Ramblings of a Restless Mind

In this episode of Ramblings of a Restless Mind, co-hosts Jen and Dejah welcome Melanie Shekita, an assistant district attorney in Wake County with nearly 28 years at the DA’s office and team leader of the Special Victims Unit, longtime SafeChild partner, and former volunteer firefighter. Melanie shares how she became involved with SafeChild, the growth of the organization and its Child Advocacy Center, and why a nonprofit-based, child-friendly forensic interview model matters for reducing retraumatization and improving accountability. The conversation covers the far-reaching impact of sexual abuse on families, the need for CAC services across counties, and the realities of secondary trauma for prosecutors and investigators, along with Melanie’s coping outlets like cycling and her rescue dogs. They end with lighter listener questions and opinions on everyday debates.

00:00 Bravery and Healing

00:36 Show Intro and Jingle

01:37 Meet Melanie Shekita

03:35 Bio and Firefighter Life

04:41 Belichick Side Rant

06:19 SafeChild Gala Story

08:08 One in Four Kids

11:46 DA Path to SVU

13:57 Building the Advocacy Center

17:02 New SafeChild Facility

18:41 Fundraising and Foster Care

24:12 Volunteer Firefighting Origin

26:14 Coping With Trauma

34:10 Remote Testimony for Kids

35:28 Safe Child Forensic Interviews

36:44 Expanding CAC Services

39:38 Hot Dog Sandwich Debate

41:03 Song Stuck on Repeat

42:05 AI Fears and Regulation

46:48 Voicemail Petty Hills

52:36 Cancel Culture and Comments

57:00 Wrap Up and Dog Talk

Jen and DeJah return from a summer hiatus to recap recent meaningful episodes (including a Mother’s Day special with their mom and a guest appearance by Tim “Big Sarge” from Sons of Liberty, with a live shoot planned in October). They ramble about highlights from a largely unplanned West Coast trip—San Francisco (Alcatraz, Ghirardelli, driving the Golden Gate Bridge), the Redwoods, Humboldt County ranch stay with dispensary tours and an infinity-pool “spiritual” moment, and Portland during Pride Weekend, including an Airbnb heat/AC struggle and a late-night “plum massacre.” Joe describes a Michigan family trip to a deer farm and updates progress on DeJah's bus-to-RV conversion. The conversation turns to politics and free speech around Macklemore being removed from an Ed Sheeran lineup by stadium owners, potential concert cancellation impacts, voting-roll concerns, and a tribute to Dolly Parton’s legacy and Imagination Library support.

00:00 Back From Hiatus

00:54 Recapping Big Episodes

01:45 Joe Joins On Camera

03:03 Summer Heat Talk

03:46 West Coast Trip Begins

04:22 San Francisco Highlights

07:16 Humboldt Ranch Retreat

08:23 Redwoods And Portland

09:43 Plum Tree Airbnb Chaos

12:50 Cooling Hacks And Pride Weekend

14:44 Back Home And Fall Hopes

14:58 Joe Summer And Boone Heat

16:26 Michigan Trip Deer Farm Debate

18:21 Barndominium Airbnb Talk

19:35 Albino Deer Banter

20:09 Bus Build Update

21:38 Tariffs And Gas Rant

22:57 Ed Sheeran Show Risk

24:08 Macklemore Controversy

27:44 Free Speech And Money

32:26 Sponsor Break

33:43 Concerts As Safe Spaces

37:26 Dolly Parton Tribute

45:28 Dolly Quotes And Legacy

47:08 Wrap Up And Vote

Jen and DeJah welcome Tim “Big Sarge,” founder of Sons of Liberty, a veteran-led activist content community that grew from a Facebook rant page into a multi-platform presence after viral posts and a later Facebook takedown. Big Sarge explains how he used pro-patriot branding to counter MAGA narratives, shifted from historical “Confederate Heritage Month” content to viral “truck rant” videos, and then stepped back due to fatigue and audience pressure for entertainment over substance. He emphasizes that the work he most wants supported is their Tuesday 7 PM Eastern YouTube livestream interviews with progressive, non-establishment candidates (including Courage Caucus and impeachment-supporting contenders), urging viewers to get informed and vote. The conversation also covers protest safety resources, veterans’ political diversity, party dynamics, merch origins like “brisket and titties,” and the need for renewed protest music.

