Soul Forge Podcast

Boobs, burgers and beer! These are three things that almost everyone loves. This episode tells you all about the upcoming fashion show hosted by Amore: For Your Pleasure.

On this episode of the Soul Forge Podcast, your host Shawn goes on location for a chat with Gaelyn, the owner of Amore: For Your Pleasure. For those not in the know, Amore is the premiere adult toy store in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Shawn and Gaelyn discuss the upcoming fashion show.

This is the ultimate sexy lingerie fashion show. There have been four or five previous shows. Every year, the event gets bigger. Starting from humble beginnings in the store, the event has now moved to the parking lot across from Jay's Piston Broke Pub.

Boobs, burgers and beer is the theme of the fashion show. The event is a twofold event. Partly to help celebrate pride week, it is also a customer appreciation event to give back to Amore's customers.

The fashion show is held on Wednesday (hump day) and runs between 3 and 10pm. This event is rain or shine. The BBQ is free. There is a cash bar as per regulations. Multiple vendors will be on site. A DJ will provide music and you are free to dance. Games will be held and you can win Amore Bucks to spend in store. The Vendors will be selling jewelry, cookies, soaps and more.

July 24 is the date of this amazingly fun event. Running from 3 until 10, there will be two fashion show. The first will be held at 4pm and the second starts at 7:30. The models range in size from extra small to 5x.

The Facebook page for the event is: https://www.facebook.com/events/791140943217995?active_tab=about

This week's podcast promo: Watchathon of Rassilon

What we leave behind is not nearly as important as what we take with us. At least, when it comes to moving or down-sizing. This is nothing to do with the legacy of our lives. This week the podcast tackles the topic of finding a new home.

Leah's dad is moving. Gord currently lives about a 20 minute drive from his wife. The wife is in a nursing home as her health is poor. Every second day Gord drives 20 minutes down the highway to visit. Gord is 78 years old and his health is also deteriorating. Luckily, Gord's wife owns a home only minutes from the healthcare facility she lives in. We are moving Gord to his wife's old house.

Arranging this move for Gord has been a long process. First, we had to let the tenants know it was time for them to go. Convincing Gord to leave his current home has also been quite the event. Now, we are painting and repairing the new place for him to stay in. Gord and his wife are big time smokers. Three packs a day is not uncommon. All of their possessions are smoke-filled damaged. There is almost nothing salvageable. Only the essentials will make it to the new house.

In other news, Shawn and Leah are looking for a new place to live. Currently, they live in Leah's house. There is not enough room for all their combined possessions. Nor is there room for guests. Therefore, the search for a new home is underway.

After seeing so many houses for sale, we have drawn some conclusions. Your grass needs to be mowed. Decluttering your house, and cleaning up is extremely important. Opening windows goes a long way. A fresh coat of paint won't hurt anything.

As for moving, decluttering and getting rid of things you haven't used in years is a great idea. Use totes instead of cardboard boxes. Memories are in your head, not in your stuff. Take a picture and chuck out useless or extra items. What we leave behind or throw out will not be missed.

This week's podcast promo: Tales From Hollywoodland

The Chicken King presents Grampy D's original recipe.

This week the Soul Forge Podcast crew is on location. We find ourselves at Bruni's Fine Foods for a taste testing. David Poluck from Northern Jewellery and Crafts is the Chicken King. He has created a unique chicken coating mix. The event and subsequent interview are detailed in this episode.

In David's own words, the idea for a deep fried coating mix began with a conversation:

"In a world saturated with fast-food chains and pre-packaged coating mixes, it all began with two friends who found themselves in a discussion about something more when it came to fried chicken. Dissatisfied with the limited options available whether it was the greasy offerings from chain restaurants or the uninspiring coating mixes he found at his local grocery store I made a decision to take matters into my own hands and embark on a journey that would eventually lead to the creation of Grampy D’s original Recipe’s"

David tells us about his childhood influences and the cooks in his life. Creating an easy, yet not greasy coating mix takes time. Four and a half months and many chicken dinners later, the recipe was perfected. Designed for bone-in chicken, you must reduce cooking time for boneless poultry.

