatic friend Max Demian. The book is narrated by Sinclair and we see the challenges he must confront to transform beyond his initial, somewhat weak and naive beginning. I personally gained much wisdom from this book and bel
Travelling After Coronavirus (Mere Mortals Episode #46 - Meanderings)
What will travel be like when it opens up again and where would the Mere Mortals head first? In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and Kyrin discuss travelling after coronavirus, the need for clear communication/branding by companies, some secret techniques for setting goals and how some exercises just plain old suck.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!Support the show
Steppenwolf (Hermann Hesse) - Mere Mortals Book Review
'Steppenwolf' is the semi-fictional, semi-autobiographical tale of Harry Haller, a man whose nature is part man and part wolf. Hermann Hesse wrote this (his 10th novel) in 1927 during a prolonged existential crisis caused by the Great War, marriage problems and a severe depression. It explores themes of suicidal depression, the plurality of inner voices/desires and intense loneliness. A book that is 'For Madmen Only'.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!
The Power of Story (Mere Mortals Episode #45 - Musings)
In this episode of 'Musings', Juan and Kyrin begin with a discussion of Paulo Coelho's book 'The Alchemist'. For those who haven't read the book it is highly recommended by both Mere Mortals, touching upon themes of passion, perseverance, courage and destiny. The book also plays nicely into the theme of storytelling and Kyrin's recent interest in viewing life at different levels, one of those being to analyse everything through the lens of its story. At the end
Mere Mortals Monthly Goals - June 2020
We are starting a new series where we review our progress on goals from the previous month before discussing what we hope to achieve within the coming month. This was something informal we were doing anyway but now gives the added benefit of showing how we Mere Mortals structure our lives to try and make sure we achieve what we set out to do.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!About Mere Mortals:Mere Mortals chronicles the journey of Juan & Kyrin as they explore topics of interest
The Future of Money? (Mere Mortals Episode #44 - Cryptocurrencies)
In this episode Juan and Kyrin discuss the topic of 'Cryptocurrencies'. We almost touched upon this in our 'Money' episode, but chose to do a full topic on the relatively recent rise of this phenomenon. We first go through a history of the most well-known cryptocurrency, that being Bitcoin. After that there is a discussion of the good and bad aspects of cryptocurrencies and whether they will displace the current monetary system that exists. We finally end of with our predicti
Never Split The Difference (Chris Voss With Tahl Raz) - Mere Mortals Book Review
This episode of the Mere Mortals book review covers 'Never Split The Difference' by Chris Voss (with Tahl Raz). The main author is an ex-FBI negotiator who learnt the principles of effective negotiation from real world experience with kidnappers, bank robbers, terrorists, sales people, academics and businessmen. The book is an exposition of his main lessons, told through a mix of history, stories, advice and psychology.In his review Kyrin goes through some of the key pieces of information that c
The Shopping Cart Test (Mere Mortals Episode #43 - Meanderings)
In this episode of 'Meanderings' Juan and Kyrin drift about from topic to topic, wafting with the proverbial wind. Some of the things we touch upon are tasting Rekorderlig cider for the first time, earthquakes in New Zealand, the depraved human beings who don't return shopping trolleys, the absolute uselessness of some engineering courses and the somewhat morally uncomfortable effectiveness of restorative justice.As always, we hope you enjoy, Mere Mortals out!About Mere Mortals:Me
ALEX TROLL | Mere Mortals Interview # 007
