“A LIFE CHANGING BUS RIDE”

Summary

Therapy Gecko Episode Summary: "A LIFE CHANGING BUS RIDE"

Podcast Information

• Title: Therapy Gecko
• Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts
• Episode: “A LIFE CHANGING BUS RIDE”
• Release Date: December 25, 2024

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Overview

In the episode titled “A LIFE CHANGING BUS RIDE,” Therapy Gecko delves deep into the transformative journey of Ron, an adventurous soul whose spontaneous decisions have led him across continents and through various life-changing experiences. The conversation offers listeners an intimate look into Ron's nomadic lifestyle, his struggles with addiction, his career evolution, and his recent personal milestones. Additionally, the episode features an engaging segment with Zach, a recent college graduate contemplating his path forward. Throughout the episode, the host interweaves insightful advice and reflections, making it both an inspiring and thought-provoking listen.

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Main Interview with Ron

Timestamp: [01:31] – [63:35]

a. Ron's Background and Life Journey

The episode kicks off with the host welcoming Ron, who shares his roots from Kansas City and explains his decision to move to Sydney, Australia, three years prior. Ron recounts his initial foray into the nomadic lifestyle, having previously worked in various resorts across the United States, which ultimately sparked his desire to explore international horizons.

Quote:
Ron: “I’m a chef. So I’ve been cooking for about three years out here.”
([03:05])

b. Moving to Oregon and Becoming a Chef

Ron narrates a pivotal moment at age 21, driven by a psychedelic experience, that propelled him to grab a Greyhound ticket to Oregon. With only $280 in his pocket and no solid plan, he relied on the kindness of strangers, ultimately finding temporary refuge with a woman he met on the bus.

Quote:
Ron: “My life is going to pass me by if I don’t leave right now.”
([17:45])

He emphasizes the importance of community and support during this time, highlighting how the hospitality received from strangers enabled him to establish himself in Oregon and secure his first job in the culinary world.

c. Traveling through Cool Works

Ron introduces the audience to Cool Works, a website instrumental in facilitating his travels by connecting him with job opportunities in diverse locations. From Alaska to Wyoming, Ron's assignments varied, allowing him to hone his culinary skills while experiencing different cultures and environments.

Quote:
Ron: “Coolworks.com is the best website to... leave your hometown and you are scared to get a job.”
([34:57])

d. Personal Life: Meeting Girlfriend and Pregnancy

A significant turn in Ron's life narrative is his relationship with his Australian girlfriend. After enduring over 100 dates, Ron found a meaningful connection that culminated in a pregnancy announcement shortly after he quit his job. This life event prompted a relocation within Australia to prepare for his expanding family.

Quote:
Ron: “She was just pretty awesome. I didn’t have to be stoned to be around her.”
([07:44])

e. Quitting Weed and Managing Anxiety

Ron candidly discusses his 13-year-long struggle with marijuana and nicotine addiction. Initially using weed to combat anxiety, he realized it exacerbated his mental health issues, leading him to quit in preparation for fatherhood and personal well-being. This decision marked a significant improvement in his anxiety levels and overall outlook on life.

Quote:
Ron: “The weed was actually making me really paranoid.”
([09:19])

f. Career Changes and Future Plans

With the impending arrival of his child, Ron is contemplating a career shift away from the high-stress environment of professional kitchens. He is exploring opportunities in fields like cyber security and electrical work, aiming for a more family-friendly lifestyle. Ron also shares his aspirations to obtain Australian Permanent Residency (PR) to secure a stable future for his growing family.

Quote:
Ron: “If the thought of going into work gives you anxiety... you need to move on.”
([41:37])

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Engaging Segment with Zach

Timestamp: [67:36] – [80:41]

Later in the episode, Ron interacts with Zach, a recent graduate from Middle Tennessee State University. Zach discusses his plans to teach English in Japan, inspired by the cultural allure and the desire for adventure. Their conversation touches upon the challenges of language learning, the benefits of immersive experiences, and the influence of upbringing—in Zach’s case, the Baha'i faith—on his optimistic worldview.

Quote:
Zach: “I just wanna do something called like jet program. We're just like teaching English in Japan.”
([67:51])

a. Zach's Experience and Goals

Zach shares his aspirations to live abroad, emphasizing his and his partner’s interest in experiencing Japan's rich culture. He reflects on his positive upbringing within the Baha'i faith, which fosters an inclusive belief system encompassing multiple religions, contributing to his current optimistic stance.

b. Discussion on Language Learning and Teaching

The dialogue explores the practicality of teaching English abroad without fluency in the native language. Zach contrasts his high school experiences with language studies, where English-speaking teachers didn't facilitate effective learning, to the ESL programs he aims to join, which require minimal language prerequisites.

Quote:
Zach: “I've been just saying what we want to put ourselves forward towards.”
([71:11])

c. Zach's Faith and Philosophy

Zach delves into the tenets of the Baha'i faith, highlighting its emphasis on unity and the belief in prophets across different cultures. This philosophical foundation underpins his resilient and positive approach to life's challenges, reinforcing the episode's overarching theme of personal growth and transformation.

Quote:
Zach: “I think it's important to, like, share your voice and, like, all the values that they, like, taught early on.”
([75:08])

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Host's Reflections and Advice

Throughout the episode, the host interjects with reflections and advice based on Ron and Zach's experiences. Emphasizing resilience, adaptability, and the importance of pursuing one's passions, the host underscores the value of embracing discomfort as a catalyst for growth.

Quote:
Host: “If you’re comfortable, you’re probably doing it wrong. If you’re uncomfortable, you’re growing.”
([30:55])

The host also highlights the significance of platforms like Cool Works in enabling transformative life experiences and encourages listeners to stay persistent in their goals despite challenges.

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Key Insights and Takeaways

1. Embrace Spontaneity: Ron’s impulsive decision to move to Oregon underscores the potential life-altering impact of taking bold actions.

2. Community Support: The kindness of strangers can be pivotal during times of transition and uncertainty.

3. Overcoming Addiction: Recognizing and addressing substance abuse is crucial for personal well-being and growth.

4. Career Evolution: It's never too late to pivot your career towards something that aligns better with your current life goals and values.

5. Cultural Immersion: Living and working abroad fosters personal growth, cultural appreciation, and language acquisition.

6. Faith and Optimism: A supportive belief system can provide resilience and a positive outlook in navigating life's complexities.

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Conclusions

“A LIFE CHANGING BUS RIDE” serves as a compelling narrative of personal transformation, highlighting the intersections of travel, career shifts, and personal relationships. Ron's story, interwoven with Zach's aspirations, offers listeners profound lessons on resilience, the pursuit of happiness, and the importance of staying true to oneself amidst life's unpredictable journeys. The episode not only entertains but also inspires, encouraging individuals to seek out their paths with courage and an open heart.

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Notable Quotes

• Ron at [03:15]: “So I ended up in Australia. I'm a chef. So I've been cooking for about three years out here.”

• Host at [05:28]: “Do you have a family?”

• Ron at [09:19]: “The weed was actually making me really paranoid.”

• Host at [30:55]: “If you're comfortable, you're probably doing it wrong. If you're uncomfortable, you're growing.”

• Zach at [75:08]: “I think it’s important to, like, share your voice and, like, all the values that they, like, taught early on.”

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Final Thoughts

This episode of Therapy Gecko masterfully captures the essence of transformative life experiences through authentic storytelling and meaningful dialogue. Whether it's through Ron's adventurous exploits or Zach's contemplative aspirations, listeners are left with a sense of empowerment to pursue their dreams and navigate life's challenges with resilience and optimism.

Transcript

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[Host]

Yeah.

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[Host]

What's up, man? How you doing?

[Ron]

I'm pretty good. Yourself?

