The Four Bests Podcast

Welcome to Episode 12 (Part 1) of The Four Bests podcast! Mac takes the host's chair this week as Isaac shares a heartfelt "best" reflecting on his 12-year daily routine of taking a 5:00 AM morning walk with his wife, Rachel. The guys discuss the physical and mental health benefits of getting those morning miles in, the importance of intentional time in a marriage, and how to avoid jet lag through extreme dedication to an Eastern Standard Time walking schedule.

Key Takeaways

The 5 AM Walk: Isaac reflects on the special morning routine he shares with his wife, Rachel, which involves waking up at 5:00 AM every day to walk their 16-year-old dog for an hour while drinking coffee.

Starting in Rhode Island: The tradition began back in 2014 when the couple lived in Rhode Island, serving as a way to intentionally connect before Isaac's demanding work schedule kept them apart for the rest of the day.

Beating Jet Lag: Isaac is so dedicated to this routine that when he travels for work to the West Coast, he stays on Eastern time and goes for his walks at 2:00 AM, much to the confusion of locals.

Unplugged Connection: The three-mile morning stroll provides a private, quiet space for Isaac and Rachel to vent about work, discuss what is going on with their kids (Lydia and Isaiah), and stay perfectly in sync.

The Science of Walking: Nate drops some knowledge on the mental and physical health benefits of early morning walks, noting that regular exercise works as well as an antidepressant and releases BDNF to promote brain health and neuroplasticity.

📅 Release Schedule & Contact

New Episodes: The podcast drops weekly on Wednesdays (the fourth day of the week) at exactly 4:44 PM Eastern Standard Time.

Get in Touch: Reach out to the guys at [email protected].

Welcome to a very special bonus segment of The Four Bests podcast! Because September 2026 gifted the calendar with a rare fifth Wednesday, Nate, Isaac, Serge, and Mac are taking a break from their standard monthly recaps to host a special roundtable on the best media they consumed this past summer. The guys cover everything from addictive audiobooks and standalone sci-fi films to physical CDs and a return to grounded superhero storytelling.

Key Takeaways

Nate’s Best: Nate kicks off the special episode by recommending the Dungeon Crawler Carl audiobook series by Matt Dinneman, which he discovered through his cousin Sarah Rogers. Narrated masterfully by Jeff Hayes, the series drops survivors of an alien invasion into a comedic, violent, and irreverent video game-style universe complete with loot boxes and leveling up.

Isaac’s Best: Breaking out of his 90s television rut, Isaac shares his experience taking Lydia and Isaiah to the theater to see the newest Tom Holland Spider-Man movie. He praises the film for ditching the exhausting galactic-level stakes to tell a grounded, character-driven New York story that recaptured the nostalgia of seeing the original Tobey Maguire films at the Waterfront in Pittsburgh.

Mac’s Best: Mac shares that he bought a physical CD of Josh Groban's new May release, Cinematic. He breaks down the tracklist of classic movie themes, noting that Groban's own father plays jazz trumpet on the Moon River cover, and shares that the album successfully transitioned his daughter Ella into an Adele fan.

Serge’s Best: Serge highlights the film adaptation of Project Hail Mary as his top summer media. He appreciates that it is a satisfying standalone sci-fi story, praises the unique "bro-ship" between Ryan Gosling's character and an alien rock named Rocky, and expertly dodges Nate's highly questionable jokes about the movie's power dynamics.

📅 Release Schedule & Contact

New Episodes: The podcast drops weekly on Wednesdays (the fourth day of the week) at 4:44 PM Eastern Standard Time.

Get in Touch: Share your summer media favorites by emailing [email protected], or follow the show on Facebook, Instagram, and X at @Forebest Pod.

Welcome to Part 4 of Episode 11 of The Four Bests podcast! This week, Isaac, Mac, and Nate pass the mic to Serge to share his "best" from July 2026. Serge discusses a spontaneous family day trip to Lake Erie, celebrating family milestones, and the unique ways he connects with his kids through nature and co-op gaming. The guys also dive into a passionate endorsement of the Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle deck-building game.

Key Takeaways

A Spontaneous Erie Trip: Serge’s mother-in-law suggested a day trip to Erie, which ended up falling on her and her husband's 44th wedding anniversary, as well as Serge's nephew Hunter’s birthday.

Water Tic-Tac-Toe: While enjoying the beach, the family collected incredibly smooth rocks and sea glass. Serge's daughter, Tesla, surprised him in the water by using two smooth rocks to scratch out a Tic-Tac-Toe board so they could play right in the lake.

