From Setbacks to Self-Discovery: Talking with Warren Watkins

WEBVTT
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This is Sergio Says It Straight.
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Straight talk.
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Real people.
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No filter.
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Say it straight or don't say it at all.
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All right, all right.
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Welcome to another episode.
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Thank you for all the listeners for tuning in once again.
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I appreciate the support.
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My guest today is Warren Watkins.
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Warren Watkins is here today.
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He has a degree in Bachelor's, Bachelor's in Computer Engineering, and a Master's in Instructional Science and Technology.
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We're going to talk a little bit about the healing of nature, meditation, and self-empowerment.
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It's going to be a good one today.
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So I'm looking forward to this one.
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Warren, thank you for your time.
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Thank you for coming in today.
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Yeah.
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Thanks for having me.
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How's traffic?
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It was brutal, you know.
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But we made it.
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Coming from uh the Los Angeles area.
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Coming from the Los Angeles area, the San Fernando Valley.
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The San Fernando Valley to be exact.
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So thank you once again.
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And for those of you that don't know out there, Warren Watkins, he is married to my cousin Rami.
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If you're listening to me, Primos.
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We uh we we're gonna have you in here and we're gonna do a little session with you as well, a little episode.
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So uh thank you for joining us, Warren.
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I appreciate it.
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Yeah, thank you.
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Uh so today, uh first and foremost, let's talk a little bit about you.
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Can you if you can tell the audience a little bit about where you come from, uh you know what what your story is right now, what what are you doing these days?
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I know that you originally came from Illinois.
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Uh I'm not sure if it's Chicago or somewhere near Chicago.
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Chicago, yeah.
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All right.
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So go ahead.
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If it the floor's yours, man.
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Tell us a little about yourself.
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Well, I was born in Chicago.
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Born in Chicago.
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Uh spent about eight years there, you know.
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Then uh my father got a job out in in uh California.
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Yeah.
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Out and started working for Toyota out in uh Torrance, California.
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And so we moved out to Southern California, lived and grew up essentially grew up there.
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Right.
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Right.
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And then right, you know, went through high school and everything, and then I did the you know, the stereotypical thing of okay, right after high school, go off to college, you know, choose your degree and everything.
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And I had no idea what I was doing.
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I was good at computers, and so I chose computer engineering, like you mentioned, and then that's when I made my way to the central coast.
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The beautiful central coast.
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Yeah.
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And uh funny thing is, going to the central coast, I was so resistant.
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I didn't want to go up there.
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I uh it seemed so rural, had nothing, there was nothing out there.
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Like, why am I going up there?
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There's nothing out there, you know, and this and but uh you know, I I made my way and actually chose Cal Poly over UCSB.
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I had friends at UCSB.
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Go Mustangs, yeah, man.
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Chose Cal Poly and Um and You know, it's funny when I got up here, it's like within a few months of being at Cal Poly, that's when I met your cousin.
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My cousin and me.
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That's right.
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So uh yeah, and then you know the rest was history.
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Yeah, so if it wasn't for Cal Poly, then yeah, you wouldn't have met my cousin.
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Exactly, exactly.
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So thank you, Cal Poly.
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Yeah, thank you, Cal Poly, for bringing you in our lives.
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Warren's a good guy.
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Yeah, you're a good guy, man.
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So uh thank you.
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I want to take it back a little bit.
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Um, Chicago, man, how was it like?
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I know you you didn't grow up there essentially, but you you did you were there for a few years, right?
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I have I have some good childhood memories.
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Yeah, so I've been in Chicago, the Windy City.
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I mean, Chicago, I love the the food out there, uh the atmosphere.
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Um it's it's a good place to visit for those of you that haven't.
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Uh what do you remember most about Chicago or growing up in that area?
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Oh man, what I remember most was just the the change of seasons, yeah, and how it was like like it was I would get excited for winter because winter meant playtime.
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Yeah, it was it meant making snowmen, building snow forts, having snowball fights.
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Yep, yep.
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And you know, I mean, of course, there was also slipping on the ice and slamming your butt on the ice trying to walk on from then, yeah.
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But it was always fun.