[Host]

You know, I am trying my best. I am having new epiphanies about life every single day, some of them contradicting each other. Sometimes it feels like, you know, sometimes I feel like I have, like, a life epiphany, and then tomorrow I have the opposite one, and the day after that, I have the original one. And it's like I'm going in complete circles, but maybe. Maybe I'm, like, going in circles. I'm trying to, like, with words, describe how I see this visually. Like, you know, I'm, like, going in circles, but the circles are moving a little bit to the right every time. So it's like a loop event. Yeah, it's like a loop that just eventually. That goes. Eventually moves forward in that way. Do you kind of visualize what I'm talking about?

[Ron]

Yeah. I have different epiphanies every single day. So, like, it's always seeming to throw a little bit of a loop at you.

[Host]

I see that you are not a plus one area code. Where are you calling from?

[Ron]

I'm calling from Australia. I moved to Australia about three years ago.

[Host]

Okay. Are you American?

[Ron]

Yeah, yeah, I'm from Kansas City.

[Host]

Cool. Where and where in Australia did you move?

[Ron]

I moved to Sydney, so one of the most expensive cities in the world.

[Host]

And why did you move from. Why did you move from Kansas City, which is not one of the most expensive cities in the world, to Sydney?

[Ron]

So I'm actually like, one of your other callers. They called it, like, on a. Like, probably like 10 podcasts ago, did the whole cool works thing, and I ended up in Alaska, and then I just started traveling around the U. S, Working at different places, different resorts, and that led me to eventually, you know, been like, a few other people on here and been like, oh, I want to go to Australia. So I ended up in Australia. I'm a chef. So I've been cooking for about three years out here.

[Host]

Cool. Very cool. You said you were like, one of the other callers that did the what thing?

[Ron]

So you know the caller who went up to. What is that, Yellowstone, and he was working out there.

[Host]

Yeah, I remember them.

[Ron]

Yeah. So that same website. I went and got a job offer when I was 21. So I'm, well, 27. So I'm 34 now, and I've been doing the whole traveling thing about eight years now.

[Host]

How's that going for you? Because I think a lot about what a fully nomadic life would be like, and I've been in periods of time in my life in which I felt very nomadic. And I'm curious, eight years. How does that work out for you? How are you feeling about it?

[Ron]

Oh, man, you kind of. You really get used to traveling and just keeping the minimum amount of stuff, like my whole life up until these last three years, could fit in three or four suitcases, and I would just get up and go. I've driven across the US like, four times. I used to live in Oregon. Drove down to Florida, like the very tip of Florida, Work down there. You really. You really get to know a side of yourself that a lot of people won't know because they're never alone so much and celebrating holidays and all that stuff. You really got to grow a family outside of your family.

[Host]

Do you have a family?

[Ron]

I actually just found out my girlfriend here in Australia is pregnant.

[Host]

No way.

[Ron]

Congratulations.

[Host]

Are you. Are you having the baby?

[Ron]

Yeah, we are. Wait, so I actually. It was a whole spill. I just quit my job last week, and I have another job lined up, and pretty much two days after I quit my job, she's like, yeah, I'm pregnant. And we're moving about eight hours away from Sydney right now, so we got a whole.

[Host]

Where are you gonna move?

[Ron]

We're headed up to Ballina. I don't know if you made it up to, like, the Byron Bay, Ballina area while you were here.

[Host]

No, but I heard about Byron Bay. Is that's, like, where all the. No, I'm thinking of Bondi Beach. That's where all the, like, tourists go to die.

[Ron]

Yeah, yeah. Byron Bay is also another popular spot. It's where Chris Hemsworth and he, Hugh Jackman, they all live out there.

[Host]

And so this. This lovely lady, did you meet her in Australia?

[Ron]

Yeah, yeah. So we actually met on the apps. I know a lot of people have a lot of trouble about meeting people on the apps, but it's more of a persistence game and a numbers game than it is, you know, finding somebody right away.

[Host]

How many apps.

[Ron]

For a long time, how many app.

[Host]

Dates did you go on until you met your girlfriend?

[Ron]

Jesus. Probably over 100. Easily over.

[Host]

Wow. Really? Over 100?

[Ron]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I'm. I'm an old man, so I've been using them since. Pretty much they came out, and I've been in different cities and.

[Host]

What. What was it about this one that made it different from the other a hundred?

[Ron]

She was just pretty awesome. Like, honestly, all the. All the app dates that I've been on in Australia have been pretty fruitful, like, updated. Somebody that I've pretty much met every single time, but she was. She was just different, man. Like, I didn't have to be stoned to be around her and, like, all that stuff, so it just kind of really worked out. When I first met her, we met on Australia Day, and we ended up hanging out for, like, six and a half hours.

[Host]

Now, what is Australia Date? You guys don't just have, like, Hinge and Tinder.

[Ron]

Australia Day is, like. It's a holiday. So Australia Day is like Independence Day or, like, Columbus Day.

[Host]

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Wait, you met up on Australia Day?

[Ron]

Yeah.

[Host]

Okay. I thought you said you met her on a website called Australia Date.

[Ron]

No, we. We actually met on Hinge.

[Host]

Okay. You understand? Okay, okay. All right. You understand. You understand where that misunderstanding came from, right?

[Ron]

Yeah, for sure.

[Host]

I was like, what is. I guess there's a website where you can just date Australian people. That makes sense. What was the other. The other thing you said is, you said that you felt like you had to be high to be around some of these people. Tell me more about that.

[Ron]

Well, I used to. I actually, this year, Stopped smoking weed as well. So I was just stoned all the time and, like, just being around people and I felt like that was the only way I could communicate with people because I was constantly stoned and maybe nobody would like me if I was constantly stoned. And yeah, the first time I was ever around her, I just wasn't stoned. And it was. It was a real eye opener. It was an epiphany, if you, like you said. I was like, okay, I can do this. Yeah. I wasn't as anxious.

[Host]

Yeah, yeah. Was it. Was it that you just kind of felt a constant state of anxiety and weed was like, the only way to get past it?

[Ron]

Yeah. And actually, once I stopped smoking and I got away from the weed actually, then the anxiety actually went down.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Ron]

So the weed was actually making me really paranoid, which I didn't notice because, you know, I'm waking up smoking three or four bowls, going to work on my breaks. Smoke some more. Smoke some more before I go to sleep. So I was just like, in this constant marijuana haze. Yes.

[Host]

What. What made you want to quit? Recently.

[Ron]

I ran a marathon. I ran a marathon. And in order to prepare for the marathon, I just cut back to back to back. And I. Before I had a kid, before I knew I was having a kid, I just didn't want to, like, smoke around my kid or, you know, be a stoner. I don't care about, like, smoking weed every so often or whatever like that, but, like, I just didn't want to be like a stone dad. So it all worked out. Yeah, it was, it was. It was more so that I was smoking nicotine with the marijuana and I wanted to get away from that, so. Yeah, yeah, exactly. I wanted to get away from that. I always told myself I wouldn't smoke nicotine, but, you know, we do things in life that we said we wouldn't do.

[Host]

How long was your weed career prior to quitting?

[Ron]

Probably like 13 years.

[Host]

Yeah. Every day. Every day.

[Ron]

Initially, no, but once. So I moved out to Oregon when I was about 23. And the weed is so cheap out there, and it's so good that, you know, it just kind of led me down a rabbit hole to smoking more and more, blah, blah, blah. So it's been. It's been quite the journey.

[Host]

Yeah, yeah. The part about anxiety, like, you smoke weed to alleviate anxiety, but then you find that this weird converse way, it's like you get high and then you get more anxious and more paranoid.

[Ron]

Exactly.

[Host]

But. And I was. And I wonder. And again, this is not the Andrew Huberman podcast. But I do wonder is like, is weed making me is like a self fulfilling prophecy where like weed makes me anxious on the days that I am not smoking as well?

