Podcast Summary: Son of a Boy Dad

Episode #364: "Dreams From My Father"

Release Date: January 6, 2026
Hosts: Lil Sasquatch (Sas), Rone (Harry), Francis Ellis, Tyler

Overview

In this lively and meandering episode, the hosts regroup after the holidays, catching up on their travels, life resets, sleeplessness, and post-break habits. The episode centers around Francis Ellis’s disorientation after returning from New Zealand, drifting jet-lag, and his search for life lessons. Throughout, the group indulges in storytelling, gentle roast sessions, personal updates, and gift giving, peppered with observations about manhood, hobbies, and the perennial struggles of young adulthood.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Francis's Jet Lag Odyssey

• Francis returns from New Zealand, plagued by brutal sleep disruption. He shares a surreal cycle of waking up at 12:30am and feeling overwhelmingly awake through the early hours.
  • “Four nights in a row, I have power napped from bedtime until just into the next day... I could conduct driving tests. I could land a plane. I could assemble Legos. I could build a home.” — Francis (06:22)
• Despite experimenting with melatonin, Ativan, magnesium, and sleep routines, nothing fixes his schedule.
• The group debates late-night loneliness versus the creative, unique solitude of odd hours.
  • “When everyone else you know is asleep... it gets spooky.” — Francis (13:16)
  • “That’s my favorite time to exist. I live for those hours.” — Tyler (13:22)
• Reading and audiobooks are tried as sleep aids; Francis cycles from Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air to Obama’s Dreams from My Father with little relief.

2. Gift Giving Tuesday: Travel Souvenirs & Sentiment

• Francis brings back quirky and thoughtful gifts from New Zealand, leading to laughs about the authenticity of “Maori surf camp kits” (which turn out to be Delta amenity bags).
• Real gifts include artisanal wool (and possum!) sweaters and New Zealand chocolate.
  • “If I ever see you wearing that, it will make me so happy.” — Francis to Harry (48:51)
• The crew openly roasts and appreciates the gifts, with extended banter about possum wool (“What’s the percentage of possum in yours?”).

3. Francis’s Sneaker Purge

• Francis recounts selling his prized sneaker collection: the saga of packing them in tote bags, hustling through NYC sneaker shops, and being “fleeced” on resell prices.
  • “I went to one spot... I had nine pairs of sneakers in two canvas totes... They bought each for $200.” — Francis (20:30)
  • “I said, ‘You can f*** my face in right now.’ He goes, ‘We won’t. They’ll just sit on the shelves.’” — Francis (22:41)
• The discussion tracks the death of the hype sneaker market and how personal style shifts over time.

4. Stories of Adolescence and Destruction

• Sas reminisces about destroying his prized “Reebok Zigs” shoes while longboarding, prompting nostalgia and comical reflections on suburban childhood.
• The group explores their own youthful accidents and resourcefulness (slide gloves made from kitchen cutting boards).

5. Francis’s New Zealand Pilgrimage: Self-Discovery and Solitude

• Francis details his solo trip: after a few days with friends, he ventures out alone, facing unexpected loneliness, existential car rides, and “bucolic, sheep deep areas.”
  • “My thoughts were swirling... I was mad that I was mad.” — Francis (56:33)
• Experiences range from tourist traps to elite fishing expeditions, culminating in an earlier-than-planned return due to emotional burnout.
  • “The next day I went fishing. That was like the best thing of all time. I’m better than you are.” — Francis (58:33)
• Revelations include appreciating his career, feeling antsy when away, and recalibrating what brings him satisfaction.

6. Random Asides and Group Chemistry

• Banter about artificial intelligence jokes, Mad Men, Oled TVs, viral meme cycles, and questionable movie representations (“Edward Norton pretending to be special needs in The Score”).
• Debates on candy preferences, sleep strategy, and manly life goals.
• “That’s just being a male... just being a boy.” — Francis and Tyler (75:47)

7. Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On insomnia:
  • “I feel like I’m on coke.” — Francis (01:24)
• On travel fatigue:
  • “I don’t think I ever need to talk to a woman again.” — Francis (85:29), jokingly reflecting on a quiet trip.
• On growing out of passions:
  • “I was an avid [sneaker] collector, and now I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing a pair of Jordans.” — Francis (26:39)
• On masculinity and life’s arc:
  • “I started feeling really antsy. I love my job to the point of, I don’t want to be away from it for that long.” — Francis (85:54)
• On attempting sleep aids:
  • “Obama, five Ativan, two melatonin, and the Obama-Springsteen podcast blasting in the background.” — Tyler (15:05)
• On existential wisdom: (Cormac McCarthy from No Country for Old Men)
  • “All the time you spend trying to get back what’s been took from you, there’s more going out the door. After a while, you just have to try to get a tourniquet on it.” — Francis, quoting Ellis (89:44)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Francis’s Jet Lag and Insomnia: 05:22–16:40
• Gift Giving Tuesday & Laughs: 16:58–48:55
• Sneaker Resale Saga: 18:00–31:22
• Childhood Mishaps & Longboarding: 27:33–30:31
• New Zealand Recap (from isolation to fishing): 55:00–67:11
• Revelations about Work & Satisfaction: 85:31–87:11
• Advice via ‘No Country For Old Men’ Quote: 89:44–90:09

Tone & Style

The episode is loose, irreverent, and authentic with the casual, rapid-fire energy of friends catching up. The hosts blend self-deprecation, introspection, and humor, highlighting both the absurdity and tenderness of male friendship. Themes of adulthood, routine, and self-discovery thread through their stories, offering relatability alongside laughter.

For New Listeners

If you missed this one, expect a rollicking mix of storytelling, clever ribbing, and true-to-life confessions about battling inertia, shifting interests, and reflecting on what it means to be “a man”—all woven into a spontaneous hangout, where jokes and deep thoughts mingle.