Quick life update first — my wife’s surgery is this week, so episodes might be a little lighter while I focus on taking care of her. Thanks for all the support.

Today I wanted to zoom back out and talk about something that’s been bothering me after listening to the NPR Politics Podcast: talk of “nationalizing” elections, revisiting 2020 yet again, and what happens when one party tries to control how voting works.

That stuff should make all of us nervous — not Republican or Democrat nervous, but American nervous.

I’m thinking out loud about free and fair elections, peaceful transfers of power, and a few common-sense reforms like independent redistricting, vote-by-mail, and getting big money out of politics.

Nothing fancy. Just a regular guy in a truck wondering what happens if we stop protecting the basics of democracy.

Today's episode is a little different — and a lot more personal.

Last week, my wife was diagnosed with cancer.

Thankfully it’s early, treatable, and likely just a surgery… but going through appointments, biopsies, specialists, and insurance has been a wake-up call about how fragile life — and our healthcare system — really is.

Even with a decent job and “good” insurance, we’re still staring at deductibles, out-of-pocket costs, and bills that don’t make sense. And it’s hard not to think about how many families don’t even have that safety net.

So today I’m just talking it through — fear, gratitude, frustration, and why healthcare probably shouldn’t be tied to your job in the first place.

Just a regular guy in a truck, trying to make sense of a scary week.

It’s been one of those weeks.

After a new therapist gently pointed out the obvious — yeah, this might be burnout — I’m feeling pretty wrung out. So instead of politics or headlines today, I’m talking about something lighter… and honestly, more necessary.

The shows, books, and small escapes that help me cope.

From The Daily Show to Shrinking on Apple TV to The Thursday Murder Club, I’ve been thinking about why stories that mix humor with real-life pain can feel so healing — and why unplugging from the doomscroll every once in a while might be the best thing we can do for our mental health.

Just a regular guy in a truck, talking burnout, therapy, and finding a little joy where we can

Tonight’s episode is a little different.

After a parent night at my son’s school, I’ve been thinking a lot about something bigger than politics — how smartphones, social media, and constant screen time are changing our kids… and honestly, changing us too.

From anxiety and depression to shorter attention spans and rising polarization, it feels like we’ve traded play, community, and real-world connection for algorithms, dopamine hits, and infinite scroll.

As a dad (and just a guy trying to figure this out), I’m talking through what a “phone-based childhood” might be costing our families — and why maybe we all need to step outside, put the screens down, and reconnect with the real world a little more.

Just one guy, a truck, and some thoughts on parenting, technology, and how we got here.

Today I’m reacting to the Department of Homeland Security’s internal review of the Minneapolis ICE shooting — and how their findings don’t match the story we were first told.

It’s not just about one incident anymore. It’s about trust.

When the government lies about things we can clearly see with our own eyes, how are we supposed to believe them about everything else we can’t verify?

From ICE and DHS to jobs reports and inflation numbers, I’m wrestling with what happens when transparency disappears — and why honesty from our leaders matters more than ever.

Just one regular guy, a truck, and some thoughts on truth, accountability, and who government is supposed to serve.

After yesterday’s heavy news, today I’m thinking about what immigration enforcement should actually look like.

I believe in borders. I believe in laws. But I also believe there’s a right way and a wrong way to treat people.

Masked agents, fear, and violence aren’t who we’re supposed to be.

As the grandson of immigrants, I’m trying to talk through where accountability, humanity, and the rule of law are supposed to meet — and why America should be better than brute force.

Just one regular guy, a truck, a dog in the back seat… and some thoughts on how we do this the right way.

Today’s episode is a heavy one.

After another protester was killed during an ICE operation in Minneapolis, I’m trying to make sense of where the line is between immigration enforcement and basic civil rights.

If someone can be detained, beaten, or killed while peacefully protesting, filming police, or legally carrying a firearm… what does that say about our freedoms?

This isn’t about left vs. right. It’s about whether we still believe in the Constitution and accountability for government power.

Just one regular guy talking it through on the drive home.

No yelling. No spin. Just trying to make sense of it.

On this Fun Friday episode of Just a Guy in a Truck, I talk mental health, therapy, marriage, and why Hulu’s Secret Lives of Mormon Wives became my favorite guilty-pleasure escape.

What started as trashy reality TV turned into real conversations with my wife about relationships, growth, and staying sane when life feels heavy. Sometimes drama on screen helps us process our own lives.

Just a regular guy, in a truck, trying to make sense of it all.

Today’s drive home turns into a simple question: why does the U.S. suddenly want Greenland?

Trump says it’s about national security — but Greenland is already protected by NATO, we already have a military base there, and buying or taking it could actually make the world less safe.

So I’m breaking it down the only way I know how — not as a politician or expert, just a regular guy trying to understand foreign policy, alliances, and how any of this helps everyday Americans.

No spin. No yelling. Just thinking out loud in a truck.

On today’s drive home, I’m talking about being a first-generation college student, teaching at a rural university, and how college exposes us to people and ideas outside our bubble.

Higher education isn’t about “liberal factories” — it’s often just the first time we step outside our echo chambers and meet people who see the world differently. That kind of exposure builds empathy, not indoctrination.

Just a regular guy reflecting on social capital, small towns, political divides, and why listening to each other still matters.

No scripts. No lectures. Just real talk in a truck.