[Ron]

Yeah, that's what I was finding too. And it is a. Because they say like marijuana isn't addictive and that was like in, you know, the 1970s where the weed wasn't 36% and THC and stuff like that. And you know, it's just a lot more accessible, a lot more open. It's not what it used to be. So I think as it becomes stronger, it does become more addictive, especially if you're young and you're using. I, I definitely think that your body can get like dependent on having that. It may not be, you know, as physically of a bad addiction as like heroin or so or other opioid, which is stuff like that. But like the mental addiction is what I think gets a lot of people and strays, keeps them from quitting and stuff like that. Because it is, it was very hard. And a large part of it, like I told you, was the nicotine for me. And if you're smoking blunts and stuff like that, then you're definitely getting like that constant nicotine high to where you're not even noticing and it would be definitely a lot harder for you to quit.

[Host]

Mm. Have you replaced it with anything else, whether it's something negative or positive?

[Ron]

Well, honestly, I just been focusing on, like, been able to run longer. Like I said, I've been doing marathons. So this year I'm training for an iron man and just stuff like that. Trying to keep my body busy, trying to keep my mind busy. It's like you said with masturbation, as long as you're out of the house, you're not thinking about it or trying to do it.

[Host]

I love the, I love the things, I love the things that I just say on this podcast. Not really, really not registering that anyone actually hear them. And then, and then someone says, remember when you said that you should just be out of the house as much as you can so you don't masturbate as much? And I'm like, oh yeah, you really did say that a lot. Yeah. And you know, and I fully stand by it. I stand by it a lot because it's true. Whenever I'm in the house, you know, it's, it's a problem. But I don't do it outside because that's illegal. I think I would, I'd like to think even if I'd like to Think even if it wasn't illegal, I still wouldn't do it outside. But I don't know. Who knows what. What's life is like.

[Ron]

I don't know. It might be kind of fun.

[Host]

It might be kind. I mean, people do it. People definitely. Even though it's illegal, people definitely do it. People. People do it. I saw a guy jacking off on Venice beach once. And you know what the crazy thing is, is nobody cared. Nobody cared at all. Because it's what they expect. It's like when you see. It's like if. When you' through New York and you're in the subway, if you just see a guy masturbating, you're kind of like, at least. I'm kind of like, well, that I. It's not. It's like seeing a palm tree in Florida, you know, it's like, this is what it is, New York. This is it. So nobody. People are just on their phones. No one, really. They avoid them, but they just, you know, everyone's just trying to get to where they want to be. So what do you. What's your job now? You're still a chef, right?

[Ron]

Yeah, I've been a chef for about, yeah, 13 years. So the entire time I've been chefing, I've been smoking weed. Yeah, I never went to culinary school or anything. If anybody is listening, they want to become a chef. Just get a job in the kitchen. Date, tell me to go to culinary school.

[Host]

What's your name again? I'm not going to forget this time.

[Ron]

My name is Ron.

[Host]

Ron, that's my dad's name. Yeah, Ron. Give me a map. So you graduate high school at 18, and then you're. You're running around for a while where all you run around to.

[Ron]

So from 18, 21, I stayed in Kansas City. When I was 21, I actually smoked a shit ton of weed one night and I ended up getting on a Greyhound and moving to Oregon.

[Host]

You just don't breeze past this story. So you just got really, like, what, you're in your mom's house or you're. Where are you? Like, and you just get really hot that night to move?

[Ron]

Yeah, so I'm hot boxing a car with my friend. We probably smoked like five or six bunts. And I get home and it's like an Alexander experience. And I'm like, oh, no, I can't be here anymore. My life is going to pass me by if I don't leave right now. So I packed the backpack full of clothes, drove down to the Greyhound station, And bought a ticket to Oregon because I was supposed to go with an ex girlfriend. And we got broken up. And I'm like, yeah, no, I don't want to stay in Kansas City. I'm going anyway.

[Host]

Wow.

[Ron]

I didn't know anybody. I didn't have a plan or anything like that. I ended up surviving out there for eight months before I had to go home. My sister told me, like, you could stay at my house for three months for free or you can go back out to Oregon. And yeah, I ended up taking that three months learning to cook at Waffle House, and then I went back out to Oregon and I ended up getting a job in six days working in the kitchen. So it was off to the races after then.

[Host]

The first, those first eight months that you were surviving in Oregon after just that night packing up and you just what, you showed up with a backpack and. Yep, that's it.

[Ron]

Yeah, I had $280 in my pocket. I actually had, like, concocted a plan on the bus where like, after I woke up out of this stony haze where I'm like, oh, I'm on my way to Oregon. So I was like, okay, let me see if I can, you know, play nice enough or, you know, show off my personality to where somebody will let me crash on their couch. And yeah, that's exactly what happened. One of the chicks on the bus, she's like, you look extremely young. I know you're coming out here to survive and try to figure it out, but if you ever need a place to stay, here's my number and give me a call. I stayed one night in the hotel, gave her a call, and then she let me crash on her couch for about two months until I got on my feet.

[Host]

You met a woman on the Greyhound bus to Oregon that you ended up staying with for two months?

[Ron]

Yep. Honors out. Yeah, it was. It was one of the dirtiest places I've ever stayed. But, you know, at the end of the put, at the end of the night, I was able to sleep somewhere with it roof over my head. And I was happy. They were some of the nicest people I've ever met.

[Host]

Who was it? Who was in this house?

[Ron]

It was her and her girlfriend at the time.

[Host]

That's so wild. That's. They just. You just got. So. You got really lucky on that one.

[Ron]

Yeah. And I. Oregon gives out food stamps like their, their water. So I was just paying for rent those first two months in food stamps. I'm like, I get $250 worth of food Stamps. This is all I can afford to give you. You can have it all. Here's the card. And then once I got a job, I got lucky again, because my boss at that job was like, hey, I need a roommate. Cool. How much is rent? And rent was about $300. So I'm working at 711 and working with my.

[Host]

And what year is this?

[Ron]

This is 2012 slash13.

[Host]

Wow. And what. So when you. All right, so you get on a Greyhound bus and you go to Oregon, you meet this lady. How soon after you arrived did you get a job? And then how'd you get that?

[Ron]

Two months. And I was just walking around, adding ads, you know, going out, giving out my resumes and stuff like that, because the Internet isn't as crazy as it is now, even 10 years ago. So I'm just walking around giving out my resume. Hey, my name's Ron. If you need anybody at work, I'm your guy. The place was actually about two and a half miles from my house. So I'm walking two miles, two and a half miles to work and two and a half miles back every single day.

[Host]

Really?

[Ron]

Yeah. Eventually I got a skateboard to make it a little bit easier. So that was my car, but, yeah, working eight, 10 hours every single day.

[Host]

Damn, dude. How long were you there for? All eight months?

[Ron]

Yeah. Yeah. And then I went back home to Kansas City for a bit, and then I ended up going back out to Oregon and beginning my journey as a chef.

[Host]

What did that look like? Beginning your journey as. As a chef? By the way, just so you know, Ron, I don't know what your plans are for tonight, but I'm fully prepared for this entire podcast episode, the memoir of your life, because I'm fascinated by you.

[Ron]

So, yeah, thank you. Thank you. So after I got back, like I told you, I had start cooking at the Waffle House. I know you're from, like, the northeast area. I don't know if you've been to a Waffle House.

[Host]

Yeah, yeah, I used to. They have them in Georgia where I. Where I was a lot.