ALEX TROLL is a man of many extensive talents. The Mere Mortals team first connected with him via Instagram and wanted to dig deeper into his history and how he came to work on such varying projects throughout his life (such as a roughneck in the Alberta Oilfields, suited up lawyer, owner & manager of a gold mine in Papua New Guinea and host/presenter of the PodUnion podcast). In addition to giving us the story of his background we also explore the topics of resentment, creating a compelling
BYRON MORRISON | Mere Mortals Interview # 006
Byron Morrison helps CEO's handle the shadow side of success, as well as running his own company, Byron Morrison (https://byronmorrison.co.uk/).Among the many things that we got stuck into during this discussion was Byron's experience in being a CEO and aiding other CEO's, the pivoting point in his life that lead him to where he is today, mental health, the mindset for success, nutrition, books and high performance.We hope you enjoy listening to this as much as we had fun partakin
Failing Fast vs Being Meticulous (Mere Mortals Episode #42 - Musings)
In this episode of Musings, Juan and Kyrin discuss a range of topics mostly revolving around an earlier theme of failing fast and hard vs slow progressive meticulous steps. Also included are a couple of recommendations for great story tellers (Cal Fussman & Chuck Palahniuk), Artificial Intelligence Podcast (Lex Fridman) and Juan's knowledge of using AI chat bots. As always, we hope you enjoy!Support the show
MADELINE MCCULKIN | Mere Mortal Interview # 005
MADELINE MCCULKIN (https://www.instagram.com/maddiemcculkin/) is a committed and caring trainer that helps to empower individyals through strength and conditioning to move towards a healthier lifestyle. We got stuck into many topics in this discussion, among others her pivoting points from what many would percieve as a tried and tested path to the one she finds herself in today. We also dove deep into some of the ways she handles negativity, looking back at when she was just 14 years of age to n
Episode #41 - Death (The Afterlife & Speaking Openly About Mortality)
In this episode we discuss the topic of 'Death'. In particular we try to focus on the psychology of how humans (including us Mere Mortals) approach the subject. This takes us down the path of the afterlife and why religion seems to have systems and the language in place to help those dealing with grief or the loss of a loved one. We also talk about how much we personally think about death in our daily lives and whether there is any anxiety or fear lurking in the background (or foregrou
Elon Musk (Ashlee Vance) - Mere Mortals Book Review
This episode of the Mere Mortals book review covers 'Elon Musk' by Ashlee Vance, published in 2015. The book is a biography of the billionaire and founder (somewhat disputed) of SpaceX, Tesla & SolarCity. We are taken through a journey from his early childhood in South Africa, rich tech startup kid to fighting for his businesses during the 2008 GFC and beyond. A somewhat polarising and tempremental figure at times, the book gives a good insight into his life as well as some of the personalit
KATE CROOK | Mere Mortals Interview # 004
KATE CROOK (https://www.instagram.com/katecrook_) is a girl with many passions, among other things passionate about fitness, social media manager @makfitness, a passion for travelling, CEO of Elevate Media Management (https://elevatemediamanagement.weebly.com/) and overall empowering individual.Tune in because this discussion delved into a variety of topics, with a great breakdown on the three top tips you can take away in creating meaningful post, both personal and professional.As always, enjoy
TYRONE EVANS | Mere Mortals Interview # 003
TYRONE EVANS (www.instagram.com/inspiral.space) is a lifelong friend, neighbour and all round awesome human being. In this interview we focus on the topic of psychedelics, but also stray onto the topic of 'drugs' in general. Ty is knowledgeable on the subjective experience of these substances and has a grounded, balanced perspective on these topics. Hope you enjoyed this interview as much as I did! About Mere Mortals:Mere Mortals chronicles the journey of Juan & Kyrin as they explo