00:00 Vote Over Virality
00:43 Meet Big Sarge
05:17 Sons of Liberty Origins
08:11 Viral Growth and Takedowns
12:09 Truck Rants and Brand Dilution
16:29 Candidate Interviews Matter
28:33 Protest Safety and Education
31:27 Sponsor Break NC Estate Solutions
32:25 Veterans Finding a Voice
34:40 MAGA vs GOP and Veteran Policy
39:25 Trust But Verify
40:22 MAGA Infighting Watch
45:02 GOP Discipline Vs Left
47:23 Reclaiming Symbols
48:40 Brisket And Titties
54:08 Hot Dog Philosophy
56:34 Where Did Protest Music Go
01:04:55 Activist Festival Blueprint
01:09:17 Support Artists And Activism
01:11:48 Where To Watch Streams
01:14:28 Closing Thanks And Call
01:16:46 Podcast Outro Voicemail

Motherhood, Boundaries, and Single-Mom Strength | Ramblings of a Restless Mind

In this episode, the host interviews her mom about motherhood, parenting, and family, including stories from labor and delivery and how witnessing birth can change perspectives. They discuss parenting as choosing battles, setting boundaries, following through with discipline, building respect without relying on patriarchal “wait till your dad gets home” dynamics, and the challenges of raising kids in a device-driven culture. The conversation also covers societal pressure around having children and gratitude for a mom who never judged her daughter for not becoming a parent. The mom shares what helped her children through divorce—perseverance, honest communication about life changes, and refusing to speak badly about their father—plus how she coped with kids leaving home by embracing each life chapter, loosening “apron strings,” and trusting the values she taught. The episode closes with appreciation for chosen family, love, and resilience.

00:00 Meet Mom and Gigi
00:26 Reality of Childbirth
01:02 Pain Relief and Respect
02:52 Picking Battles as Parents
03:39 Mom as Authority
05:23 Boundaries and Teaching
07:12 Discipline and Follow Through
12:11 Tech and Kid Independence
14:06 Choosing Childfree Without Shame
16:17 Society Shifts on Parenthood
18:57 A Welcoming No Judgment Home
19:52 Questioning and Gratitude
20:22 Divorce Single Mom Question
23:12 Kids Perspective and Co Parenting
25:32 Strength Through Divorce
27:32 Lioness Tribute and Sponsor
28:49 Empty Nest Heartache
32:37 Letting Go and Trust
35:37 Respect and Check Ins
37:58 Proud Mom Moments
39:20 Family Love and Farewell

In this Mother’s Day–themed episode of Ramblings With the Restless Mind, the hosts welcome Jen’s mom (and DeJah’s adopted mom) Cheryl, a retired RN who worked many years in labor and delivery before finishing her career in an OB-GYN clinic and retiring in December 2021. They celebrate Cheryl’s love of themed parties, music, and the Dallas Cowboys, and highlight her “claim to fame” of being the nurse for Steve Perry’s daughter’s C-section delivery, describing his down-to-earth demeanor and the challenge of protecting privacy. Cheryl shares how living in Germany for a year shaped her, how her father “Marv” raised three daughters after her mother and sister died in a car accident, and how she approached parenting boundaries, single motherhood, and supporting her children, including respecting Jen’s choice not to have kids.

00:00 Warm Welcome and Spring Check-In
01:43 Meet Cheryl Bonus Mom
04:03 Nursing Career and Women’s Care
06:21 Steve Perry Delivery Story
09:11 Mother’s Day Spotlight and Gratitude
12:40 Germany Move and Early Marriage
15:10 Fan Sleep Tradition and Hurricane Chaos
17:41 Hot Seat Questions Begin
19:26 Parent vs Friend Boundaries
21:12 Parenting Boundaries
22:33 Marv Steps Up
24:29 Fatherhood Contrast
25:46 Dancing Memories
26:32 Sponsor Break
27:30 Disco Night Story
29:45 Learning Without Mom
32:16 Single Mom Reflections
37:51 Mother’s Day Grief
40:28 Hip Fusion Resilience
43:26 Dreams Beyond Iowa
45:17 Choosing Childfree
46:41 Wrap Up and Teaser

Connect with Us:

Email: [email protected]
Instagram: instagram.com/ramblingsofarestlessmindpod
Website: https://ramblingsofarestlessmind.transistor.fm/
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Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ramblings-of-a-restless-mind/id1784103773
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On this episode of Ramblings of a Restless Mind, the hosts reflect on small moments of being seen, sparked by a new black Claddagh ring and ancestry DNA results confirming Irish and Scottish heritage with small Egyptian and Swedish percentages. DeJah recounts a chaotic, dangerous multi-state trip involving a bad car purchase, breakdowns, rental car issues, and driving through multiple whiteout blizzards to reach her brother and return home. The conversation shifts into an extended political rant opposing sending Americans to war over oil, criticizing Trump’s claims of ending multiple conflicts, and citing budget figures for the Pentagon, ICE, healthcare spending, and universal healthcare estimates, while naming Americans they say have died recently. The episode ends with a voicemail confession about hating Valentine’s Day, texts about washing feet in the shower, and a question about what dreams came true since age 18.