A Five-Year Gaming Milestone: Serge shares that he and Tesla finally completed the main mission of the cooperative farming simulator Stardew Valley after five years of playing together. They successfully rebuilt the in-game community center, defeated the corporate JojaMart, and unlocked the challenging Ginger Island.

Co-op Gaming Chaos: The group discusses the highs and lows of cooperative gaming with kids. Serge talks about trying to keep track of Felix in a new game called Big Walk, where Felix frequently falls off cliffs and has to use flares to be found in the dark.

The Hogwarts Battle Endorsement: Mac shares his success teaching his younger kids the Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle deck-building game. Isaac chimes in to say that he and Lydia were completely unbeatable at the game until Isaiah joined their team, caused a loss, and was subsequently banned by Lydia from playing with them again.

📅 Release Schedule & Contact

New Episodes: Episodes drop weekly on Wednesdays (the fourth day of the week) at exactly 4:44 PM EST.

Get in Touch: Share your own "best" or game recommendations by emailing [email protected], or follow the show on Facebook, Instagram, and X at @Forebest Pod.

Welcome to Part 3 of Episode 11 of The Four Bests podcast! This week, Nate takes over hosting duties as Mac shares his best of July 2026: a family trip to Erie, Pennsylvania, to celebrate the 4th of July and America's 250th anniversary. The guys discuss the magic of seeing fireworks through a child's eyes, share some hilarious and highly questionable past firework memories, and reminisce about a rather unconventional 30th birthday kidnapping.

Key Takeaways

A Semi-Quincentennial Celebration: Mac shares that his best of the month was taking his family up to the Erie bayfront to celebrate America's 250th anniversary. Because his kids usually go to bed early, this was their very first time seeing fireworks, and they were absolutely transfixed.

Avoiding the Storm: The Kravitz family originally found a perfect viewing spot on the grass by the lake, but an incoming thunderstorm forced them to retreat to the hotel. They ended up watching the July 3rd fireworks display from the hotel's infinity pool deck instead.

Kidnapping Serge: Discussing Lake Erie prompts Isaac to bring up Sergey's 30th birthday, where the guys threw Sergey into a burlap sack, put him in a vehicle, and drove him to a water park in Erie.

The Michigan Mortar: Isaac and Serge recall a Fourth of July in Michigan where a neighbor gave them a leftover firework to light in the street. Expecting a small fountain, they were shocked when it shot 40 feet into the air and exploded like a professional-grade mortar in the middle of the suburbs.

Living Through The Kids: Nate reflects on how the magic of certain events, like fireworks, fades as an adult. He notes that getting to witness these moments freshly through the eyes of nieces, nephews, and children brings the joy right back.

📅 Release Schedule & Contact

New Episodes: The podcast drops weekly on Wednesdays (the fourth day of the week) at 4:44 PM Eastern Standard Time.

Get in Touch: Reach out to the guys at [email protected] or find them on X.

Welcome to Part 2 of Episode 11 of The Four Bests podcast! This week, Isaac takes the mic to share his "best" from July 2026: a multi-state college tour that turned into an unforgettable family vacation. With his daughter Lydia going into her junior year and narrowing down her collegiate volleyball prospects, the family hit the road to visit campuses across Alabama, Ohio, Virginia, and Florida. The guys discuss the bittersweet reality of kids growing up, how to trick your spouse into spotting for disc golf, and the biological anatomy of the Akron kangaroo mascot.

Key Takeaways

The College Tour Vacation: Isaac, Rachel, and their son Isaiah spent a week and a half traveling to college volleyball camps with Lydia. Isaiah was able to take a week off work to join the family in Ohio before flying to Pennsylvania to visit his grandparents, Bonnie and Charles, on their farm.

Cedarville Disc Golf: While Lydia stayed in the college dorms for her volleyball camp, Isaac and Isaiah played the top two UDisc-rated disc golf courses in Ohio. Rachel acted as the designated disc spotter in the deep woods to keep them from losing their gear.

Lydia’s Big Decision: After receiving offers from the University of Akron and American University, Lydia verbally committed to play Division I volleyball for the Akron Zips. As a junior, she plans to formally sign her letter of intent next November.

The Akron Zips Mascot: Isaac shares a fun fact that Akron’s mascot is a female kangaroo, making it one of only two female mascots in Division I sports. This immediately devolves into a debate led by Serge about whether kangaroos have literal metal zippers on their pouches to keep their money from falling out.

Parenting Advice with Dr. Scott: Isaac jokingly advises Nate that the secret to getting your spouse to join you on the disc golf course is walking away from the vehicle with the rental car keys in your pocket when it is 95 degrees with 100% humidity so they are forced to follow you into the shade of the woods.