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Yeah.
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And so I just remember looking, you know, looking up to that, and and there was just a um a lot of family.
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Yeah.
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You know, within a short drive away, there was all kinds of family all over the south side.
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So South Side, so from what I understand, the South Side is a little bit, it's a little rough, right?
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It's a little rough in some areas.
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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Some areas, you know, it's yeah.
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I mean, there is the the areas that have been talked about as rough and everything.
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And but the south side also is like it's a very uh very divided, segregated enclave of Chicago where you got, I mean, you're crossing, you know, you cross a stop sign and then it's just like it's all Italians.
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Right.
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Then you cross another stop sign and it's just Polish folks, and then another stop sign, it's all the black folks.
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Yeah.
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You know, but um And it's usually big cities that are like that, I think.
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I'm I'm assuming New York, you know, Los Angeles, but you got a little Chinatown, you got places where it's more Hispanics, right?
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Yeah, right, yeah.
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And you have in like New York, you have your neighborhoods and stuff, but like New York it's it's funny because it feels like everyone knows about everyone, you know, they're kind of on top of each other, and then in Chicago, it's like it's like that New York thing, but everyone's more spread out.
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Oh, okay.
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Yeah, so it's like this little extra divide because it's spread out, but but yeah, so it's it's yeah.
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And you had two two brothers, right?
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You got two brothers.
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Yep.
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So uh you are the middle one?
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Middle, middle child, right?
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So what was that like?
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You know, growing up with two brothers, obviously, in the household.
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I'm sure you guys got in trouble.
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Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah.
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It was it was like me and my younger brother, he's only like a year younger than me.
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So me and him were like twins.
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Right.
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We were basically treated like twins.
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We had to wear the same clothes all the time.
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And you know, it was like my parents of two.
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Did you hate that?
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When I got older, yeah.
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Oh yeah.
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Yeah.
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When I got older, hated, hated that.
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It was just like, why are we always wearing the same stuff?
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You know, but when we're younger, we're just, you know, we're just used to it, you know.
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And then and then it was kind of weird because our our brother, older brother, he was like nine or ten years older than us.
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So it was kind of like another parent in a sense, yeah, you know, because he's we're like, you know, five, six and seven, and he's sixteen.
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Yeah, he's doing his own thing.
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He's doing his own thing.
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And when he comes, it's like this like uncle that comes around and smacks you around the head, you know, it's like give me that.
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Yeah, like yeah, give me that.
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Shut up.
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What do you do?
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It's like, yeah, oh man, you know.
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So shout out to Wes if you're out there listening.
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Yeah, yeah.
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Yeah, so yeah, Wes and Yeah.
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I was gonna say, man, I'm sorry to interrupt, but like my cousin I always hear talking about you guys frequently visit Chicago or visit your family back home.
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Yeah, and I heard the the parties back there were epic.
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Like the family parties.
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Oh, yeah, family.
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I heard parties about like hanging out in the basement and you guys were just going wild and stuff like that.
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Is that true?
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Yes, and the and the family parties.
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Yeah.
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My parents were younger, it was they were always throwing parties and stuff.
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And where we lived in, it was the South Suburbs.
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And so they had a house with well, a lot of houses like that in Chicago, where you had, you know, you have the you have your basement, right?
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And so it was like the kids are in the basement, the parent, you know, everyone else, the party's upstairs.
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Yeah.
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You know, or if the party's down in the basement, you know, we'd be upstairs.
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So, you know, one floor or the other.
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But yeah, it'd be it'd be some epic parties.
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And I mean, it was like, and that was another thing about growing up back in Chicago.
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It was like the parents would just leave you alone.
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You know, I mean I'm sure you guys can relate.
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Oh, yeah, we can relate, yeah.
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Yeah, they would just leave you alone, and then you would leave them alone because if you got near them, they'd probably tell you to get something for them.
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Oh, yeah, do something.
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Bring me a beer, bring me a beer, yeah.
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Doing that, yeah.
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Yeah, yeah.
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Take the trash out or something.
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Yep.
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Something you didn't want to do, obviously.
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You're avoiding them, yeah.