At this tasting event, we sampled air-fried, deep-fried and oven roasted cooking methods. About 15 people participated in the event. Their thoughts are recorded in this episode. There is also a fish coating mix that we did not try.

You can buy Grampy D's coating mix in a variety of places. Here in Sault Ste. Marie, it is available at Bruni's Fine Foods, Pino's Get Fresh, RJ's Market and Northern Jewellery. Algonquin Outfitters sells the product, and it can also be found in Sturgeon Falls as well as on Amazon.

Phoebe from Eat At Sault Ste. Marie was also at the event. You can follow her page at https://www.facebook.com/Eatssm

Follow and learn more about David and his businesses at https://luraygems.com/

Soul Forge Podcast can be found at http://www.soulforgepodcast.com/

This week's podcast promo: Monster Attack

Food, History, television shows, work, feedback and more on this week's episode. No topic is too obscure for us to cover!

The weather is our first mini topic. A veritable heat wave has descended upon us. From hail to humidity, no one is safe from these extremes. Some days it feels as though we are sitting here melting.

We had our yard sale this last weekend. Turns out we prefer going to sales, rather than hosting them. There is a lot of prep work involved. Pricing items is quite important, and having an organizational system is key. Item placement will affect your sales. Keeping your items in line of sight is crucial.

Leah goes to a work leadership conference this week. She and her co-workers will exchange ideas, and talk about having difficult conversations. There will be skills fair full of differing booths. This is one of the very few times where Shawn and Leah have been apart for a few days.

Richard from Australia provides feedback on our restaurant review episode. This leads to a discussion about The Blockhouse, an eatery in the old St. Mary's Paper building. We then discuss the historic Canal District, the Soo Locks and the Agawa Train tour.

Our episode ends with a chat about some recent television we have been enjoying. Season three of Bridgerton was a particular delight. The Boys, The Acolyte and The Big Bang Theory are in regular rotation. There is some chatter about sequel series such at Crusade, Star Trek, Young Sheldon, and the Mandolorian.

This week's podcast promo: Monkeeing Around

Taking care of dad for our Father's Day episode!

We start this episode with a brief history of how Father's Day began. Did you know this holiday is not much older than a century? In fact, Father's Day was introduced in 1910. Naturally, it was a response to Mother's Day and soon became associated with retail and commerce. You will learn even more in this episode.

Shawn and Leah discuss their fathers. They each have dads, fathers-in-law, as well as stepfathers. Shawn talks about being a father and a step-father. An important aspect of this discussion is their feelings towards these dads. What happened to the step-dads in their lives?

Taking care of dad is a major part of the episode. Both Shawn and Leah's fathers are in their 70s. Age brings many things with it, including loss of ability, forgetfulness and wounded pride. Imparting their wisdom also becomes important as dads age. Shawn must help his dad do the things he once took for granted. Leah is helping her father move closer to his wife.

Pop Culture and Dads!

• Robot and Frank, Darth Vader, Family Law, the dads of Disney, Full House, Steven Speilberg's take on dads, Family Ties, Roseanne, Who's The Boss?, Glee, My Two Dads, Modern Family, and Three Men and a Baby.

No one wants your stuff! When a dad passes on, what happens to their things? A brief discussion on what to do with all the stuff left behind. Who wants what, and where does it go?

This week's podcast promo: Modern Musicology

New ideas are brewing at Soul Forge HQ. Shawn and Leah are bringing you more excitement and adventure. The topics are going to be vast and wide-ranging. We plan to bring our listeners an enhanced podcast experience. Stay tuned for the updated format!