On Liberty (John Stuart Mill) - Mere Mortals Book Review
This episode of the Mere Mortals book review covers 'On Liberty' by John Stuart Mill, published in 1859. The book is an essay of his ideas regarding freedom, liberty, the shortcomings of democracy, role of the government and human rights. It is split into 5 parts: introduction, of the liberty of thought and discussion, of individuality as one of the elements of well being, of the limits to the authority of society over the individual and applications.The book is extended in its reach and covers
HAYLEY WHATMAN | Mere Mortals Interview # 002
HAYLEY WHATMAN (https://www.instagram.com/hayley.whatman/?hl=en) is just a gal trying to be #swolenotsmol and Makfitness sponsored athlete. Hayley really did share a lot of information during this interview, unfortunately there were a few hiccups with the connection and unfortunately this interview lacks the visual stimulation but the content within is ROCK SOLID. Stick with it the audio begins to clear up and we get into some really interesting discussions. Amongst talking about her past and t
KAYTLYN POOLE | Mere Mortals Interview # 001
Kaytlyn Poole (Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaytlynpoole/) (TikTok: vm.tiktok.com/GTkdr6) is a Brisbane bodybuilder and Makfitness sponsored athlete. Alongside being a pleasure to interact with, we delve into feeling good, creativity during #COVID19, her social profiles, general tips and advice. As always, enjoy. About Mere Mortals:Mere Mortals chronicles the journey of Juan & Kyrin as they explore topics of interest and gain learning from the successes in life, but more importantly
Scale (Geoffrey West) - Mere Mortals Book Review
This episode of the Mere Mortals book review covers 'Scale: The Universal Laws of Life And Death In Organisms, Cities And Companies' by Geoffrey West. This book promised to deliver so much, but unfortunately fell a little bit short. In it a theoretical physicist turned biologist tries to discover what characteristics of animal, cities and companies are similar independent of size. He manages to show this in some very convincing graphs that occur throughout the book, one of the books actual stron
Episode #40 - The Psychology of Money & Value
In this episode Juan and Kyrin discuss 'Money, Money, Money ...... Mooneeeeyy'. In particular they try to stay away from closely related terms of wealth or finance, and zero in on why we use money as a concept of value and they psychological aspects of our interactions with it. As usual at the beginning, there are the Mere Mortal Moments of 'Upon reaching homeostasis we tend to complain, not realising how far we have come and things have changed' & 'What you do is wh
Episode #39 - Mere Mortal Musings 004 (Big Wave Surfing, Day Trading Woes & Learning Techniques)
In this episode of Musings Juan and Kyrin discuss Big Wave surfing and Kai Lenny, becoming infatuated with day trading on the share market and cryptocurrency, Juan's photographic memory (but for music), finding how you learn best plus sticking to that method and the double edged sword of timing speeding up as you get older.The Mere Mortals team will soon have some interviews and other types of content coming out, so get keen as more will follow shortly. As always, hope you enjoy!Support the
Episode #38 - Endurance
This week's show predominantly focused on mental endurance, the 4 C's of Mental Toughness (Which got turned into the 5 C's by Mere Mortals.. find out more at the end of the podcast) and the way the team has benefitted from enduring through their own challenges. A really interesting topic that also discussed the book "Endure" you won't want to miss this one. As always, enjoy.Support the show
Sailing True North: Ten Admirals and the Voyage of Character - Mere Mortal Book Reviews
From one of the most distinguished admirals of our time and a former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO, a meditation on leadership and character refracted through the lives of ten of the most illustrious naval commanders in history, alongside the 10 characteristics of effective leadership. Mere Mortal Book Review, Enjoy.