📅 Release Schedule & Contact

New Episodes: The podcast drops weekly on Wednesdays at 4:44 PM.

Get in Touch: Reach out at [email protected] to share your own "best" or to join the conversation.

Episode Summary Welcome back to The Four Bests Podcast! This week kicks off Episode 11 with Nate taking the lead to share his absolute best from July 2026: the "Achievement High." After feeling weighed down by a massive summer to-do list, Nate finally locked in and conquered everything from motorhome repairs to yard work. The guys break down the psychology of getting things done, the satisfaction of checking boxes, and why Nate's preferred method for dealing with backyard weeds involves a literal flamethrower.

Key Takeaways

The Achievement High: Nate shares that his best for the month was the intense feeling of accomplishment that comes from tackling a massive, lingering to-do list. He notes that he first heard the term "achievement high" from a patient earlier in the week.

The Master Task List: Nate's productive streak included power washing the driveway, fixing his motorhome with his friend Doug Herndon, setting up a 3D printer with his son, and clearing out a storage shed for Heidi to sell items.

The Flamethrower: Instead of pulling weeds or using chemical sprays, Nate reveals his extreme yard maintenance strategy: burning them to the ground with a propane torch flamethrower.

Gamifying the Grind: Isaac praises Nate’s unique ability to take mundane household chores and turn them into fun, gamified challenges.

Corporate vs. Home Accomplishments: Serge reflects on the difference between his nursing days and corporate life, noting that household tasks offer a highly satisfying, immediate sense of accomplishment because you directly see the benefit.

The Snowball Effect: Mac compares stringing together small daily accomplishments to rolling a snowball, prompting Serge to finally remember the name of the classic PlayStation 2 game Katamari Damacy.

📅 Release Schedule & Contact

New Episodes: Dropping every Wednesday (the 4th day of the week) at 4:44 PM EST!

Contact Us: Have a question, a comment, or want to sponsor Serge’s ice cream addiction? Drop us a line at [email protected].

Welcome to the final installment of Episode 10 of The Four Bests podcast! This week, Mac wraps things up by sharing his best, which is all about Father's Day. He kicks off the segment with a history lesson on how the holiday started in Spokane, Washington, in 1910 before diving into his own unique parenting traditions. The guys then share their own Father's Day experiences, leading to some hilarious and classic middle-school banter about neighborhood BBQs.

Key Takeaways

The History of Father's Day: Mac shares that Father's Day was started by Sonora Smart Dodd in 1910 to honor her single-parent father, and it became an official holiday in 1972 under Nixon.

1-on-1 Dad Dates: To avoid crowds, Mac celebrates by taking each of his kids on individual dates on Saturdays. He took his daughter Ella to the Pittsburgh Zoo to catch a rare glimpse of an owl, and he took his son Eli to the wave pool.

A Bonus Celebration: Mac also enjoyed a bonus Father's Day celebration that included grilling ribs, hiking at McConnell's Mill Park, and playing mini-golf.

Nate's Ultimate Sunday: Nate's Father's Day tradition involves his usual Sunday pickup ultimate game, which he now gets to play alongside his son, Cade.

Isaac & Mottocs: Isaac got to celebrate with his dad, Mottocs, who traveled down to visit. They spent the day playing disc golf together for the first time on Father's Day in over 20 years.

Serge's Neighborly BBQ: Serge celebrates by going to his neighbor John's house to eat his grilled meat, a tradition that sparks a barrage of endless jokes from the rest of the crew.

No so recommended Parenting Tips: The guys close out the episode by sharing highly sarcastic tips for manipulating their families into giving them the best Father's Day, such as Mac demanding presents for love.

📅 Release Schedule & Contact

New Episodes: The podcast is released weekly every Wednesday at 4:44 PM Eastern Standard Time.

Contact the Show: Listeners can reach out with thoughts or ideas by emailing [email protected] or by finding the show on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

Welcome back to another weekly segment of The Four Bests Podcast! This week, Isaac takes the mic to share an incredible update on his daughter Lydia's volleyball career. By combining his recent exploration of artificial intelligence with her college recruiting journey, Isaac reveals how they successfully navigated the complex world of NCAA sports. From recovering from an ankle injury to fielding Division I offers, this episode features a proud dad moment mixed with a masterclass in utilizing AI as a strategic thought partner.

Key Takeaways

Isaac utilized Google Gemini to create a custom "NCAA executive recruiter" AI persona to help guide Lydia's college outreach over the last six months.

