Surviving-ISH Podcast

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"I’m just a guy with a microphone... and today, that microphone is picking up the sound of my soul leaving my body."

Welcome back to Surviving Politics-ISH. In today’s episode, David Keck dives into the chaotic "musical chairs" happening within the administration. We’re breaking down the sudden exit of Kristi Noem from the DHS and her "exile" to the newly formed Shield of the Americas. Was it a promotion, or are they just hiding the baggage?

We also get into the grit of the Eric Swalwell resignation. While the headlines scream about "justice," David pulls back the curtain on Markwayne Mullin’s new role at the DHS. Is the department actually protecting the country, or has it become a taxpayer-funded "revenge squad" for political hits?

From the "Nanny Trap" to the "Shame Floor" of modern politics, we’re looking at the gap between what they say and what they actually do. Because if you only care about accountability when the other team is losing, you don't actually care about accountability.

In this episode, we discuss:

The Noem Pivot: Why the "Special Envoy" title is just a fancy way to say "Please stop embarrassing us."

The Mullin Era: Why the DHS is treating a hiring mistake like a national security crisis.

The "Shame Floor": Why Democrats push people out while the other side builds a fortress around their own.

Accountability-ISH: A reality check on the political points system vs. actual justice for victims.

#SurvivingPoliticsISH #kristinoem  #ericswalwell  #markwaynemullin  #dhs  #politicalaccountability  #ShieldOfTheAmericas #DCScandals #politicaltheater 

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Surviving HOA Drama and Reinventing Lives in Florida | Featuring Schmitty and Jenny

Join David, Jenny, and newcomer Ryan, aka Smitty, in this lively and unfiltered episode of Surviving Ish. They dive deep into HOA dramas, the struggles of relocating from Michigan to Florida, and the hilarious hiccups of everyday life. From debates about custom license plates to the uniqueness of chili slaw dogs, this episode covers serious collective reflections and light-hearted banter. Don't miss out on Ryan's first-time podcast experience and the trio's candid conversations about facing new challenges, family dynamics, and the journey of reinventing oneself in a new environment. #preisdent #hoa #fun 

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In this episode of Surviving Politics-ISH , the host calls out the repeated hypocrisy of anti-LGBTQ+ “traditional values” politicians and attendees who publicly push laws to keep gay people in the shadows while privately flooding Grindr at major conservative events. He describes reports of Grindr outages and spikes in blank “discreet” profiles during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, and says a similar outage pattern appeared around a Charlie Kirk memorial service in Arizona, as DownDetector activity rose in Glendale and Phoenix. He argues the cycle keeps repeating at big conservative gatherings, points to claims of local sex-work demand surging, and urges accountability for the gap between public platforms and private behavior, ending with a reminder to be real, be kind, and stop crashing the app. #SurvivingIshPolitics #RNC #Grindr #GOP #Hypocrisy #LGBTQ #GayRights #CharlieKirk #Conservative #Politics #Milwaukee #Arizona #Phoenix #Glendale #FamilyValues

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In this episode of Surviving ish (political edition), the host stresses that party loyalty doesn’t matter when it comes to sexual assault allegations, saying the platform believes and stands with victims regardless of whether the accused is Republican or Democrat. They review a rapid timeline of accusations against Eric Swalwell: a San Francisco Chronicle report on April 10, 2026 alleging two assaults by a former district staffer (including one when she was 21 and too intoxicated to consent) and another in April 2024 in New York; CNN reporting three additional women describing a pattern of mentorship shifting into explicit messages and unwanted touching; Swalwell dropping out of the California governor’s race and then resigning from Congress; and a press conference detailing an alleged 2018 violent assault now under investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The host also cites DHS scrutiny over a nanny’s work authorization and a Manhattan DA criminal probe into the April 2024 allegation. #EricSwalwellScandal #TruthMatters #MAGA #democrat #republican #believewomen

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In the first solo politics episode of Surviving Ish, host David Keck shares how he once felt detached from elections but says Donald Trump and the MAGA movement changed that, which he frames as a moral crisis rather than normal politics. He compares MAGA to the biblical golden calf story, describing it as cult-like worship that has led to rights being threatened and changed. David explains his goal to translate political headlines and jargon into plain language, sometimes with experts, and invites listeners to email questions for future topics, including a planned deep dive into the Epstein files. He criticizes how “DEI” is used by MAGA, argues ICE agents are the real “DEI hires,” and condemns family separation and abuses in detention centers, stating he has no grace for those who only care once policies affect them while remaining open to respectful disagreement. #SurvivingIshPolitics #TruthUnveiled #MAGA #republican #democrat #politics

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Welcome to Surviving-ish! In this episode, we dive deep into the intersection of legal advocacy and mental health with the incredible Paula Yost

Paula isn't just a high-level trademark attorney; she is also a licensed clinical mental health clinician, a foster/adoptive parent, and a powerful advocate for trauma-informed practices within the legal system.

