On This Episode:

We're all familiar with what the ocean is to us: from the slow, rhythmic pulse of the current to the the vast blue and the descent to darkness pressing in from every side. Now picture a small vessel descending through that darkness, carrying five people toward the most famous shipwreck in history. There’s excitement, anticipation, and a sense of adventure. But there’s also something else: the faint, persistent hum of warnings, of voices that tried to speak up before the journey even began. In June 2023, there were five people who disappeared into the abyss, joining below those among the dead. And in the days that followed, the story became about more than just a tragic accident. It was a grim reminder of why we have rules, why we have regulations, and why so many of them are written in blood. This horrific disaster wasn’t just about what happened in those final moments, but also about what happened in the years and months prior. There were engineers and experts who raised concerns about the design of the craft, about the materials that were used, about the risks of pushing boundaries without enough caution. Their warnings were dismissed and their concerns brushed aside in the name of innovation and ambition. It is a painful pattern we see again and again, across industries and throughout history: the people who try to keep us safe are often ignored until it’s too late.

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Resources

Resources can be found on: https://tylersgrimreminders.substack.com/

Other Notes

Now streaming on Spotify :)

On This Episode:

Have you ever opened your eyes in the morning and realized there’s no frantic scramble to warm up your car or catch the bus, there's no need to iron that shirt or rehearse for some polite small talk before you’ve even had your coffee? Instead, there’s a quiet moment where the day stretches ahead, and for once, it actually feels like it’s yours. You wander into the kitchen, make your own breakfast at your own pace, and maybe even let yourself linger by the window for a few extra minutes, just watching the world wake up with the twinkle of dawn. There's still work to be done, of course. The calendar is still filed with meetings, the emails keep rolling in, and there’s always that one person who seems to think “urgent” means right now, no matter what else you’re doing. But somehow, the edges of the scenery and vibe feel softer. The pressure to perform for an audience of coworkers has faded and replaced by the subtle comfort of your own space. You can take a real lunch break, not just a hurried sandwich at your desk. You can step outside for a breath of fresh air without feeling like you’re sneaking away. It's a different kind of rhythm that is absent of showmanship. Sometimes you find yourself lost in a project, surprised at how much you can accomplish when no one’s hovering nearby. Other times, you realize you have the freedom to pause, to think, to let your mind wander without guilt. And somewhere in the middle of it all, you start to wonder if this is what work was meant to be, something that fits into your life, not something that takes it over. Maybe, just maybe, there’s more to work than just surviving until Friday. Maybe there’s a way to actually enjoy the days in between.

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Proudly Hosted by RedCircle: https://www.redcircle.com/tylersgrimreminders

Substack: https://tylersgrimreminders.substack.com/

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform. Please also leave us a review and let us know what you think. Your feedback helps us create better content for you.

Thanks for listening :)

Resources

Resources can be found on: https://tylersgrimreminders.substack.com/

Other Notes

In hindsight, this episode's grim reminders weren't all that grim except for a few, the rest were just ordinary takeaways, but oh well...y'all can still enjoy the show :)

On This Episode:

You ever walk into your job and just think, “Oh man, is this really it?” From the moment you plop down at your desk, you can already feel how the day’s is going to play out. It's those endless meetings that could have totally just been an email, and those long email chains that somehow turn into giant projects. Then there's that one coworker who seems to think they're the center of the universe and that everyone should revolve around their schedule. And by the time the clock strikes 5 in the late afternoon, you’re so mentally drained that you can’t even remember if you ate lunch or got anything done that actually mattered. But it’s not just about the actual work. It’s that sinking feeling when you realize, “Yup, this is it.” You’re gonna be ticking off the tasks one by one, answering emails like a robot, but deep down, you start to feel like none of this is leading anywhere at all. You might find yourself asking, “Is this really what my time is for? Just going through the motions?” While you look at that one other person in the office who seems to have it all sorted out and you’re stuck trying to force enthusiasm for “team-building” and whatever buzzword is popular this week. But we keep on pushing through, right? Because that’s what we’re supposed to do. You gotta wake up and drag yourself to your desk, you gotta clock in the hours so that you can collect your paycheck, and then do it all over again. But then after a while, you start to wonder if living for the weekend is all there is to it. I mean, does anyone ever really love their job, or are we all just here because that’s what society expects of us?