[Ron]

Okay. Yeah. So I was working there, working nights, and I told my sister while I had been out in Oregon, I had heard chefs that were, you know, making 13, $14 an hour at the time. I'm like, that's good money. So I told my sister to teach me how to cook. And then when I got back to Oregon, I was working at a barbecue joint. It wasn't really fulfilling. So I started working at a restaurant called Gustav's. It's closed now, it was a German spot. I had no. No knowledge of German food, anything of the sorts. But my chef, she looked at me and she's like, you know, normally I only hire people with a culinary degree, but you seem. You got a little bit of cooking experience. You seem like you got your head on your shoulders, so I'm going to give you trial. And I went in there and I just, you know, killed it. Followed everything everybody was telling me, went straight to the line. I wasn't doing dishes. I wasn't doing prep. I was right on the line with the rest of the other chefs and just trialled by fire. And it was. It was an experience. First night, I sliced my hand open and I still had to finish another six hours of putting my hand underneath the salamander and working and stuff like that. So, like, it was. It. It was a very intense first day. And just that first day made me fall in love with working in the kitchen. It was a bunch of pirates and, you know, people just yelling and just pure chaos. Like, this is. This is it. This is for me.

[Host]

Fuck you. Fuck you. And that was. And you said that was eight years ago.

[Ron]

That was 2014, so about 10 years ago now.

[Host]

Wow. And how long are you in Oregon after that, after you start working there?

[Ron]

So I lived in Oregon for another seven years. I ended up. I ended up cooking breakfast and stuff at a number of notable joints around there. And then me and my brother, we were being roommates. He was. Been a piece of shit. So I ended up moving her out, and I ended up finding the website Cool Works. And I didn't really like where my life was going at the time. You know, I had got this travel bug itch where I'm like, okay, I made it in Portland. Let's see if I can do it somewhere else. So found that website, and I ended up applying to go to Alaska. And that was an amazing trip in itself. Like, I was out there for about six months, living, working, and eating all for free. So, yes, did that. Then I came back to Oregon. Just didn't feel right after I had left.

[Host]

So I'm sorry, you said in. In. In Oregon it didn't feel right. Or in Alaska, it didn't feel right in Oregon.

[Ron]

After I came back from Alaska, I still had this, like, deep burning passion to go out and travel and, you know, see more of the world. So I ended up taking a job in Wyoming. And that was an experience in itself. I actually got to. Worked with a lot of celebrities and, like, cooked at one of the fanciest resorts in the world and just like, really learning what it meant to be a chef. Not just cooking war cuisine and all that stuff. I got to work in a French kitchen underneath a very good chef, and while being able to elevate all of my skills and stuff like that.

[Host]

So you. Well, first of all, I just want to say the fact that you spent seven years in Oregon is pretty crazy because whatever was in that weed that night just fucking changed the entire course of your life. Like, that's. That's amazing. I really. I just. And you initially picked that place because you were gonna go there with the next girlfriends.

[Ron]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Host]

And one night. I love. I love it. You're just. One night. You're just like, dude, fuck this. I'm not waiting anymore. I'm fucking going tonight. So cool.

[Ron]

Yeah.

[Host]

And then you just fucking make it happen. Do you still keep in contact at all with the lady whose couch you slept on, or is she gone?

[Ron]

No, we haven't talked in years. But, you know, I still send her like, the random Happy days message and stuff like that. And her. And her. Her and the chick that she was dating, they actually ended up breaking up. And she just had. Her ex. Girlfriend just had a baby, so I congratulated her on all that stuff. So I did. I made sure they knew that they were appreciated. I ended up going back after I got a job and moved out and ended up giving them like four or five hundred dollars just to say thank you.

[Host]

Kick ass.

[Ron]

Yeah, they, they, they. They really saved me. I could have been somewhere out on the street and really struggling, but, you know, they gave me a chance. And every opportunity I've gotten while I've been on this journey, I've just made the best of it and take it a chance. That's really all it took.

[Host]

I want to. I want to get back to your Wyoming adventure, But first, I have a. I have a question for you. If someone is listening to this right now and they're inspired by. By your. Your bold. Your boldness, okay. And they were to maybe do a bold move as you did, is there anything that you feel like you learned from your. Your bold move that you would tell somebody who's thinking of doing something similar?

[Ron]

Well, I learned this while I was in the military, going to boot camp and stuff like that. If you're comfortable, you're probably doing it wrong. If you're uncomfortable, you're growing, you're changing, you know, you're. You're learning how to work in a new environment. So my advice to anybody would be to just stay open minded. Like if you're in a new city, you know you're somewhere that you're doing something that you normally wouldn't be doing. Just stay open minded, you know, and keep your mind on the goal. If the goal is just to get out of your city and be somewhere else, fall into that. Don't, don't be looking back in the past and say, oh, I missed this about home, blah, blah blah. Because at the end of the day, you put yourself in this position, you laugh, you wanted to do this. Now that you're here, live in it.

[Host]

The I heard something. I know you know, I feel dumb because I heard this expression today and I didn't realize and it's got to be a popular expression. But the grass is greener where you water it. So if that was the choice, you know, you either because you go to Oregon and you're like, I should have stayed back in Kansas. What's going on in there? But if you stay in Kansas City, go, oh, what could have been in Oregon? And it's like, you know, whatever. Exactly as you said, it's like you chose to do the thing. So, you know, just fucking lean in to whatever you chose, I suppose.

[Ron]

Yep.

[Comedy Announcer]

Hey comedy fans, the funniest comedians in the world are on tour and you can get tickets to see them live near you. Laugh at the biggest names in comedy like Atsuko Okatsuka, Chelsea Handler, Jimmy Carr, Kathy Griffin, Matt Matthews, Matt Rife, Sarah Silverman, Sebastian Maniscalco, Stavros Helkias, Wanda Sykes and so many more. All kinds of shows, all kinds of venues, all kinds of funny. Head to livenation.comcomedy to get your tickets today. That's livenation.comcomedy introducing signals, the next generation.

[Signals Announcer]

Of platforms for investors designed to elevate your trading strategy by giving access to insights used by Wall street pros to dominate the market. Signals uses its proprietary data of $70 billion in consumer spend across North America to spot market trends before they make the headlines. We bring you the alternative data that drives decisions at top hedge funds, allowing you to carve your own edge in the stock market. Join the insider circle who are already transforming their investment strategies. Visit joinsignals.com to start your free 14 day trial. No hidden fees, no gimmicks, just pure, actionable insights. End your reliance on outdated information with Signals. Invest like a pro. Make informed decisions swiftly and stay ahead of the curve. Uncover tomorrow's market moves with today's real time data. Visit jointsignals.com today.

[Deli Mex Announcer]

How crispy are the New Delhi mix Crispy Quesadillas. Let's see. I'm going to pop one in the microwave. Yeah, Delimax Crispy Quesadillas are crispy. Even from a microwave. I can already smell it. Heads up. If you hate loud crunching, you might want to mute. So crispy, like barely hear myself think crispy. These should come with a warning. If this crispiness is making you hungry, get to your closest grocery store for Deli Mex Crispy Quesadillas in the frozen aisle.

[Host]

So how did you go, how did you get this job working at. As a celebrity chef in Wyoming?

[Ron]

Oh, dude, same thing. I told you that website Cool Works has done wonders for me.

[Host]

Go ahead. And what is it again? Cool cool works.

[Ron]

Coolworks.com. this is a free, free promotion for them. It.

[Host]

Please.

[Ron]

Literally the best. It's the best website to. If you want to leave your hometown and you are, you're scared to get a job and you work in hospitality or even if you don't work in hospitality, there's a ton of jobs on there, from fishing guides to being a ski. What are one of those dudes? Like a ski lift instructor or whatever? In Colorado. Any, any resort in the United States, they have their, they have an ad on there. And if you want to go experience wise, even just for summer. Excuse me. Go on coolworks.com. especially if you're young and you're in college. Go on. Cool words. You'll get paid, you'll be able to go somewhere else for the summer and it'll be a life changing experience. It literally launched my entire like, traveling career.