So, we recently got into meal prep. It seemed like a great idea to have ready-made ideas for a week's worth of dinners. An amazing meal was planned, but time got away from us. Therefore, we decided to go to a restaurant because it was too late to cook. We went to Chuck's and while we were there we discussed podcast ideas. Chuck's Roadhouse restaurant review was born! Plenty of new ideas are coming up.

This episode talks about the good and the bad you may experience at a Chuck's restaurant. We're talking about tipping etiquette, half-price apps and a whole lot more. We even had dessert this week!

From Chuck's website:

Chuck’s Roadhouse Bar and Grill has been a beacon to road travellers everywhere since 2015. We pay homage to the traditional roadhouses by providing not only a great atmosphere, but an unwavering commitment to serving the best quality food for the best price. Due to the high demand from our guests across Canada, Chuck’s Roadhouse continues to expand at an increasingly rapid pace.

Food the way it ought to be, priced the way it used to be.

Not only a statement used to represent our brand, but a mindset applied to the process in which our menu is crafted.

Quality menu items including: AAA steaks, Lobster Tail, Prime Rib Burgers, Ice Cold Draught and more, for a fraction of our competitors’ prices. We appeal to communities who look for that classic roadhouse taste, comfortable ambiance and second-to-none guest experience. We’re a brand dedicated to delivering a hospitable dining experience and creating that comfortable place for everyone to enjoy a meal, grab a drink or watch their favourite team on the big screen TV’s.

We love yard sales. Hosting them. Going to them. Finding hidden treasures. There is very little not to love about a yard sale. Or should we call it a garage sale?

On this episode of the Soul Forge Podcast, Shawn and Leah talk everything there is to talk about yard sales. They will soon be hosting their own. Have you ever hosted a sale? Would you do so again? What is the best thing you have ever gotten at a sale? Let us know at [email protected]

Shawn and Leah talk about some of their recent acquisitions. Leah collects and searches for vintage Disney items. Song of the South and Splash Mountain are her main focus at the moment. She also actively searches for toys from the 1980s. Shawn is always on the lookout for Hot Wheels, Star Trek stuff, movies and fodder for Etsy.

Why do people collect? We break down some of the possibilities. Hosting a yard sale can be tricky. There are many things to understand and think about. Making sure you have enough change is very important. There are weather concerns as well.

Let's host a yard sale, you said. It will be fun, you said. Remember that no one wants your old wine glasses. Make sure to price fairly, and display things in an eye-pleasing manner.

We also talk about antique and thrift stores. There are some amazing YouTubers out there that have a lot of great information. Shawn recently spoke with some podcast marketers who wanted to charge a fortune for their services. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes and How Disney Built America are recent viewing experiences.

Find Leah on Etsy at https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/Collectandcaston

Find Shawn on Etsy at https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/RustedRobotToys

This week's podcast promo: Epsilon Three Podcast

#yardsale #Disney #startrek #thrift #antique #collect #vintage #toys #YouTube

Our wedding in Las Vegas and our honeymoon in California.

Leah and Shawn flew to Las Vegas to get married. After spending a few days in Sin City, they drove to Cathedral City, California. This episode of the Soul Forge is a day by day recap of their adventures.

May 2nd and 3rd: The first day was a travel day. Major delays were the main topic of conversation. Mechanical problems caused a 7 hour delay in travel. The second day was much better. The couple got their marriage license. The line was huge. The heat in Nevada is very different from that in Florida. Supper at Bubba Gump Shrimp was decent.

May 4th: Wedding day finds Leah stuffed up and sniffling. The hotel mattress was uncomfortable and the temperature was all over the place. Leah had her makeup done at a beauty school while Shawn and Wyatt picked up their rental car. It was a Mustang! Shawn and Wyatt went toy shopping and picked up comics and hot wheels. Leah and Shawn were married that afternoon. Dinner was at Triple George Grill.

May 5th: A full day of shopping. We visited the Coca-Cola store on the Las Vegas strip. We also went to the Hershey store, the M&Ms shop and the Stranger Things Netflix store. Freemont Street was dirty and busy. The premium outlets were full of moments. The Ocean One Bar and Grill was amazing.