After inputting Lydia's athletic stats and desired major (health science or exercise science), the AI generated a targeted list of nearly 100 matching colleges and drafted email templates.

Lydia successfully bounced back from an ankle injury and recently competed in a massive national tournament in Orlando attended by over 400 colleges.

Following the June 15th contact deadline for Division I coaches, Lydia attended several college camps, including trips down to Alabama and up to Ohio.

The Big News: The University of Akron (a Division I school) was highly impressed by Lydia and extended a full-ride, five-year scholarship offer!

Isaac highly recommends the book The AI Driven Leader by Jeff Woods for learning how to build effective AI personas and avoid AI hallucinations.

Nate brings his signature banter, joking that he still might be able to jump higher on the wall than Lydia to keep her humble—though Isaac points out Nate is actually just bitter about losing their massive Duolingo streak rivalry.

📅 Release Schedule & Contact

New Episodes: Released weekly on Wednesdays (the fourth day of the week) at 4:44 PM EST.

Contact Us: Reach out with questions or comments at [email protected], and find the show on X (Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.

Welcome back to The Four Bests Podcast for our next weekly Wednesday drop! This week, Nate takes the mic to celebrate a massive life milestone: his 20-year wedding anniversary with his wife, Heidi!

The guys take a heartfelt (and hilarious) walk down memory lane, reminiscing about the wedding where Mac and Isaac served as best men and Serge perfectly seated the guests. From anniversary gifts and the realities of healthy conflict to Nate’s ultimate secret for navigating mismatched expectations, this episode is a deep dive into the intentionality it takes to build a thriving, decades-long partnership.

Key Takeaways

The 20-Year Milestone: Nate celebrates two decades of marriage with Heidi, highlighting how they marked the occasion with a cruise earlier in the year, a special dinner, and exchanging meaningful gifts.

The Gifts: Nate gifted Heidi a diamond necklace and a ring, while Heidi surprised Nate with a Tissot Powermatic 80 watch that he plans to pass down as a family heirloom.

Curing Selfishness: Nate candidly reflects on how marriage made him a significantly better, less selfish person, joking that without Heidi, he'd be "drunk on the streets"—a highly ironic statement given his career in psychiatry and alcohol rehabilitation!

The Value of Healthy Friction: Isaac and Nate discuss why conflict in a relationship isn't a sign of failure, but rather a necessary catalyst for personal growth and understanding.

Navigating Conflict Styles: Nate shares a story about balancing Heidi's fierce protectiveness over their kids by purposefully remaining calm to help mirror the peaceful resolution they both ultimately wanted.

The Secret Sauce: Nate reveals his top advice for handling marital disagreements and mismatched expectations: always "assume positive intent" and remember that you and your spouse are allies.

📅 Release Schedule & Contact

New Episodes: Dropping every Wednesday (the 4th day of the week) at 4:44 PM EST!

Contact Us: Have a question or want to share your own relationship advice? Email the crew at [email protected]!

Welcome to Episode 10 (Part 1) of The Four Bests Podcast! We are kicking off our brand-new weekly release schedule with a trip to the coast! This week, Serge takes center stage to share his favorite summer tradition: a family vacation to the peaceful, postcard-worthy town of Chincoteague, Virginia.

From the real history behind Chincoteague's famous wild ponies to catching blue crabs with a stick and string, Serge breaks down the magic of slow-paced island living. Plus, the guys dive into a sinking town on stilts and settle the score on Serge's lifelong habit of eating microwaved, melty ice cream!

The Chincoteague Vibe: Serge describes the slow-paced, peaceful atmosphere of Chincoteague, VA—a small town with wild ponies, local ice cream, and no rush.

Ponies & Tax Evasion: The history behind Chincoteague's ponies, comparing the romanticized Misty of Chincoteague legend to the real 1600s tax evasion story of farmers hiding horses across Assateague Bay.

Firefighter Fundraisers: How a string of fires 80 years ago led local volunteer firefighters to take over the island's famous annual pony penning auctions to afford gear.

Old-School Crabbing: Serge shares his first time catching crabs using nothing more than a stick, string, and lead weight to make homemade crab cakes.

Tangier Island: A look back at a trip to nearby Tangier Island—a town built on stilts projected to sink in 25–30 years that was famously featured on The Daily Show.

The Ice Cream Debate: Serge’s wife sets the record straight on his "traditions" in the background, leading to a hilarious breakdown of Serge's childhood preference for eating ice cream completely melted.

New Episodes: Dropping every Wednesday (the 4th day of the week) at 4:44 PM EST!

Contact Us: Have a question or story to share? Email the crew at [email protected]!