[Host]

Fuck yeah. Yeah. I was gonna say, like, it, let's say somebody is like whatever, 18 and maybe they don't want to go to college or they just graduated college, but they graduated in something stupid like film and media arts, you know, and they don't have any like, like, you know, hard skills or anything like that. Is this, is this something that, you know, people can, can do without a whole lot of experience?

[Ron]

Yep, yep. They, they will teach you everything. Like the job that I worked at, it was, you know, we brought in new people every year and we train them up the, the three weeks before the season starts. You know, you're in the kitchen, you're learning the menus, they're giving you all the stuff. You don't have a knife. There's knives there. Like, there's programs where like, if you don't want to work in the kitchen, you could just watch kids. Anybody can watch a baby not anybody, but some people.

[Host]

I'm gonna go. I'm gonna rebuff that statement. I'm gonna, I'm gonna say, not everybody can watch a baby, but I get what you mean. Yeah, I, I, you know this. Okay. I'm gonna actually check this out, because I was. I was sitting around today being like, I should go do some fucking shit, even though I just did a bunch of fucking.

[Ron]

Yeah.

[Host]

But.

[Ron]

Yeah, even if you're a film major, you can go there and do the marketing for them and be a photographer or something like that. Like, there's a ton of different jobs that you can do stuff.

[Host]

And that's how you became a chef at this, this crazy resort place.

[Ron]

Yeah. Yeah. So I ended up going out there in 2000, 18 or 17, and it was free housing. I did have to sleep in a room with three other dudes on bump beds, so it's like summer camp, but it was free. Three meals a day free. And then every single week I completed, I got a 230 bonus that was paid out to me at the end of the season. So with that bonus, I took that bonus and I went down and stayed in Peru for two and a half months.

[Host]

What'd you do in Peru?

[Ron]

I just hung out, man. I just hung out. Sauce a dance, enjoyed the scenery, enjoyed the. The women in the museums.

[Host]

Were you there by yourself?

[Ron]

Yeah, Yeah. I spoke a little bit of Spanish, though. But after, After I came back, I spoke a fair bit about more Spanish.

[Host]

Yeah. That's so cool. Now, where, when you were in Peru, did you, like, stay at a hostel or something? Or you were just like, first month.

[Ron]

I had an Airbnb. Red Dead Redemption 2, it just came out. So, you know, I just went out.

[Host]

And you spent the. It's so funny, you know, it's so funny is that you just described like you were like, yeah, I had a fucking awesome time in Peru. It was great. Best two months of my life. All I did was play red Dead Redemption 2. And by the way, by the way, I would believe you if that was the case, because Red Dead Redemption 2 is an awesome. Is an amazing life experience.

[Zach]

Yeah.

[Host]

You spent the day.

[Ron]

I don't want to go out.

[Host]

Right. So you. You're just in Peru. You bought a PlayStation 4 in Peru and got Red Dead Redemption 2 in Spanish?

[Ron]

Oh, no. I brought my PlayStation 4 with me on the plane already. I was up to no good before I even left.

[Host]

That's so funny.

[Ron]

Yeah.

[Host]

And then where'd you go from Peru?

[Ron]

From Peru, I went back to Oregon and then I went back to Wyoming and then I went down to the Keys in Florida. So I ended up living down in Florida for about six months, working on another luxury resort down there for it was a private billionaires yacht club. Also another job I found off of Cool Works. And it was, it was miserable.

[Host]

Why was that miserable?

[Ron]

It was just like it was. I'm not a fan of 70 degrees. Every single day it's the same weather I just couldn't get with Florida. It felt like deja vu.

[Host]

So what's. I gotta, I gotta ask you, what is the. Because you're clearly a hard work and suffering, built character kind of a guy. But what is the what. How do you know if you're just fucking miserable and you need to change something versus you're going through a hard time that is molding your spirits.

[Ron]

If you hate, if you, if the thought of going into work gives you anxiety and you know, you just hate this job and it doesn't bring you much joy outside of getting paid, you need to move on. That's, that's, that's the best way I can describe it. If it isn't bringing anything else besides monetary gains, then you need to move on. Because if the people suck, if the environment sucks, you're just, you're just kind of killing yourself for a dollar. You can go somewhere else and be in a much better environment and enjoy yourself.

[Host]

Have you ever been in a job that you identify that you just fucking hate and you quit?

[Ron]

Yeah. My most recent job.

[Host]

What was it that you hated about it?

[Ron]

Well, like, so, like I've never, I've been lucky enough to never been around like really abusive chefs, like verbally abusive chefs and stuff like that. And this guy was just like the absolute worst. And I've worked for better chefs who are, who have their head on their shoulders way more. So just couldn't do it. It wasn't, it wasn't conducive to me learning and growing.

[Host]

And where'd you go right after you quit that?

[Ron]

Well, I'm going up to a kitchen up in Byron Bay, so. Oh, that's not how I started my new job. Yeah, I haven't started my new job. I'm kind of on a break right now.

[Host]

What are you doing with your break?

[Ron]

We are getting ready to celebrate Christmas. It's Christmas Eve today, so we are finishing up all of our dishes for tomorrow and getting ready to drive down to Canberra, the capital of Australia.

[Host]

When you first came to Australia, I assume that was a cool works thing.

[Ron]

Oh, no. So Actually, I actually applied to come out here on a work and holiday visa in 2019, and then, obviously, the entire world shut down. So I was out in Cali seeing a Kanye west concert. I ended up getting robbed that night. The next morning when I woke up, I had my visa for Australia approved. So I just kind of told my job out in Wyoming, because I was back out in Wyoming at this point. Hey, man, at the beginning of 2022, I'm gonna be taking a dive and moving to Australia.

[Host]

That's sick. Damn.

[Ron]

Yeah.

[Host]

You. You live a cool life. I'm very. I'm very inspired talking to you. I'm inspired that I'm inspired by a few things, is that you just really seem like a guy who won't settle for being unhappy or being, you know, comfortable in a bad way. Even. Even the fact that it took you a hundred plus dates to find a woman you really wanted to start a life with, and, you know, going both so boldly to Oregon on a whim and sticking it out through difficult jobs, but finding joy within the difficulty, it's. It's really cool. I really appreciate the way that you look at and. And live your life.

[Ron]

Yeah. I mean, that's all life really is. Like, I'm not a persistent guy when it comes to dating. That's why I've had so many dates. If you don't seem interested, then I'm not interested. So I think a lot of people, they kind of. They get too involved with one person who doesn't seem interested with them when they could just move on to the next person.

[Host]

Yeah. That seems to be the better strategy instead of trying to.

[Ron]

You know what.

[Host]

You know what it is? I. It's so funny. I was talking to my friend's girlfriend about this. Like, anytime you're, like, analyzing a text that someone sent you or, like, you're showing your friends, like, what is. What does this guy mean? Or what does this girl mean? What really. I think what is really going on is, like, you, in your gut, like, know what they mean.

[Ron]

Yeah.

[Host]

And you're, like, begging your friends and begging your ego for any interpretation that is not what your gut knows they mean because you're. What your gut knows they mean you don't, like, you know, but it's. It's way easier to just, you know.

[Ron]

Yeah.

[Host]

Charge it to the game and keep going.

[Ron]

Yeah. That's what I did for a while. I was like a old NES game. One life and you're out. Sorry. It's not gonna. It's not gonna work. For me, right. Maybe that, that I passed up a lot of good people, but at the end of the day, I'm happy with the person that I'm with.

[Host]

That's wonderful, man.

[Ron]

It just takes a lot of trial in there. And honestly, I didn't, I didn't want to date in my 20s. I put that on the back end and just really went and traveled and saw the world and new experiences and met people and all that good stuff. I think that's what you really should be doing. I'm actually envious of you with your whole podcast and stuff like that. The fact that you are able to just do something you really love and make money from it, man, you're.