Episode #37 - Mere Mortal Musings 003 (Negative Visualisation, API's & Leadership)
In this episode of Musings, Juan and Kyrin discuss a range of topics. These relate to Kyrin's recent benefits from using the Stoic principle of negative visualisation, being a role model versus telling someone what to do, Chinese adages and becoming a better story teller, developing 3rd party apps to improve functionality on social media, application programming interface, using music to alter your mood (priming), leadership styles in the army vs civilian and Zenpencils. As always, we hope
Episode #36 - Life After Coronavirus
In this episode Juan and Kyrin discuss 'Life After Coronavirus'. As the restrictions around the globe start to slow down, we all find ourselves looking ahead and thinking 'what will come next?'. The forced working from home has opened a lot of people's eyes to what sort of lifestyle is possible and the inherent unproductive time spent commuting (an especial dislike of Kyrin) as well as the environmental improvements that have been witnessed over the past couple of months
The Restaurant At The End Of The Universe (Douglas Adams) - Mere Mortals Book Review
This episode of the Mere Mortals book review covers 'The Restaurant At The End Of The Universe' by Douglas Adams. This is the 2nd book of the Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy trilogy and follows the adventure of Arthur, Ford, Zaphod and Trillian as they continue their random, absurd, highly illogical journey. The plot (if you can even call it that) is so zany and follows so little structure that each chapter could almost be read as a stand-alone short story. What comes out in the writing of Adam
The Wealth of Nations (Adam Smith) - Mere Mortals Book Review
This episode of the Mere Mortals book review covers 'The Wealth of Nations' by Adam Smith. This is a classic book of economics that lays out the general principles of wealth, particularly in relation to nations. It is a dense, long book to get through and has the old style of English language (it was first published in 1776), making it very difficult to read. I personally could only get through about 10% of the 570-something pages. A good book for those who want to read what would be one of the
Episode #35 - Mere Mortal Meanderings
In short, this will be going forward a set of episodes where the team sits down, has a drink or two and converses on anything that is top of mind. Unlike the usual structured discussions, this is much more fluid where anything can come up! If you feel like tuning in, do so and as alway, enjoy.Support the show
Episode #34 - Mere Mortal Musings 002 (Learnings from Fyre festival, courage and extremes)
The team gathered around our podcast table to talk about all of the latest things going on in the world, including some learnings we took away from the doco Fyre festival, what that means in terms of courage and Plan "B's". The team also tackled extremes vs the norm and where we see that being important and where we differed in view. As always, enjoy.Support the show
Episode #33 - Medium term goals
Short-term goals, Long-term goals. These are known and discussed in-depth in many forms, in-fact the team has covered goals in general in earlier podcasts (Check those out for more context). But have you stopped to think about medium term goals, what they are, how they can define whether you achieve your long term goals and if they are worth it? The team takes on this discussion in the latest installment of there mere mortals podcast. Strap in and enjoy this episode, a must listen.Support the sh
Episode #32 - Mere Mortal Musings 001 (Fear and how to find your passion)
This week brings around the first set of Mere Mortal Musings, a short (er) episode in comparison to our usual ones where the team sits down, talks smack and looks back at the week that was. In amongst other things, we look back at the big insights we learned this week and got talking deep into fear and how one might find their true passion.Support the show
Episode #31 - Must Listen To Podcasts 2020
In this episode Juan and Kyrin discuss Top Podcasts, in particular their favourite podcasts and standout episodes from these podcasts. A summary of these below:Juan Top Podcasts:- The Tim Ferriss Show- The Property Couch- The Art Of Manliness- Jocko Podcast- The Tony Robbins PodcastJuan Top Episodes:- The Tim Ferriss Show #148, #107 & #36-37- Property Couch #275, #200 & #153-154- The Art Of Manliness #591, #574 & #294- Jocko Podcast #12, #155 & #180-182- The Tony Robbins Podcast
Episode #30 - Conspiracy Theories
Episode 30 brings to you a discussion on a topic that was voted in by a listener! Conspiracy theories touches upon the definition and psychology of conspiracy theories and the individuals/groups who believe them. We also get into what the team believes might be real, what might be a conspiracy and some of the biggest theories that turned out to be true! Tune in and as always, enjoy.Support the show
Episode #29 - Negotiation
The team at Mere Mortals tackled negotiation in the latest installment of the podcast. Amongst other things, Juan shares some of his personal experiences, both positive and negative. The team also runs through the five steps to a succesful negotiation, and while sound in nature beware that it can change and mix depending on the situation. As always, enjoy.Support the show
Episode #28 - Self-Loathing
In this episode of the podcast, Juan and Kyrin discuss self-loathing. The state of internal hatred is an abhorrent feeling, ranging from mild to extreme severity. It is a by product of the thinking of one who is questioning their worth to themselves, society, even existence at large. As mere mortals we all examine our own moments of worthiness and it is a rare person indeed who does not experience self-loathing. There is a strong link between self-loathing, childhood trauma and self-harm. Practi
Episode #27 - Panic
In this episode Juan and Kyrin discuss all things related to panic. With the current growth of the coronavirus we are all seeing radical changes to the normality that we have grown used to. This can and already has led to some panic situations in crowded areas, granted though it was fighting over toilet paper. The boys talk about the link between panic and the underlying emotion of fear and anger. They also look at moral panics that have occurred through history and the contagiousness that can b
Episode #26 - Ego
In this episode Juan and Kyrin discuss everything involving ego (the self; that which feels, acts or thinks). Some of the highlights from the episode include: personal experiences with their own ego and how it interfered negatively in their lives, an introduction to the psychoanalytic three-fold concept of the Id (instincts), Superego (morality) and the Ego (mediator with reality) and their interactions with people who have gigantic egos. As always, hope you enjoy!Support the show
Episode #25 - Coronavirus: Pandemic?