May 6th: We finally left Las Vegas. Before we did though, we visited the Antique Mall of America. It was huge and we probably spent over 2 hours in there. Afterwards, we drove the 4 hours to Palm Springs. The scenery was beautiful, almost as if you were driving towards a gigantic painting. Cathedral City is a warm and comfortable town.

May 7th: We explored the town and area. The roads were fantastic. The thrifting and antique shopping was also amazing. So much fun sticking around our home base.

May 8th: A thrilling drive to Knott's Berry Farm. The highways in California are atrocious. Super busy, congested and full of accidents and slow-downs. The amusement park was fun.

May 9th: The wedding week adventures are coming to an end. We visited the graves of Frank Sinatra and Sonny Bono. Afterwards we enjoyed a couple's massage. Then we had a nap and some drinks.

May 10th: Homeward bound. An early drive to the San Diego airport. We took an alternate route. While it was quite beautiful, it was also treacherously windy and hilly. We were separated for 4 hours on the first plane ride. Fun, but exhausting. We are married!

#coach #hotwheels #strangerthings #shakeshack #bubbagumpshrimp #lasvegas #mustang #starwarsday #triplegeorgegrill #coke #hershey #m&ms #disney #puma #vercini #hottopic #lush #tesla #miraclemile 

This week's podcast promos: Earth Station DCU, Earth Station Trek, Earth Station Who

The wedding of the century is almost upon us. Shawn and Leah will be married in Las Vegas on May the 4th. This episode of the Soul Forge discusses their plans and the countdown until the big day!

But first, we talk about smile cookies. Tim Hortons, Canada's number 1 coffee shop sells their smile cookies once a year. This is the big fundraiser that sends kids to camp for the summer. These cookies, while delicious, are not packaged up very well.

There may be some drunk singing in Vegas. Leah hopes to get Shawn singing karaoke. The only evidence of Shawn singing while drunk is on YouTube. Can you find it?

Other topics this week include seed planting. Leah is on a seed planting rampage. Mostly cabbage has sprouted so far. Shawn enjoyed coffee with his brothers this weekend. Many topics were discussed. Also, Shawn and Leah answer a few random questions found on TikTok.

The fedora. Shawn always wanted a fedora. However, he is too self-conscious to wear one. This week he bought one anyway. He's finally reached the age where he doesn't care what people think. That's freedom.

Where are we going for the honeymoon? We have ideas. Fremont Street. Alcatraz. DisneyLand. The possibilities are endless. Will Shawn open a comic shop with brother Robin and their friend James? The final countdown is here!

This is the link to watch the livestream of the wedding: https://littlechurchofthewest.com/livestream/

This week's podcast promo: The Dragon Con Report

Are animals self aware? Scientific evidence supports the assumption that it “feels like something” for a fish to be caught on a hook. Shawn and Leah have a bit of a lively discussion regarding animal consciousness. They talk about their dads, wedding preparations, taxes, television shows and more!

Scientists and philosophers across the globe agree it is reasonable to assume the vast majority of creatures on Earth are sentient in some way — including lobster, squid and the tiny flies that swarm over drinks left outside in the summer.

The New York Declaration on #Animal #Consciousness, released Friday, was signed by 39 cognition scholars at universities from Canada to Australia. It says there is “at least a realistic possibility” that all vertebrates and many invertebrates have conscious experience.

The declaration rests on recent scientific studies that show garter snakes can recognize their own scent, crows can report what they see, octopi can avoid pain and fruit flies can sleep — and they sleep best when they’re with other fruit flies.

Also on this episode are discussions about fears, and how much work has been recently dumped onto Letter Carriers. #Television shows mentioned include #Fallout, #Crusade, #Robocop and #Star Trek Discovery. Leah and Shawn's dad started planting in the greenhouse. They sat and shared their seeds.

This week's podcast promo: Cosmic Pizza