[Host]

Now you're inspiring me. Because I, I, well, it's here, I mean, here's where I'm at when in my life is like, I just, I've went on like three tours and it was like, so cool to get to see. I, I really do. I really, in my core, in my core is a guy who, like, loves life and loves traveling and loves talking to people. And I get very disconnected from that core because of, like, depression and fog and, and just problems and things. And I, this long periods of time, I feel very disconnected with that guy in, in my core that, like, loves life and people. And then, and then out something just comes where like, I, I awake and I'm like, well, wait a minute. I, I want to, I, I actually, I like things, I want to go out, I want to see the world, I'm going to die, all this stuff. But then, I don't know, I get there's a lot to enjoy about domestic life, like having clean laundry and going to the gym regularly and eating salmon and all that stuff. And I'm like, I wanna ultimately live a life where I can eat salmon and go to Australia randomly. But I don't know, it used to be a very, like, adventure has always been a very core tenet of my life. But it's hard, especially when you do it alone. It's really hard because sometimes would you go somewhere alone and you stay at a, on some random guy couch that you met on the Internet? Yeah. Get into these situations where you're like, well, one, when you go alone, you experience, like really deep fucking melancholy and sadness. Oh, my God, I'm.

[Ron]

Loneliness.

[Host]

Yeah, just loneliness. And you're like, I, like, I was in Thailand and I was at a McDonald's by myself crying at night. And I was like, I'm like, crying. I'm 26, crying alone in a McDonald's in Thailand, which in the moment is. Feels really pathetic. But then looking back on it, I'm like. Like when I'm, you know, 40 and I have what at kids or whatever, I'm gonna be like, oh, that was. There was something poetic about crying alone in that McDonald's. I'm like, I'm glad that sucked in the moment, but I'm glad I did that. Like, there's. So you get to kind of be in this poetic melancholy sadness, but then also there's really high highs where you meet some person at a thing and then you're at this thing and you're whatever. And you're like, oh, how the fuck did this even happen? This is crazy. This is amazing. Like, oh my God, I'm like living like Walter Mitty, like life is a movie kind of shit. But you gotta go through the, the melancholy to, to get there. I'm really with you. I really think especially if you've never, if you're someone who's never left the country before and never done anything like that, you know, you really got to. But right now I'm like, I gotta, I gotta lose 50 pounds and eat salmon and stuff. What were you gonna say?

[Ron]

Well, go ahead. When I, When I was in Peru, I. I actually experienced a lot of this stuff that you're talking about, like been somewhere and just crying with stuff in my face. Just been extremely lonely. But while I was in Peru, I just took the time to really work out every single day outside. Stuff like that. Calisthenics is amazing. You don't have to go to the gym. You can buy stuff at home where you're just doing push ups, doing squats and all this stuff like that to where you, you know, I used to do 100 push ups every single day.

[Host]

Of course you do 100 fucking push ups a day.

[Ron]

And that just kind of helped me stay focused and stay on the grind. I know weight loss. I struggle with weight gain. I'm extremely skinny and that really bothers me. I wish I could gain weight easy. So I definitely recognize you, like, having a problem with your weight and wanting to do something about it. You just have to kind of stay on the path.

[Host]

Yeah, I thought I could do it while I was on tour and it's like, I really just can't. But then I get bored. I don't know. It's, it's, it's, it's good, it's good problems to have. Know. Well, tell me this. Yeah, well, so you just found out your girlfriend is Pregnant or. How did you, how did that make you feel? Are you excited about the future? We talked about the past, we talked about the present. The present. We shall end this with the future of Ron's life.

[Ron]

I am, I am extremely nervous, obviously, like every parent would be, but I think it'll be good. I'm moving away from a job that was making me unhappy and moving somewhere else. It's kind of like lit a fire in me to get out of the kitchen and do something that's a little bit more family friendly. So that's what I'm trying to do now is to maybe move into something different that I could spend time with my girlfriend and my future child.

[Host]

What's, what's on your mind? What are you thinking?

[Ron]

Well, I was thinking of electrician, but I might just do something on the computer like cyber security or something like that. Something technical that I could do from home or not be at work all hours of the night.

[Host]

So are you worried that you'll after so much time in this like fast paced environment that you really loved? Are you, are you worried about a career change?

[Ron]

No, I've been longing for a career change for about two years now. But unfortunately in Australia I'm sponsored. I'm on a sponsorship visa so I can leave the job that I'm at. I'm at. But I'm, I'm on my way to obtaining my PR so that I can basically be an Australian citizen. Get the Medicare, get the cheaper school, all that stuff like that. So it's just all, it's all.

[Host]

Is it hard to become an. Can you. Well, are you not married to this lady? Are you?

[Ron]

No, not yet.

[Host]

So if you, if you, if you get, if you get married, are you gonna, do you just become a citizen or how's that work?

[Ron]

No, you actually have to pay 10,000 Australian to apply for a partnership visa.

[Host]

Get that out of here.

[Ron]

Yeah, yeah. Not only do you have to pay for the wedding and stuff like that, you have to convince the government that you are a legitimate couple and that you want to be together. So that typically means you can't leave the country for two to three years while they verify all of that stuff. So I'm going the other route with my job so that I basically have a job saying, yeah, we need this guy, we'd like to keep him around. We will sponsor.

[Host]

And after living a nomadic life for so long, how are you feeling about settling down with a kid?

[Ron]

Like I said, it was, it was kind of that same thing. Like I've done The chef thing. I've done everything that I feel like I wanted to do in the culinary world because I had no want to own a restaurant after that. I just kind of wanted to start leading a regular life. I. I wanted to experience what other people experience. I've been off of work at 5:00 and stuff like that.

[Host]

I'm gonna. If you're down, I know, I know I've kept you on the phone for a long time here, but if you're down, I want to see if the chat perhaps has any questions for Ron. I'm gonna, I'm gonna see if the chat. I can read them out to you.

[Ron]

Yeah, for sure.

[Host]

Let me see here. Let's see here. Someone just said, are you a fancy chef? That I only. I swear to God, if there was another. That was the only question so far. If I saw a better question, I would have asked.

[Ron]

I've done high end work. I've done. I've worked. So out in Wyoming, I was in a French kitchen making the consummates and no keys and agnolodi pasta from scratch and stuff like that. I used to eat wagyu beef every single day. Yeah, I guess you could say.

[Host]

Has working in a kitchen caused you to trust less in the food that you're getting when you like order it? Like, like, do you. Have you seen anything gross where you're like, oh God.

[Ron]

No. It. I actually try not like, it's actually like other people when they go into a restaurant, you know, like, no, this isn't the best. And I just go into a restaurant I prefer to like. It's just good when somebody else is cooking for me.

[Host]

Did you try. Oh, sorry, go ahead. What's. What's your girlfriend cooking?

[Ron]

She can cook. She'll find it.

[Host]

Oh, she is. She is. She is that who's in the background?

[Ron]

Yeah, yeah.

[Host]

Tell, tell her I said thank you for letting me steal you away for. In a hour. That's.

[Ron]

No, you're fine.

[Host]

Someone said.

[Ron]

Did you.

[Host]

Have you tried ayahuasca in Peru?

[Ron]

No, but I've done a fair amount of acid. I never made it out to the jungle while I was in Peru. After being out in Wyoming for six and a half, seven months, I just wanted to be in a city, dance, eat good food, meet people. I actually ended up going on a Tinder date while I was there and met two, two of my really good friends.

[Host]

So someone wants to know, what town in Alaska did you go to?

[Ron]

I went to Craig, Alaska. I was on the Prince of Wales Island. So I was about an hour and a half away from Ketchikan, which is like the biggest port area of cruise lines and stuff there.

[Host]

Someone said, oh, this is interesting. So how would not having to make money change your relationship to cooking? Like, would you cook even if you didn't have to?

