*A GIANT apology is necessary to be mentioned here. This episode had for some reason been filled with audio files from past interviews with other guests, and was promptly pulled from circulation, never to be re-edited. It has now been re-edited and added back to the library. My sincerest apologies to one of my most sincere friends.

Ryan Adams most definitely does NOT suck! He is one of the brightest teachers I've ever seen at straightening out challenging students with care, love, patience and a healthy dose of both the hammer and the feather. Ryan Adams gets it. He professes his love for his family, technology, living the summer camp life and he we share some stories that seemed to make us laugh... So that's good enough for this podcaster.  I really love sharing my awesome friends in this manner. I also really love Falcon Brewing Company's craft beers. I'd love to talk business with you fine folks. 

In this super short episode, I say goodbye and explain the reasoning for my having moved past podcasting as a hobby. Thanks to all who have participated, listened and helped with the show. I'd certainly call it a success, but it's time for me to enjoy other things in life.

I am grateful.

Rick does a solo commentary on independence and how we MAY be overdoing our independence. The importance of having a co-host is certainly evident in this episode. No, it is NOT lost on Rick that to speak by oneself about independence having “gone too far” whilst on a podcast show based in conversation is ironic. Some advice that he shares to his students may or may not be applicable to any human struggling and feeling like it’s impossible to have it all. We used to have help and maybe there’s room for that again? Please enjoy.

Matt and Rick do what Matt and Rick ALWAYS do when together… they talk about baseball! If you are excited about Major League Baseball’s free agency and the upcoming 2022 labour disruption -- I mean, the upcoming 2022 season, then this might be a conversation for you!

In this episode, I mourn the loss of Eden, my sweet bullmastiff-angel-of-a-dog, whom we have just put down. I read a heartfelt letter to Eden that I wrote, and I share another sad story of friendship from the park we would regularly visit. A great man, husband, father, friend, child social worker and psychotherapist had also recently died. This episode is a tribute to both and the many lessons they have taught me. I hope you enjoy it.

We discuss:

If you enjoy Matt’s take on things, listen carefully for when I get to plug his own podcast channel. I’m sure I’ll be a listener, unless he talks about something I find boring. I’ll just skip those episodes, like many of you do with my show. haha

Rick connects, virtually with his good friend, Amanda Westerman. Amanda is passionate about her family, skating, teaching, reading and the Toronto Blue Jays. The two speak about how their Toronto Blue Jays Season’s Ticket group and the ins and outs of drafting tickets equitably for people who cannot attend the draft. The show notes below contain hotlinks to the various topics they spoke about. Enjoy!

The Heydenettes documentary

Girls on the Go

Running4Home race information

Habitat for Humanity Canada

Jackie and Maria: A Novel of Jackie Kennedy and Maria Callas by Gill Paul

Girl, Stop Apologizing: A Shame-Free Plan for Embracing and Achieving Your Goals by Rachel Hollis

Lover Unveiled by J.R. Ward

Modern Manhood: Conversations About the Complicated World of Being a Good Man Today by Cleo Stiller

Verbal Judo, The Gentle Art of Persuasion by George J. Thompson PHD. and Jerry B. Jenkins

Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

Listen in as Rick and his bestie talk about the Toronto Blue Jays’ upcoming 2021 season. The pair obviously LOVE baseball, but their love for the Jays really leaks through. They TRY to be objective as they compare the Jays’ roster to that of the Bronx Bombing New York Yankees, position by position.

They also discuss Dunedin, Florida’s new state of the art Blue Jays Development Complex with much anticipation, as well as acknowledging the fruitful rebuild that Jays fans have been negatively vocal about for years.

Enjoy!

Spoilers ahead, for sure! Two friends chit-chat about Star Wars’ The Mandalorian (seasons 1 and 2). Anders warns you that if you don’t want to hear his “rambles” about all of the movies (that Rick rudely interrupts) to fast forward to the 22 minute mark or so. Anders is a hardcore fan who discusses Star Wars so passionately, but Rick just likes watching movies and TV. They share some of their favourite movies series and also get into their favourite TV shows of all time.

#TheMandelorian #Disney #ItsRicksPodcast #Rocky #IndianaJones

Listen in as Rick and his friend TJ discuss politics from her vantage point as a MPP-assistant to Jennifer French of the NDP in Oshawa. They discuss the role and power of Twitter as a political tool, but PLEASE NOTE that this was recorded on January 2, 2021, more than a week before Trump supporters stormed Capitol Hill after he incited his supporters to protest at the Capitol. At the time of this recording, Trump had not yet incited the violence, nor was he suspended or banned from Twitter. Even during editing and publishing (currently 8 pm, on January 16, 2021), it feels almost ominous to hear TJ’s warnings of how powerful Twitter is. She shares some details of her experience from the tragic loss of life of two firefighting students on February 8th of 2015. Adam Brunt and Gary Kendall perished in a high-stakes emergency training situation that TJ was witness to. She opens up about her PTSD and shows her personal growth by shining some light on self-doubt as being a lack of having a purpose. Thankfully, many of us out there have loved ones who remind us of our purpose when we start to lose our way. Making this modest podcast helps to give Rick purpose, so thank you for that.

Please enjoy.