Man Overseas Podcast

In this short solo episode from the Baltic coast, I talk more about Gdańsk. This is where World War II started. Then, half-a-century later, was the first domino to fall before the collapse of the Soviet Union. I also talk about the city’s Catholic roots, the street scenes during the Saint Dominic festival, and how much the place has changed through the years.

I also talk about US media & government. For example, the recent revelations from the Russia Collusion Hoax. Unfortunately, the corporate media can't cover the biggest political scandal in American history because they're complicit. Which means many of our boomer friends & family who were duped will remain that way. But it's always been easier to convince someone of a lie than to convince them they've been lied to. And speaking of dominos falling, I wonder whether we'll soon find out what COVID & Climate Change were all about?

There's also my Ryne Sandberg memories and some Gurwinder.

Harvey and I met in 2021, when he and his college sweetheart and wife of 17 years, Amie, joined my wife & me, at Cafe Dumonde in New Orleans for beignets & Cafe Au Laits. And we've stayed in touch since.

Harvey's a proud dad to Brinley (14), Harvey the 5th (12) and Clara June (11). He's also a baseball nut, former D1 baseball player, Army team leader, civilian. Now he's an entrepreneur, leadership team coach and EOS Implementer - helping leadership teams get everything they want from their teams and their lives.

Not to mention Harvey's just a great dude. I told him if we lived closer in proximity, we'd probably be besties. But unfortunately, he lives in Ohio and I live somewhere else.

In this episode, I check in from Gdańsk, a city in northern Poland on the Baltic coast. I talk about what it’s been like exploring this part of the world—how Gdańsk surprised me with its charm, walkability, and its history. World War II started here. And unlike Kraków or Warsaw, it has beaches! And fewer tourists.

I also talk about something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately: optimal experience and how we use our time.

From Estonia’s efficiency to my own efforts to build better focus in Poland, I get into why flow state matters—especially in a world full of distractions.

This one’s part travel journal, part reminder to slow down and use time like it counts. Because it does.

There’s investing talk too. And a bit on strip clubs and some Epstein theories.

In this episode, I'm joined by Curtis Pelletier. I know Curtis as "Pelch." He and I met our freshman year of college—he was Chase Lambin's roommate at Grayson College, where they won the JUCO World Series. Twice. Pelch then played professional baseball and represented Canada on the national team. He's also worked as a scout for the Chicago Cubs and Miami Marlins.

Those were the good ole days, and he's got great stories!

In these good new days, "Coach Curtis" is a certified mental performance coach, life coach, and recovery coach with over 20 years of coaching experience. In fact, he might be into coaching more than me—the bio he sent includes the word 'coach' 5x in a sentence!

But seriously. Coach Curtis helps athletes, individuals, and families build better habits, develop mental toughness, and navigate recovery and performance challenges. As a husband, father of three daughters, and someone who's overcome major obstacles in his life, Curtis shares his hard-won wisdom with good humor. Lots of laughs in this episode!

We start with a discussion about Canada becoming the 51st state, then get into addiction, rehab, and the impact of social media on parenting. We also talk about how college sports has changed in recent years with the introduction of the transfer portal & NIL money.

In this episode—5,400 miles from home—I sit with my new friend, Anna Avstriyskaya. She's an anthropologist who is passionate about people, cultures, borders, and migration.

Born in the Soviet Union, Anna was raised on the Estonia/Russian border and lived in Moscow for 13 years. We discuss what it was like growing up in a place caught between worlds—Estonian on paper, Russian in culture—and how that shaped the way she views identity, language, and belonging.

I ask about the Stalin-created famine in Ukraine in 1930s aka Holodomor. You'll hear stories about life in Moscow, opposition leaders being assassinated, and what most concerns her about the Russia/Ukraine War.

Anna also opens up about how hard (and rewarding) it is to be a single mom. She discusses the lack of support from the father of her 2-year old and how difficult it was to lose her own mother shortly after her baby was born.