In this episode Juan and Kyrin discuss the recent news of the Coronavirus and whether it is, or could become, a pandemic. The boys first talk about some of the statistics before comparing it with pandemics from the past. Fear also plays into the equation, as can be seen in the toilet paper fiasco seen right now in Australia. Hopefully the discussion was interesting, and as always, enjoy!Support the show
Trailer - Mere Mortals
Mere Mortals documents the journey of Juan & Kyrin to understand themselves, others and the limits of all us mortals, then subsequently push beyond these limits by discussing/analysing the successes and more importantly the failures.
Book Reviews - The Hero With A Thousand Faces & Black Rednecks And White Liberals
This episode of the Mere Mortals book review looks at 'The Hero With A Thousand Faces' by Joseph Campbell and 'Black Rednecks And White Liberals' by Thomas Sowell. Campbell explores the landscape of myth and story, following the archetypal journey of the hero throughout it's many phases. This book is somewhat known as a classic and its influence can still be seen today. Sowell's book is a collection of 6 essays: the similarity between redneck and black culture, exploring similarities of other mi
Episode #24 - Mental Health
The team at Mere Mortals tackle a topic which impacts one in ten people globally, mental health issues. Amongst the topic, the team talks about the top two issues when it comes to mental health, anxiety and depression. They also tackle ways to spot the symptons early and ways that individuals can step out of these issues and improve. As always the team shares their own stories, both of successes and failures.Support the show
Episode #23 - Overcoming fear
In this episode Juan and Kyrin discuss 'overcoming fear', in particular how they have personally approached issues in their own lives. Fear is a negative emotion and there are many methods (both mental and physical) to move past it. The team also talks about when a fear should be addressed and the difference between innate and learned fears.Support the show
Episode #22 - Pace of Technology
In this episode Juan and Kyrin discuss the 'Pace of Technology'. They first start (as always) with a definition of what technology is and how that definition has changed through the ages. They took a historical look at the many advancements from the beginning of human history that culminate to the present day. Then the podcast takes a more futuristic look at what might be coming if the current pace of advancement continues. Hope you enjoy!Support the show
Book Review - The Rape Of Nanking (Iris Chang) & Man's Search For Meaning (Viktor Frankl)
This episode of the Mere Mortal book review looks at 'The Rape of Nanking' written by Iris Chang and 'Man's Search For Meaning' by Viktor Frankl. Both books are focused on massacres that occurred during WWII, but take different perspectives. Chang's book is more of a history of the event, a way to highlight to the world the tragedy in Nanking. Frankl's book deals with the reason why we live and is a personalised account of his journey through the concentration camps as well as a treatise on Logo
Episode #21 - Regret
In this episode Juan and Kyrin discuss 'Regret' with a bit of preamble on other topics. There are 5 common regrets noted by people on their death bed and these are listed, with a bit of commentary on how they affect our daily lives. Anticipatory regret is also a common occurrence and can have a real influence on our decisions. Hope you enjoyed the episode!Support the show
Episode #20 - Individual high performance
In this episode the team discuss individual high performance, that is, aspects of how a person as an individual can achieve a certain level of mastery. Defining the topic resulted in no clear definition but a greater sense of what 'high performance' means. Further exploration revealed some commonalities and examples of what the team would call a high performing individual. As always, enjoy!Support the show
Book Reviews - The Day Of The Triffids (J. Wyndham) & A Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man (J. Joyce)