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Proudly Hosted by RedCircle: https://www.redcircle.com/tylersgrimreminders

Substack: https://tylersgrimreminders.substack.com/

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform. Please also leave us a review and let us know what you think. Your feedback helps us create better content for you.

Thanks for listening :)

Resources

Resources can be found on: https://tylersgrimreminders.substack.com/

On This Episode:

Sometimes, the most damaging things aren’t the loud clashes or visible conflicts, but the quiet shifts that happen beneath the surface, so subtle they almost escape notice. It’s in the moments that go unremarked, the choices that seem small but repeat often enough to create a pattern. The doors that open a little wider for some, while others wait longer in the hallway, their footsteps fading before they reach the room. Favoritism rarely shouts its presence in an obvious way. Instead, it communicates quietly, slipping into the background of everyday interactions. It’s found in the easy smiles exchanged across a conference table between certain individuals, the familiar names that are called on repeatedly in meetings, and the unspoken allowances made for some people while others are consistently held to different, often stricter, standards. This kind of bias is not always intentional, and it’s not always obvious to those involved. Sometimes, it’s rooted in a sense of comfort, in shared history, or simply in the human tendency to gravitate toward what feels familiar and known. However, the consequences of favoritism ripple far beyond the immediate question of who gets what opportunity or recognition. When one person’s mistakes are quietly overlooked while another’s are magnified and scrutinized, or when access to resources and information feels reserved for only a select few, the collective sense of fairness within the group begins to erode. And this erosion is slow and insidious, it's gradual and it seeps into the foundation of trust and dampens overall motivation. The people who are most talented may become increasingly cautious, holding back their best efforts, while those who were once highly engaged may grow guarded and withdrawn. Over time, the entire culture of the group or organization can start to bend toward silence, hesitation, and eventual resignation. This isn’t about envy or entitlement. At its core, it’s about the fundamental belief that effort, dedication, and merit should matter and be recognized. But when that belief holds no currency of merit, people may stop investing their full selves not because they have lost interest, but because they have quietly learned that merit and access do not always go hand in hand. The rot of favoritism is often invisible to many, especially those who benefit from it or are not directly affected. Yet, it leaves behind traces that are impossible to ignore: fractures in teamwork, subtle shadows in conversations, and a quiet but persistent question that lingers in the minds of many: who are the ones that truly belong and who are the ones that are unspokenly outcasted?

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Proudly Hosted by RedCircle: https://www.redcircle.com/tylersgrimreminders

Substack: https://tylersgrimreminders.substack.com/

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform. Please also leave us a review and let us know what you think. Your feedback helps us create better content for you.

Thanks for listening :)

Resources

Resources can be found on: https://tylersgrimreminders.substack.com/

On This Episode:

It's still here, dragging its way through our calendars and to-do lists, showing up every day without a second thought, and sitting through meetings with a blank stare. That’s work ethic, or what’s left of it. You can feel it in the quiet moments between emails. In the heaviness that lingers after a long day of “being productive.” It’s that moment when you open your laptop and feel your stomach drop, not from stress, but from something deeper. It’s like arriving at a party after everyone has gone home, but the music keeps playing. We grew up thinking that hard work would get us somewhere. That if we put in the effort, stayed focused, and proved ourselves, success would follow. Work was supposed to be the driving force behind our identity. But that drive has been running low for a while, and no one wants to say it out loud. And still, we go through the motions. The meetings, the performance reviews, the self-assessments. But instead of building something, they just make noise. We’re not chasing dreams anymore; we’re trying to remember what we once cared about. This isn’t just laziness or apathy. It's a quiet realization: the old rules of work are fading away. Yet, like a lingering ghost, it still demands our attention. It’s there in our heads, telling us that we should be doing more. In this episode, we’re holding up a mirror to the odd space we find ourselves in. A place where we keep pushing forward and performing, but can’t shake off the feeling that something important has slipped away. A decline...a denial...a glimpse of what used to be bright and full of energy, now just shadows on the wall. Whatever this is, it isn’t living. And neither is how we work.