[Ron]

Probably not. I'm not gonna lie to you. I'm a picky eater. So me being a chef doesn't make sense because I am a strict, extremely picky eater. So I enjoy. I enjoy the. The joy that people get on their faces when they have good food. So I guess my love language is just doing for people and stuff like that. It doesn't have to necessarily be cooking.

[Host]

Someone wants to know, well, a couple people have asked what your favorite dish is to cook, and then someone said, what is the weirdest thing you have ever cooked?

[Ron]

My favorite dish is chicken marsala. The Italian version, not the Indian version. And the weirdest thing I've ever cooked. Well, I don't know. I saw these. This thing this lady made on Instagram. It was shrimp albandigas, which is basically like shrimp meatballs. And I did them as an amuse for the restaurant that I was working at, and they actually turned out really freaking good.

[Host]

This one, this is totally, totally up to you, but somebody asked if you have a social media presence because they're very inspired by your lifestyle. If you want to be flooded with. With gecko people, you're. You're. You're welcome to.

[Ron]

Yeah, sure. My Instagram handle is man on the Moon 816. My profile is public, so I just post a lot of memes and stuff like that. But it does have a fair amount of stuff that I've done.

[Host]

Man on the moon 816. Man on the moon 816. Is that kid Cudi reference?

[Ron]

Yes, sir. Yes, sir. See my guy live, front row, like five.

[Host]

Very nice. All right, we got to get him on the podcast. We got to get him in a gecko suit. Maybe one day.

[Ron]

Yeah, for sure.

[Host]

Well, Ron. Ron, it was fucking. Seriously, it was awesome talking to you. Thanks for telling us the. The journey of your life. I really do. Like, it would be so cool to me if, like, I get a dm, like six months after this podcast airs of someone being like, yo, I went on that website that Ron was talking about and now I live in Costa Rica or whatever, and I'm. I'm married and you know, whatever. That'd be cool if someone, like, actually does some off of this.

[Ron]

Yeah, man, maybe I'll just. Anybody yeah, anybody. If you want to go Travel, get on coolworks.com. there's all kinds of different states. Rhode island, freaking anywhere you want to go in the US there's more than likely a job there that you can do. There's places that you can live and eat for free and just make money.

[Host]

Ron, my friend, is there anything else you want to say to the people of the computer before we go?

[Ron]

Always just stay persistent in your. In your goals and your dreams. You guys, if you got something that you want to do, see it through. You may be uncomfortable at the time game, but at the end of the day, it'll be worth it.

[Host]

Ron, you're a hero. You're a legend. Thanks for. Thanks for your time and mazel tov on the beautiful life and the beautiful family.

[Ron]

Thank you. It was an honor talking to you. I've been trying for a long time, so thank you.

[Host]

Have a good night.

[Ron]

You as well.

[Comedy Announcer]

Bye.

[Host]

Oh, what a call. What a guy. That was one of my favorite calls we've, we've had in a while. That's really my favorite thing about doing this podcast is like, I know that the way this podcast is framed can sometimes be like that. It's like an advice podcast and it definitely skews that way a lot of the time. But I've said this before. My favorite thing about doing what I do is that I get, you know, not only interact with people in a way where I'm like getting to soak up the lived experience of other people, you know, all around the world, but also that, you know, part of that conversation is. Is broadcasted to a bunch of people such as you listening to this, who are also getting to learn from other people's learned experience, lived experience. It's really cool. It's really cool. So thank you very much, Ron, for sharing your story. I'm gonna check out this cool works.com thing cuz really like if I wasn't doing what I do now, I that like, serious like if tomorrow it was just like my podcast was scrubbed from the Internet or whatever, like, and I couldn't to do this anymore, that probably is what I would do is like just be like, well, fuck it, let's go to Alaska and see what the hell's going on over there. So I don't know, maybe I'll check it out. Very nice. Do I have anything else to say? I could say that was cool. Again, that was cool. I did enjoy that and thank you for listening.

[Comedy Announcer]

Hey, comedy fans. The funniest comedians in the world are on tour and you can get tickets to see them live near you. Laugh at the biggest names in comedy like Atsuko Okatsuka, Chelsea Handler, Jimmy Carr, Kathy Griffin, Matt Matthews, Matt Rife, Sarah Silverman, Sebastian Maniscalco, Stavros Helkias, Wanda Sykes, and so many more. All kinds of shows, all kinds of venues, all kinds of funny. Head to livenation.comcomedy to get your tickets today. That's livenation.comcomedy.

[Signals Announcer]

Introducing Signals, the next generation of platforms for investors designed to elevate your trading strategy by giving access to insights used by Wall street pros to dominate the market. Signals uses its proportional proprietary data of $70 billion in consumer spend across North America to spot market trends before they make the headlines. We bring you the alternative data that drives decisions at top hedge funds, allowing you to carve your own edge in the stock market. Join the insider circle who are already transforming their investment strategies. Visit joinsignals.com to start your free 14 day trial. No hidden fees, no gimmicks, just pure actionable insights. End your reliance on outdated information with signals. Invest like a pro. Make informed decisions swiftly and stay ahead of the curve. Uncover tomorrow's market moves with today's real time data. Visit joinsignals.com today.

[Deli Mex Announcer]

How crispy are the new deli mix? Crispy Quesadillas. Let's see. I'm going to pop one in the microwave. Yeah, Deli Meg's Crispy Quesadillas are crispy. Even from a microwave. I can already smell it. Heads up. If you hate loud crunching, you might wanna mute.

[Host]

Mmm.

[Deli Mex Announcer]

So crispy. Like, barely hear myself think crispy. These should come with a warning. If this crispiness is making you hungry, get to your closest grocery store. For Deli Mex Crispy quesadillas in the frozen aisle.

[Host]

Hello.

[Zach]

How's it going?

[Host]

Hey there. What's your name?

[Zach]

My name is Zach.

[Host]

Zack. What's up, Zach? How you doing?

[Zach]

Not much. I just graduated at mtsu. You actually came and visited us.

[Host]

Fuck. Bro. Dude. Oh, man. You know, sometimes I feel like a piece of shit and then I'm like, oh, wait, actually, I've done a lot of cool, cool things like that that happened to me recently. I was like. I, like, I was talking to somebody about Middle Tennessee State University and I was like, oh, yeah, that was only like a couple months ago. And that was awesome. That was a great time. Had a great time at that show. Were you there?

[Zach]

Yeah, I was. I was in, like, the back. I showed up late with, like, one of my friends and it was, it was a good show. I mean, your Nashville show was way better. I was also there.

[Host]

Really? Well, which Nashville show?

[Zach]

The one where Insane Clown Posse showed up.

[Host]

Oh, yeah, the one. The one with shaggy dope. Yeah, that one. Man. I had a good fuck.

[Zach]

How did you hook that up? How did you get like.

[Host]

Well, he and I had been talking about. Cuz they're in Detroit and he and I had been talking about me doing something with them, like on the podcast. But then we just both happened to be in Nashville at the same time and so he came on. Oh my God, that was so cool. That was one of the sickest. I had a great time with that show. That was so cool. I think that was the only time we've ever had like a like celebrity guest on a live show before.

[Zach]

Well, that was like, so impressive. I mean, and then we had like two marriage proposals, like, right after. Yeah, that one was like nuts.

[Host]

That's fun. That's fun. Yeah, I had a great time at that, at that college show. Those are good, those. That's good. Well, okay, so you just graduated and.

[Zach]

Yeah.

[Host]

How you doing? Are you depressed?

[Zach]

No, no, no, don't worry. I'm on. I'm on the good side of late calls today.

[Host]

Okay.

[Zach]

I mean, like, looking for like a job and stuff, but I kind of just want to do a thing called like jet program. We're just like teaching English and like Japan.