From anthropology studies to her dream destination, Anna’s story is one of quiet resilience and determination.

In this episode, I sit down with myself—solo again—checking in from Tallinn, Estonia. I share thoughts on growing up, parenting, and why competition might be one of the best teachers. I start by reflecting on a birthday message from friends and how Little League Baseball shaped the way I think about determination, toughness and the need to prove something—even at age 6.

Then I get into heavier stuff—the recent Iran-Israel conflict and what it says about leadership, media narratives, and military strategy. I walk through some of today's headlines, talk about Trump’s approach to foreign policy, and share thoughts on the kind of strength that doesn’t always show up in headlines, but it matters.

Morgan is one of my favorite guests because he's candid. Could be because he's had lots of practice confessing his sins, which he does in this episode too—the sins he's been absolved of at least. I'll extract the rest when I see him for Part 2 in Prague later this summer.

We discuss life after divorce and his journey back to faith. He opens up about the emotional toll of being a stepdad, the breakdown of his marriage, and adjusting to playing "both roles" as a single-parent.

He shares how he wakes up at 3:40am for work, tried to raise another man's kid, and how a step-kid should know when the "King of the Castle" has closed the kitchen for the night. I mean what kind of kid would make a grilled cheese at 2am? Morgan knows.

If last week's guest heard this episode, she'd say, "It's hilarious I think."

In this episode, I sit down with my 4-year-old to discuss life, travel, snacks, bedtime stories, and whatever else comes up. Aria's small, but she's got big dreams and an even bigger heart.

She shares why she makes so many "happy plates" and what she thinks is better than bubble wrap.

We also talk about her perspective on traveling from Poland to Estonia. I ask about her favorite places in the world (spoiler: Texas & New Orleans made the cut), and what it's like trying to sleep when the sun doesn't set in Estonia till 11pm.

Some of her answers to my questions surprised me. For example, I didn't know what she wanted to be when she grows up. But she has it all mapped out. And apparently, she'll be working 3 jobs because she loves helping others so much.

My favorite girl serves as a reminder for me to always be present—that it's the little things that make life so special.

Lamar Fairmint is a young man I'm lucky to know. I finally got a chance to meet him in Costa Rica at the Retreat—no question he had the most interesting background of anyone who attended.

In this episode, we talk about what it was like growing up on the Umatilla Indian Reservation in Eastern Oregon. Lamar shares stories about his Native roots, family history, and what it means to live with both Native and Black heritage. We also talk about the weight of generational trauma—and how he's learning to carry it with more grace as he gets older.

Before getting to know Lamar over the past few years, I'd never known anyone who grew up on a Reservation. Come to think of it, I'd also never met a salmon fisherman.

But that's what Lamar's does. He's a commercial fisherman. And his business does well enough that he spends half the year traveling the world.

The origins of his fishing career are interesting too. He says fishing gave him purpose after dropping out of San Diego State, and shares what life on the water has taught him about patience, resilience, and doing things "your own way."

LB is short for "Lil Bro." Michael Loomis is my 3rd guest from the Man Overseas Retreat in Costa Rica. Michael & I have logged hundreds of hours on the phone, and I couldn't wait to finally meet him. Plus, he reminds me a lot of a younger Man, hence the nickname—except he's a lot taller and a little better-lookin'.

In this episode, we talk about his journey from Portland to Nashville, his faith that's shaped who he is today. Then we go even deeper—he opens up about what it was like growing up with a mother who struggled with alcoholism & mental health issues, how that's affected his view of love, reckoning with abandonment issues, and what forgiveness really looks like.

As a former collegiate basketball All-American, LB has strong opinions on the GOAT debate. He tells a story about sitting next to Danny Ainge at the SEC tournament a few months ago—if you love the NBA, you'll appreciate this one. From Kobe's mindset to Michael Jordan to Anthony Edwards' rise, this episode has plenty for hoops-junkies.