00:00 Show Intro and Vibes

00:25 Claddagh Ring Story

01:45 Ring Meaning and Jokes

03:25 Car Disaster Road Trip

06:59 Blizzards and Survival

10:13 CDs and Road Music

11:23 War and Iran Rant

15:40 Trump Claims Ending Wars

21:01 American Deaths and ICE

25:19 No Kings Protests and Politics

30:12 Viruses and Anti Science

33:14 Call to Speak Up and Vote

36:24 Marine Assault and Outrage

38:26 Veterans Loss and Reality

41:09 Breather and Moving On

41:28 Unnamed War Helpers

41:38 Trump Rant Break

42:26 Podcast Balance Talk

43:18 Estate Solutions Ad

44:14 Voicemail Valentines Confession

48:03 Valentines Pressure Dating

50:21 Text Question Wash Feet

53:49 Hygiene Rant Wash Ass

01:00:37 Life Hard Talk To 18

01:01:14 Dreams Survival And Self Love

01:09:37 Grace And Sign Off

Connect with Us:

Email: [email protected]
Instagram: instagram.com/ramblingsofarestlessmindpod
Website: https://ramblingsofarestlessmind.transistor.fm/
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/2fazFuSWWoLmnEbLP0e4lR
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ramblings-of-a-restless-mind/id1784103773
iHeart: iheart.com/podcast/246199720

Hosts Jen Bordeaux and DeJah Debon welcome Raleigh-based comedian and performer Ashley Preston, who shares her background, comedy work, and experiences as a Lyft driver, plus lighthearted talk about bowling, tennis, and being recognized in public. The conversation centers on modern dating frustrations—ghosting, love bombing, insecurity around performers, and men competing with her comedy—along with why clear communication and maintaining standards matter. They discuss self-sufficiency, not settling, dating as a way to see real-life behavior, and wanting partnership without sacrificing peace, while swapping stories about bad gifts, low-effort dates, and how dating apps create endless options. Ashley reflects on outgrowing certain friendships, plugs her socials and clean-comedy group, and the episode ends with questions about whether a hot dog is a sandwich and the last song stuck in her head.

00:00 Materialistic Man Roast

00:31 Podcast Welcome Chaos

01:31 Meet Comedian Ashley

04:28 Tennis Not Pickleball

05:11 Bowling Talk And Tips

07:53 Comedy For A Cause

08:53 Getting Recognized In Public

11:34 Ghosting And Petty Texts

19:29 Dating As A Performer

21:06 Soft Pretzel Standards

23:21 Priorities Love Bombing

28:46 Dating Expectations And Gifts

31:33 Harbor Freight Gift Fail

33:03 Communication Bar Is Low

33:34 Worst Gifts Stories

36:11 Ghosting And Blocking

38:18 Standards And Single Life

41:23 Partnership Not Parenting

42:30 Perpetual Bachelor Red Flags

46:41 Pay Your Own Way

48:21 Dating Needs Real Effort

51:18 Trust Your Gut Advice

52:45 Hot Dog Sandwich Debate

56:22 Friendships Outgrown

58:56 Where To Find Ashley

01:01:05 Final Laugh Through Darkness

Connect with Us:

Email: [email protected]
Instagram: instagram.com/ramblingsofarestlessmindpod
Website: https://ramblingsofarestlessmind.transistor.fm/
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/2fazFuSWWoLmnEbLP0e4lR
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ramblings-of-a-restless-mind/id1784103773
iHeart: iheart.com/podcast/246199720

Hosts Jen Bordeaux and DeJah Debon welcome Trevor, co-owner and co-founder of Nashville-based My Cluck Hut, an eco-friendly, sustainable, palm-oil-free, animal-byproduct-free, “fascist free” soap company he and his wife Jennifer started in 2020 as a “giant middle finger to unfettered capitalism.” Trevor shares his background as a touring drummer, leaving the church, and how the pandemic, political division, and George Floyd’s murder pushed him toward building a people-first business centered on diversity, inclusion, and humor. He explains their pun-driven product lines, pronoun-labeled soaps, and how their booth setup and online content help identify allies while making customers feel loved and accepted. The conversation also covers MAGA trolling, misinformation, war and politics, Democrats infighting, using comedy to resist authoritarianism, monetizing comments to donate to nonprofits, and a planned Stormy Daniels “Tiny Cock Soap” collaboration supporting an LGBTQIA+ nonprofit.