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Proudly Hosted by RedCircle: https://www.redcircle.com/tylersgrimreminders

Substack: https://tylersgrimreminders.substack.com/

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform. Please also leave us a review and let us know what you think. Your feedback helps us create better content for you.

Thanks for listening :)

Resources

Resources can be found on: https://tylersgrimreminders.substack.com/

On This Episode:

On March 25, 1911, a terrible fire broke out at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City, which turned out to be one of the worst industrial disasters in the history of the United States. It all started, most likely, from a discarded cigarette, and it quickly spread through the upper floors of the Asch Building. At the time, hundreds of young women, many of them immigrants, were working there. Unfortunately, they found themselves trapped with no easy way out. The situation was made worse because the doors were locked, and the fire escape gave way, forcing many people to jump from the building to survive. In total, 146 workers lost their lives that day. This tragic event really opened people's eyes to just how bad working conditions were back then. It wasn't just about the fire itself; it exposed serious flaws in safety measures at the factories. The fact that doors were locked to keep workers from taking breaks or sneaking out for cigarettes shows the harsh realities they faced. This fire marked a turning point for labor rights in the U.S. People started to realize just how much was needed to protect workers from being treated poorly and put in danger while on the job. In the wake of this disaster, voices began to call for better safety regulations and rights for workers. It was a pivotal moment that sparked conversations about labor laws that still resonate today. The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire will always be remembered not only for the lives lost but also for igniting a movement toward improved safety and labor rights.

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Proudly Hosted by RedCircle: https://www.redcircle.com/tylersgrimreminders

Substack: https://tylersgrimreminders.substack.com/

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform. Please also leave us a review and let us know what you think. Your feedback helps us create better content for you.

Thanks for listening :)

Resources

Resources can be found on: https://tylersgrimreminders.substack.com/

On This Episode:

We talk about that wild episode of "Family Guy", the one called "The Old Man and the Big C." In it, Brian and Stewie go up against Carter Pewterschmidt, who actually has a real cure for cancer but keeps it hidden just to keep making money. It’s a pretty dark idea, but it makes you stop and think: do some companies really see cured patients as lost customers? The show takes this over-the-top story and kind of dares us to imagine what it would be like if big businesses cared more about profits than people’s lives. And honestly, it’s not just about healthcare, stuff like this could happen with new energy or communication tech, too, if it threatens the old ways of making money. Watching this episode really makes you wonder: how often do money and business interests get in the way of real progress? How many cool inventions or cures are being kept from us just because they might hurt someone’s bottom line? It’s a funny show, but it definitely gets you thinking about some pretty serious questions about ethics, business, and what’s really best for people.

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Proudly Hosted by RedCircle: https://www.redcircle.com/tylersgrimreminders

Substack: https://tylersgrimreminders.substack.com/

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform. Please also leave us a review and let us know what you think. Your feedback helps us create better content for you.

Thanks for listening :)

Resources

Resources can be found on: https://tylersgrimreminders.substack.com/

Other Notes

05/24/25 - 11:30 AM (PDT) - Whoops! I was suppose to publish this episode at 7:00 AM not PM.

