Kicking That Kactus

Before the attic, before the podcast — there was a house fire… and honestly, a life fire. Poverty, depression circling the drain, conspiracy-theory chaos at home, and a season where I was so beaten down I quietly wished I wouldn’t wake up.

Then the actual flames came. And weirdly? That’s when something in me woke up — stubborn, defiant, done accepting a life that felt smaller than I knew it could be. Some things burned accidentally. Some things I burned on purpose afterward.

Heavy? Yeah. Hopeful? Also yeah. Because rock bottom sometimes doubles as a launch pad.

Season 1 ends here… but the essays don’t. Neither does the messy, emotional, beautifully complicated business of being human.

Hi, I’m Shane. Welcome to my podcast.

Therapy said “try dating.” I said “absolutely not.”

Then one accidental swipe later… here we are.

This episode dives into online-dating panic, living-in-the-attic realities, questionable assumptions about “my type,” and how life sometimes hands you a plot twist instead of what you ordered.

Awkward? Yes. Humbling? Also yes. Worth it? Surprisingly… yeah.

When your kid makes a decision that has you questioning both her judgment and your parenting résumé, what do you do? If you’re me, you white-knuckle the steering wheel, recall the time your sister had to literally let go of her daughter during a heart transplant, and realize that every kind of motherhood comes down to the same impossible thing—learning how to release.

This episode drifts between humor and heartbreak: Baltimore beltways, bad parental options, and the haunting beauty of a child’s second chance at life. It’s about what it means to let go before you’re ready… and why that might be the bravest part of love.

What starts with a McDonald’s coffee catastrophe turns into an unexpected lesson on friendship, healing, and the kind of laughter that cleans the soul better than any janitorial spray ever could.

This week, I share how blowing Barbie (yes, that’s really what happened) taught me that sometimes the messes in life are the moments that dry us off, lift us up, and show us we belong.

Ever wake up with a hangover, a cat giving you side-eye, and a crime scene in your own shower? Jack did. And the prime suspect may—or may not—be the blonde from last night…or his cat…or literally anyone.

In this episode, I share the absurd origin story of my very first whodunit: “Hairy-Backed Jack and the Case of the Missing Blow-Up Doll.”

It’s equal parts Agatha Christie spoof, Sedaris-style confession, and an ode to that strange little monkey in my brain that coughs up stories at 6 a.m.

Easter brunch gone sideways, boardwalk fries, and a reunion years in the making. Turns out the plan is never the plan—it’s what happens on the way. And sometimes, the best surprise is realizing you don’t have to go anywhere. You’re already home.

Abu Dhabi marble floors + Delaware attic stairs + Tampa toilet tissue + Hours of therapy = Proof that healing comes with humor.

This is the ultimate bathroom saga with heart - because sometimes life hands you roses… and sometimes it hands you a toothpaste box when the roll runs out.

This isn’t a full episode—it’s just a taste.

A taste of laughter.

A taste of chaos.

A taste of cactus. 🌵

Pull up a chair—you’ll laugh, you’ll sigh, you’ll maybe even snort.

Welcome to Kicking That Kactus, Season One: From the Attic with Love.