00:00 People Over Profit

00:30 Welcome Back Intro

01:27 Meeting at DC Rally

03:05 Introducing Trevor

04:46 My Cluck Cut Mission

06:25 From Drummer to Nashville

09:18 Pandemic Breaking Point

12:22 Soap Brand Origin Story

14:26 Booth Humor Filters Allies

18:42 Trolls Guns and Palm Oil

22:24 MAGA Fatigue and Coping

28:25 Monetizing Troll Comments

31:55 Left Infighting and Grace

37:13 Why Fascism Eats Itself

38:40 No Forgiveness Without Work

40:11 Apocalypse Politics and Israel

41:50 War Spending Receipts

43:23 Epstein Enablers and No Accountability

43:55 People Before Profit Organizing

45:40 Trojan Horse White Man Tactics

50:29 No Midterms and Authoritarian Playbook

51:30 Pranksters Versus Autocrats

54:05 Bullies Want You to Snap

59:08 Voter Purges and ID Crackdowns

01:00:49 Hotdog Sandwich Debate

01:03:43 DRE Dossier and Underground Deals

01:06:05 Where to Find MyCluckHut

01:08:38 Stormy Daniels Soap Collab

01:10:41 Final Thanks and Signoff

Connect with Us:

Email: [email protected]
Instagram: instagram.com/ramblingsofarestlessmindpod
Website: https://ramblingsofarestlessmind.transistor.fm/
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/2fazFuSWWoLmnEbLP0e4lR
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ramblings-of-a-restless-mind/id1784103773
iHeart: iheart.com/podcast/246199720

In this episode of 'Ramblings of a Restless Mind,' the hosts dive deep into a conversation that combines humor, curiosity, and a bit of chaos. They kick off with playful banter about their morning routines, speculate on the true shape of the Earth, and share thrilling experiences like skydiving. The discussion then takes a serious turn to address the impact and ethical concerns of AI in our lives. A fun and introspective AI-generated 'Choose Your Own Adventure' game follows, which leads to discussions about restlessness and self-worth. The hosts also receive a heartfelt voicemail from a listener concerned about food stamps and extend some heartfelt advice. Join them on this rollercoaster of emotions, insights, and human connection in this week's episode. Timestamps: [03:15] - Morning Routines & Skydiving [18:50] - The Ethical Concerns of AI [33:40] - AI-Generated Choose Your Own Adventure [45:30] - Existential Crisis & Self-Love [01:03:20] - Voicemail: Food Stamps Concerns

00:00 Welcome to Ramblings of a Restless Mind

00:44 Introductions and Friendly Banter

01:53 Weather Woes and Seasonal Changes

02:30 Skydiving and Adrenaline Adventures

07:01 AI: Friend or Foe?

21:09 Choose Your Own Adventure with AI

28:40 The Framework System

29:04 Color Coding and Categories

29:22 The Physical Component

29:25 Decision Time: Supplies and Research

31:51 Mounting the System

34:26 The Wall's Unexpected Question

36:48 The System's True Meaning

37:30 Final Choices and Reflections

40:54 Existential Crisis and Conclusion

Join us in this hilarious and candid episode as we dive into Valentine's Day traditions, relationship compatibility, and the power of music. From exploring how music can bring people together to sharing personal stories of love and quirky engagement tales, we cover it all. Discover the importance of communication, the impact of moving away for strengthening bonds, and the fun (and sometimes embarrassing) moments that make love worth celebrating. Whether you're a fan of concerts, a romantic at heart, or just love a good laugh, this episode is for you! Timestamp Highlights: 0:45 - Concert Behavior: Let the Dance Out 7:30 - Romantic Getaways: Travel Advising Adventures 25:55 - Valentine's Day Poll: Love it or Hate it? 1:05:20 - Engagement Stories: Joe's Sweet Proposal 1:35:40 - Music as Therapy: The Power of Shared Tunes

00:00 Concert Etiquette: Letting Loose

01:33 Travel Tales: From Jamaica to Naughty Airbnbs

06:43 Valentine's Day: Love, Expectations, and Communication

16:05 Romantic Experiences: From Proposals to Date Nights

33:25 The Proposal on the Plane

34:23 Keeping the Engagement a Secret

35:26 Reflecting on Young Love

35:58 Twin Flames and Relationship Glue

37:41 The Importance of Moving Away

40:15 Dancing and Music in Relationships

40:35 Listener Voicemail: Music and Compatibility

43:35 The Power of Music in Life and Love

01:01:09 Concluding Thoughts on Love and Music