We start things off with our "surviving" moments—ranging from Paula’s experience navigating a rare North Carolina snowstorm with three boys to the technical frustrations of IRS verification. From there, we trace Paula’s journey as a first-generation college student who used hyper-achievement to forge a new path, eventually earning two degrees at Virginia Tech and pivoting to law school in the wake of 9/11.

In this episode, we discuss:

•The Court as Triage: Why Polly returned for a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health to better understand how the legal system functions as a frontline for mental health crises.

•Trauma-Informed Lawyering: How Paula teaches lawyers to recognize signs of mental illness and respond with empathy rather than just procedure.

•The Cost of Caring: A candid look at secondary trauma and the emotional toll on advocates.

•Advocacy in Action: Paula’s work as a CASA/guardian ad litem and her personal journey of adopting a foster youth as an adult.

•Resilience in Parenting: Navigating the medical challenges of her children, including cleft lip/palate and the realities of acute preeclampsia and premature birth.

Paula Yost also shares a sneak peek into her upcoming book, Tumbleweed, which explores the themes of advocacy, healing, and the vital importance of supporting families through their hardest seasons. #SurvivingIsh #MentalHealth #TraumaInformed #LegalAdvocacy #FosterCare #Adoption #Resilience #Podcast

https://www.amazon.com/Tumbleweeds-Advocate-Children-Yourself-Failing/dp/B0GQ9M2FK6

https://paulayost.com/

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How does a person vanish from a massive cruise ship in the middle of the ocean without a single witness?

In this special crossover episode, we’re heading over to the Speculating Wildly About Crime (SWAC) studio. Join Jamie, Kristy, and David to dive deep into one of the most unsettling maritime mysteries in history: The disappearance of Merrian Carver.

In 2004, Merrian booked a last-minute Alaskan cruise, told absolutely no one, and boarded the ship in Seattle. By night two, after a strange interaction with her cabin steward and a massive untouched tip, she was gone. No CCTV, no splashes reported, and a cruise line that allegedly told staff to "just keep working." #truecrimestories  #missingatsea  #MerrianCarver #UnsolvedMysteries #CruiseShipCrime #survivingish  #SWACPod #coldcase  #alaskancruise  #PodcastCrossover #documentary

https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@SWACPOD⁩  

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On Surviving Ish, host David talks with Julie Cruse, creator of AcademicAbuse.com and author of the memoir The Burn List, about how a hostile university workplace exit in 2023 and a long COVID recovery led her to write 180,000 words and uncover a through line of abuse from home to higher education. Julie explains building AcademicAbuse.com as a searchable dashboard aggregating global media reports of harassment, discrimination, Title IX issues, bullying, and more, noting thousands of stories and hundreds of implicated universities. She shares experiences of academic retaliation, intellectual property theft, coercion, stalking, and multiple sexual assaults by professors, and discusses how complaints can be buried and weaponized. They explore bystander abandonment, vulnerability after trauma, DEI being misused in practice, and Julie’s call for anonymous, double-blind Title IX reporting. 

https://www.academicabuse.com/

https://a.co/d/0gnAPgWV

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Chris Carazas shares how growing up across South America, Africa, and Europe as a “third culture kid” left him socially awkward until an autism diagnosis at 35 finally gave clarity—and then became a doorway to escalating psychological abuse from his mother-in-law and then-wife, including daily suicide encouragement that led to two attempts. After getting treatment with the support of insurance and an understanding boss, he rebuilt, was promoted, and met a partner who accelerated his healing; he began writing a confessional to her that became his book, “Now That I’m Still Here,” but she died while he was writing and he was also laid off after USAID changes. They discuss trauma triggers, “no deadline” for healing, reclaiming life in small moments, stigma around therapy and hospitalization, men’s mental health, and how Chris stays alive through therapy, attempt-survivor groups, and caring for his dog, while planning book proceeds to support suicide prevention, autism support, and eating-disorder access. #author #autism 

https://chriscarazas.com

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In this episode of the Surviving Ish Podcast, David is joined by Alisha Marie, who shares her compelling journey from being in a high-control religious cult to finding her own path. The conversation delves into the complexities of faith, the psychological effects of religious teachings, and the struggle to balance friendship and personal growth. Alicia opens up about her experiences with manipulative church leaders, the concept of the rapture, and the importance of intention and belief. Tune in for an eye-opening discussion that blends humor, insight, and raw honesty. #CultSurvivor #ReligiousFreedom #FaithJourney #SurvivingIshPodcast #SpillingTheKoolAid #IntentionAndBelief #MentalHealth

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/un-holier-podcast/id1800066919?i=1000719588995

https://youtu.be/32YHqDoXLdU

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