In this book review Kyrin goes over the books 'The Day Of The Triffids' by John Wyndham & 'A Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man' by James Joyce. The first is a story of an apocalyptic world populated with dangerous plants and the second is of a young Irish boy growing into a young man. Neither books were spectacular in his opinion but did raise some questions of ethics being context dependent and the psychology of spiralling downwards. Hope these brought some insights into your own readin
Episode #19 - Existential risk
In this episode the team discuss existential risk, also known as global catastrophic risk. Climate change is in the current zeitgeist and the lads talk about it, amongst others such as meteor impacts, hostile AI, nuclear holocaust and flu pandemics. Impact, time and probability also play a huge part of whether an issue should be classified as an existential risk and if it should be talked about as such. Both had a lot of interest in this topic and hope you enjoy it as much as they did.Support th
Episode #18 - Books
In this episode Juan and Kyrin discuss all things books. The team go over some of their favourite and worst books, explaining why they were good or bad. They also conversed about speed reading and on the difference between listening and reading, especially the difference between a book and its audio counterpart. Enjoy!Support the show
Episode #17.5 - Lucid Dream addendum
This episode is an addendum to 'Episode #17 - Dreams', and discusses the lucid dream that Kyrin had (mere days after the initial topic). They cover how he achieved lucidity, peculiarities of his conscious interaction with the dream world and how much his unconscious mind still was in effect. Enjoy!Support the show
Episode #17 - Dreaming
In this episode Juan and Kyrin discuss dreaming, in particular the dreams that we have while sleeping. They touch on aspects such as the benefits of tracking dreams, lucid dreaming and how to achieve it, deja vu and how dreams might play a part, as well as personal memorable dreams and nightmares. Enjoy!Support the show
Book Review - Ordinary Men (Christopher R Browning)
In this book review Kyrin goes over the book 'Ordinary Men' by Christopher R. Browning. The book details the experiences of Reserve Police Battalion 101 during the occupation of Poland by Nazi Germany and the role played by the battalion in the murder/exportation of the Jewish people in this era. He shares his thoughts on some of the psychological and ethical issues raised by the circumstances. A sombre and difficult read.
Book Review - Island (Aldous Huxley)
This is a first take at one of the Mere Mortal team members, Kyrin, doing a book review. Recently Kyrin finished Island by Aldous Huxley and found that it had some interesting observations/insights, particularly on meditation/psychedelics and how they play a part in his story of Pala. As always, enjoy.If you want to follow us along on Facebook or Instagram, where we share some small highlights of the episodes and what's to come, click on the links below:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Meremor
Episode #16 - Colombia
In this episode Juan and Kyrin discuss the country of Colombia. This entails the food, it's history, memorable places and things of cultural significance. Kyrin also briefly goes over the 3 months he spent there from Dec 2018 to Mar 2019. Both have a deep connection to the country and its people.Support the show
Episode #15 - Privacy
In this episode Juan and Kyrin discuss their thoughts on the topic of 'Privacy'. The main focus of the episode is on companies using your data and how this plays into our ever evolving sense (and even need) of privacy. They also briefly go over the difference between secrecy/privacy and finish off with the usual round up of the 2019/2020 fitness challenge.Support the show
Episode #14 - 3 Weeks vs 3 Months In Mexico
In this episode Juan and Kyrin discuss their perspective on Mexico, taken from a 3 week trip and a 3 month trip through the country. Also examined are their observations (both good and bad) about Mexico as well as some highlights from their 3 weeks together. These include wild go kart riding on an island, partying in the infamous Cancun area and a wild night in Mexican prison.Support the show
Episode #13 - Meditation
In this episode the Mere Mortals team discuss the topic of meditation. We discuss our experiences, with a particular flavour of interviewing Kyrin as he has much more practical abilities in meditating. As we are not experts of the topic we stay based on our personal experience, but also provide some general info about the different types and benefits that can be acquired through the practicing meditation. As always enjoy.Support the show