[Host]

Well, the guy we just talked to was like, I feel like kind of talking about those kinds of things.

[Zach]

Yeah, I. I applied in like November and now I'm just like sitting around waiting until they get back to me, which is like, they do. They do it in waves so I can like country by country. Like South Africa, like, heard back first and then the UK people just heard about it and then I'm just sitting around, waiting around. But I want to do with like my partner because we're both like, just interested in living in Japan, like traveling around and stuff.

[Host]

Really cool. Really cool. Why Japan?

[Zach]

Mostly just because of the culture and stuff. I mean, like, I like the United States, but I want to dip. Like, it's just kind of uncomfortable here in Tennessee, I guess. I don't know.

[Host]

Japan kicks ass. Japan's a great place to hang out in. I don't know a whole lot about like, I only learned like a few Japanese phrases, but I feel like with languages it's like if you really kind of go at it for a year, you can, you can do pretty good. Are you. Well, you're not trying to Learn Japanese. You want to teach English in Japanese? Company In. In Japan, yeah.

[Zach]

So they. They don't have, like, many requirements, like, if you want to, like, go to, like, South Korea or anything like that. They require you to, like, do, like, a TFL, like, course, which is like, 120 hours, but, like, you can do in, like, six months. But we're also looking at those opportunities. But, like, all those conversations started from, like, oh, maybe maybe, like, Peace Corps or something like that. I don't know. And we've been applying around, just saying what we want to put ourselves forward towards, I think.

[Host]

I think. Yeah. With a lot of those, like, ESL programs, it's interesting because I am. I do know that a lot of them don't require you to speak the language that you're teaching. The people do. Which is crazy, because when I was in eighth grade, I took a Spanish class, and that lady spoke English.

[Ron]

What?

[Host]

Well, no, no, you, like, you don't. Like, Like. Like, in America, like, all the. Like. Like, when you were in middle school, do you have to take, like, Spanish or French or some.

[Zach]

I took German at high school.

[Host]

Okay, you're German high school teacher. She spoke English, right?

[Zach]

Yeah. She, like, grew up here in America, then like, went over to, like, Germany, and then I got, like, a second teacher that had, like, committed his whole life to, like, living in Germany and then coming back here.

[Host]

But, like, that would be crazy. If they just had a just fully 100% German lady come in and just speak German to you the whole time, you wouldn't learn anything.

[Zach]

My girlfriend, when she took, like, French at the high school, they originally had, like, this, like, very, like, country person teaching, like, French. And apparently, like, after she got replaced by a real French person, it was very, very hard to, like, transition the students because they had, like, created, like, bad habits and stuff.

[Host]

Yeah. I mean, here's the thing with, like, learning a language is I feel like it's not that bad to, like, learn it badly. Like, like, the gram. The grammar doesn't really matter. Like, if you speak a broken second language as an American, then you're doing pretty good.

[Zach]

Yeah, I had to learn a little bit of Spanish for working at, like, a paint store that I worked at. But, like, I'm, like, kind of adjusted towards, like, picking up, like, phrases and, like. Yeah, just, like, the culture surrounding it, I guess we.

[Host]

I feel like when you try to learn another language and then, like, you're talking to, like, foreign people who are speaking English to you, you're like, oh, this person actually pretty fucking Good at English.

[Zach]

They're all shy about it too.

[Host]

Right. Well, that's cool, man. I'm glad to hear that your life is. Glad to hear that you're not depressed and you're about to do a cool thing.

[Zach]

Yeah, that's what I'm trying to do, but it's hard. I mean, like, giving up, like, opportunities to, like, hang out with my dogs and stuff or like, my family just to, like, jump ship.

[Host]

Yeah, but you're what, you're 22?

[Zach]

24.

[Host]

24. Yeah, but if. Yeah, I mean, but, you know, life's for living.

[Zach]

Yeah, man, that last call was great for that.

[Host]

Well, brother, my friend, is there anything else you want to say to the people, the computer, before we go?

[Zach]

Get out there and. Actually, I'll throw this out. Google Baha'I faith. I grew up in that religion. The highest out there. Yeah. So it's a. It's a religion that's, like, they believe in, like, the nine major religions, and I just want to put that word out there. Oh, happy Hanukkah to you.

[Host]

Oh, thanks, man. Wait, they just rolled all the religions up into one fucking ball and it's just the high.

[Zach]

Yeah, pretty much. They were, like, talking about, like, how the word of God goes through many different prophets and, like, how every, like, country or, like, culture has, like, had a prophet, whether it's passed down orally or, like, traditionally through, like, writing and stuff. And it was a really, really cool religion to grow up in the high faith.

[Host]

Do you still believe? Do you still believe in. Do you still believe in the high faith?

[Zach]

I would say yes. I'm definitely surrounded by, like, a lot of people that aren't, like, you know, super religious, but I generally believe that, like, it's important to, like, share your voice and, like, all the values that they, like, taught early on. I guess so. I don't know. I don't know. We live in, like, a perfect world with, like, perfect conditions for everything. I don't know.

[Host]

Do you really believe that? Kinda.

[Zach]

I mean, if I kinda. That's a bad answer. I should say yes or no, but yes. I don't know. Maybe I'm watching too many YouTube shorts with, like, those science guys saying, can you believe the. The. I don't know.

[Host]

It will. I will hold I. Not to make you lose faith in literally what you're just saying right now, but it's cool that your YouTube shorts algorithm is sending you videos about how the world is awesome and perfect, because most. I don't know if I'm probably not alone in this. But most of the Internet content I get fed is about how the world is horrible and we're all gonna die.

[Zach]

Yeah, man. I do watch a lot of car crash compilation.

[Host]

Okay.

[Ron]

Yeah.

[Host]

You gotta balance it out.

[Zach]

Yeah.

[Host]

Okay. I have one final question. Why do you believe the world was perfect as it is?

[Zach]

I guess I've been just living life on, like, easy mode, and I haven't really been, like, traumatized or really. I mean, I. I've talked to other people about, like, trauma and stuff, but it's never been at, like. I don't know. My own personal experiences have been amazing. And I always try to look at, like, saying yes to, like, opportunities, and those have, like, always. Because originally I didn't. I didn't say yes to, like, all the opportunities that were, like, presented to me. And I think. I don't know, I just. I'm surrounded by amazing people and an amazing partner, good family that support me. I mean, I'm graduating debt free, and I know a lot of people don't have that opportunity, but I don't know, I just kind of live in, like, a pretty perfect world.

[Host]

I'm happy for you, man. Maybe it's the. Maybe the high faith is. Maybe the high faith is what led you to this. Maybe. Yeah. This episode. Everyone's gonna check out the High Faith and they're gonna check out that other website. Cool Works. Yeah, Cool works. Cool Works. And the high faith.

[Zach]

Hey, you're gonna check it out, too.

[Host]

Yeah, I'm gonna check. I'm gonna check out both of those websites. I don't want to do while I'm on the phone with you because I think that would be rude, but that sounds like a good. I'm gonna do. I'm gonna do both of those things as soon as I get off of recording this. What's your name again?

[Zach]

It's Zach.

[Host]

Zach. Zach, thanks for sharing your life with us on this podcast today.

[Zach]

Well, thank you, Lyle.

[Host]

Is there anything else you want to say to the people at the computer before we go?

[Zach]

I've said my words, like.

[Host]

Make. May all of the gods of the nine major religions bless you and have. Have a good rest of your life.

[Zach]

Bye.

[Host]

That was nice. That was really nice. Yeah. I also. I thought about doing, like, English as a second language teaching shit too, but. And I always thought it was crazy that you don't have to, like. Like, if you want to teach English to people who only speak Spanish, you don't even have to know Spanish. But, like, if I was in high school and I had a Spanish teacher. It didn't speak English. I'd be like, what is this lady talking about?

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