On This Episode:

When you think about Human Resources, you might imagine a friendly team making sure everyone gets along at work. But the truth is that it ain't smooth and steady as we like to believe. Given their reputation as a sanctuary for workers, there's still plenty of workers all around that really do feel like they're on their own. There are many employers that still take advantage of their staff in ways that seem unfair, like paying them too little, making them work long hours, or forcing them to work in unsafe places. And sometimes, it’s not obvious how bad things can get like when paychecks are delayed or workers are denied their benefits. Other times, the situation is much worse, involving threats or lies, and in some cases, even physical danger. But unfortunately, human resources that claim their purpose is to protect the workers aren’t doing exactly that or that may actually land the workers who put their faith in them in a much worse situation. It's a "circling the drain" predicament that leaves people open to mistreatment and abuse. And it paints the reality that many workplaces still have issues where profits come first and the people who signal for help and justice just get left in the dirt instead.

Connect with Us

Proudly Hosted by RedCircle: https://www.redcircle.com/tylersgrimreminders

Substack: https://tylersgrimreminders.substack.com/

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform. Please also leave us a review and let us know what you think. Your feedback helps us create better content for you.

Thanks for listening :)

Resources

Resources can be found on: https://tylersgrimreminders.substack.com/

On This Episode:

After the Great Resignation, we’ve started to see something new and persisting to this day: quiet quitting. Unlike the dramatic exits or loud protests we might expect, this is more about a silent withdrawal from work. Many workers are feeling really drained and disillusioned, so instead of putting in extra effort, they’re just doing the minimum required to get by. They’re showing up and doing their job, but their hearts aren't really into it. This trend ties closely to the latter. Lots of those who are quietly quitting are also on the lookout for new job opportunities. It’s all about feeling burned out and undervalued, which many people can relate to. They want to find work that feels a bit more meaningful rather than just a paycheck. This time though, quiet quitting is like a soft strike against the traditional work methods. It shows that there’s a real struggle happening between workers wanting respect and fair pay and employers who might not be meeting those needs.

Connect with Us

Proudly Hosted by RedCircle: https://www.redcircle.com/tylersgrimreminders

Substack: https://tylersgrimreminders.substack.com/

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform. Please also leave us a review and let us know what you think. Your feedback helps us create better content for you.

Thanks for listening :)

Resources

Resources can be found on:https://tylersgrimreminders.substack.com/p/episode-3-quiet-quitting-the-great

Other Notes

05/17/25 - 4:00 PM (PDT) - I wanted to migrate the "Resources" of this episode to my Substack so that the Redcircle Show Notes doesn't look so cluttered and flooded.

On This Episode:

We dig into the thought-provoking question: Should people be ruled by AI? We look at how artificial intelligence is woven into our everyday lives, from helping with mental health and keeping us organized to influencing big business choices and shaping our purpose. Using real-life examples, we talk about both the benefits and downsides of AI having more power...like how it can make life easier but also the dangers of becoming too dependent on it and losing our human connections. To mix things up, we relate these ideas to Hideo Kojima’s Metal Gear Solid 2. In the game, AI is shown as both a manipulator of information and a possible guide for humanity, sparking important questions about free will, truth, and control. By looking at the links between the game and our reality, we explore if AI can ever really be a good thing, or if giving up control might mean losing what makes us human. Is AI just the next step in our evolution, or does it pose a danger to our freedom? Who should really steer the ship for our future?

Disclaimer: My voice acting is pale in comparison to the original voice actor of the dialogue that's in this episode (you'll understand when you get to that part). He was awesome. But sorry y'all, my voice acting is horrible.

Connect with Us

Proudly Hosted by RedCircle: https://www.redcircle.com/tylersgrimreminders

Substack: https://tylersgrimreminders.substack.com/

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform. Please also leave us a review and let us know what you think. Your feedback helps us create better content for you.

Thanks for listening :)

Resources

Resources can be found on: https://tylersgrimreminders.substack.com/p/episode-2-do-we-deserve-to-be-ruled

Other Notes

• 05/17/25 - 4:00 PM (PDT) - I wanted to migrate the "Resources" of this episode to my Substack so that the Redcircle Show Notes doesn't look so cluttered and flooded.