Episode #12 - Injury prevention & Management
In today's discussion, the Mere Mortals team discuss a topic close to heart, given the current set of injuries ourselves and close individuals are experiencing at the moment. The discussion is guided by our 10 guidance points, punctuated with helpful stories and anecdotes to help cement the importance of them. As always, enjoy.Support the show
Episode #11 - Melbourne Musings
The mere mortals team is back, episode #11 focuses on our latest trip down to Melbourne. Amongst other things, we discuss some of our top food locations that are a MUST GO when you visit Melbourne, the type of ambience you can expect from Melbourne, some little known facts and general musings. As always, enjoy, Support the show
Episode #10 - Truth
In this episode Juan and Kyrin discuss the topic of Truth. Bit of a tricky theme as it can be so subjective at times but we gave it our best shot and had a discussion we both enjoyed. As always, enjoy.Support the show
Episode #9 - Thoughts On Social Media
In this episode Juan and Kyrin discuss their interactions with Social Media (with a definition of exactly what that entails) and where they see it potentially going in the future. Also some snippets of what they personally find good & bad about it. As always, enjoy.Support the show
Episode #8 - Judging Advice
In this episode Juan and Kyrin discuss their strategies on who to get advice from and what qualities they (and their advice) should either show, or not show. At the end their is the usual round up of the week's progress in the fitness challenge. As always, enjoy.Support the show
Episode #7 - Learning A New Language
In this episode Juan and Kyrin discuss the process of learning a new language. They go over their own journeys of learning a 2nd language and some mistakes they made along the way. The major focus is on the fundamentals of reading, writing, listening and speaking. As allways, Enjoy.Support the show
Episode #6 - Structuring your workout
Mere Mortals is back with Episode 6! Something near and dear to the hosts is the way in which structuring your workout, whatever your fitness choice is, can set the precedence for all of your successes. Sit back and listen in to Juan and Kyrin talk all things related to structuring a workout, and of course, Enjoy.Support the show
Episode #5 - 25 years old - The turning point w/ Joey
In this 5th episode, the mere mortals team is joined by our good friend Joey. While the main topic of the discussion is turning 25 and how it can be such a pivotal turning point, the discussion takes twists and turns through life itself. A more casual podcast, listen in, absorb the good points and laugh at the others. Enjoy.Support the show
Episode #4 - Goal Setting
This week here at Mere Mortals, we scratch the surface at a topic that is hotly discussed by the hosts, Goal Setting. The discussion focuses on the overall structure that wraps general goal setting, advice on how to drill down into actionable activities and the variations between a SMART goal and a non-SMART goal. We had some audio difficulties with this particular audio, but that doesnt stop its release, after all we are all just Mere Mortals. Strap in, episode 4 is here. Enjoy.Support the show
Episode #3 - Nutrition & Fasting
In today's episode, Juan and Kyrin delve in on their thoughts around nutrition and what it means for them. Along the way, they discuss diets and fasting types, correlating with the 4 day/96 hour resent fast Kyrin completed. Tune in, share your thoughts, enjoy.Support the show
Episode #2 - 3 weeks in Japan
A less structured but engaging discussion around our recent Japan trip, our top 5 things across each of the main locations (Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hakone), the pro's and con's before travelling to the country and as always some stories of Mere Mortals in Japan. Episode 2. Enjoy.Support the show
Episode #1 - Principles
Introduction to the Mere Mortals show, Kyrin and Juan focus on Principles, referring to the book "Principles" by Ray Dalio. In amongst the topic, the hosts provide everyday life examples to help tie in their thoughts. Two mates, two microphones and two takes at getting this first episode together. Good, listen in.Support the show