Well... um, this is what happens when Ben spends days without much human interaction and access to recording equipment. It's a rambling dialogue, a search for pizza and some random thoughts.

Music has the power to connect, the ability to evoke emotion and the strength to save lives. Here's a bit of music that helped save mine. That helped me realize that others out there were going through struggles of their own and that they would understand. It helped me realize that sometimes you just have to breathe, and in time, things will be alright.

Sometimes our pre-conceived judgements of people and places can get in the way of having a proper experience with those people and places. Be grateful for the space we have and the people in it.

Solo rounding chatting with myself today about the effects of the past 3 weeks of zero exercise and poor eating habits on my mental health. Brain fog and anxiety were big issues. Also, SOUP OTTAWA! A fantastic grass roots fundraising initiative supporting big ideas that are helping people in the city of Ottawa.

Ben's just talkin' about a few things in the ol' brain today...

Hope, courage, people doing good things, alternative medecin and birthdays.

Thanks for listening

A solo round on the podcast today. Chatting about a few things that have been on my mind as of late. The gun debate, strangers are just friends we haven't met yet and learning to appreciate that we are not defined but what we do for a living.

On this week's episode we are changing things up a wee bit. Ben is going to the phones to speak with "average" people about the things that are on their minds. Masculinity, living in a blended family, gender, sexuality and living in your aunts basement. This episode is purely for shits and giggles. No offence intended to any one, everything with a grain of salt and intended as comedy, whatever that is. Any resemblance of characters to actual people is PURELY COINCIDENTAL.

Throwing back to the very first episode with Joey Gunn. A video chat we did by the fire in December. It was the birth of FireSide Chats and I'd like to share that conversation with you again here on the podcast.

This weeks episode is a throw back. All the way back to the 2nd chat ever in the FSC Podcast history. Pre-dating the actual podcast when we would actually sit at a fire and chat. Sharing our stories where we traditionally have. However it's cold in December in Ottawa so we moved it inside, we evolved and got comfy. You can watch the videos if you'd like, but here's the audio. 

LOVE.

*TRIGGER WARNING* 

This episode contains talk about:

suicide

homelessness

Ben chats with Boomer Perrault from "1 A Week Challenge" about random acts of kindness and the impact they can have on the people and world around you. Not to mention your own mental well being.

For more info on "1 A Week" check them out on:

FaceBook.com/1aweekchallenge and instagram.com/_1aweek