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And it's it's funny.
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One time they were, I mean, they were having such a party upstairs, and it was loud.
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I mean, it was just going all night.
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We had so much time on our hands as a as kids down in the basement.
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We made a movie in the basement.
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Yeah, we grew up similar, man.
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I mean, yeah, we had all that time on our hands, it's like, okay, what are we gonna do?
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You know, just and we had older brother Wes, shout out to Wes.
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Yeah, yeah.
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He had all the cool equipment.
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The camcorder.
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Camcorder and everything.
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And yeah.
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Yeah, so we we made a movie.
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It was uh UP Park Vice.
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Oh, what's what was that about?
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UP Park Vice, man.
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This is UP Park Vice.
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Oh my god, and then this movie is it's in the it's in it's in the it's a lure in the family now.
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Lore.
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It's lore in the family because the tape has been, it's been okay, it was lost, but it was actually damaged.
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Oh, okay.
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We had a house fire, it was damaged.
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Yeah.
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So yeah, that movie is like hopefully we can get it restored because it's just a legend now, that movie.
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And I I can I I can attest because my mom threw away all our VHS uh cassettes that we and uh my cousin can attest because she was in a lot of our little movies, little clips, little whatever we used to do back then.
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Yeah, that was TikTok back then, but of course we we weren't sharing it like obviously like it didn't go viral, but when people would come over, we would have people watch our little videos, little clips or whatever.
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Right, man, right times.
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We would do productions, yeah.
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Yeah, yeah.
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We I mean we had the sound guy, we had the special effects guy.
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Boom, yeah.
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I mean, we had it all planned out, honestly.
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We did planned it out, right?
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All the cousins get together, yeah.
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Go crazy, man.
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Yeah, but yeah, UP Park Vice, if you can tell, like it was yeah, it was um Oh, it's actually, yeah, it's actually UP Vice.
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UP Vice.
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Yeah, it's and what does it stand for?
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It's UP is University Park.
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I've been mixing up the words that you got you.
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Yeah, it's UP Vice, and if you can tell, it was a play on Miami Vice.
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Oh, okay.
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Because we're similar in age.
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Yeah.
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So we grew up in the 80s, 90s, you know, in that era, and that was a show.
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That was Miami Vice was huge back then.
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Can't remember the year, uh, but everybody wanted to be like Miami Vice, man.
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Yeah, yeah.
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He wanted to wear the clothing, he wanted to be the cool dude.
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Right, right.
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Yep, yep.
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And uh, yeah, the clothing, driving the boats, yeah, man.
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The music.
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But it was hilarious because it was my younger brother, Ray.
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Yeah, he was uh he was the captain.
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I forgot his name.
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Okay.
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You remember like the boss?
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Yeah, I can't remember the name right now, but I know who you're talking about.
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And then me and my cousin, Benji, we were the we were Tubbs and Crockett.
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Yeah.
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And so it's just like hilarious.
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So my little brother is like the boss, and he's like at the computer.
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Yeah.
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And then he's like, Tubbs, crock it, come here.
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Bro, I want to see that.
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If you could, if you find it, man, I want to take a look at that.
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Oh man, yes, yes.
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I gotta, I gotta restore it, man.
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It's it's hilarious, man.
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Yeah.
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Lieutenant Martin Castillo was his name.
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Lieutenant Martin Castillo.
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Yeah, Edward James almost played the part.
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There we go, right.
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Yeah, right.
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And later on, of course, he was doing movies with Mexican mafia and stuff like that.
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But right, right, right.
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Just a fun fact there.
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But man, yeah, that's that's a fond memory.
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Yeah, and like I said, I've I know because I've conversations I've had with my cousin, with you.
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It sounded like like I said, like we grew up similarly, obviously, different part of the country, obviously, uh, you know, culture culture-wise, you know, a little different, but the same, the same kind of concept.
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Like kids, we kind of did our own thing.
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We were running wild.
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Right.
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My parents didn't really, you know, they they gave us a lot of leeway and a lot of like, go, as long as you don't kill yourself and injure yourself, like just get out of our way.
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Yeah.
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And go have fun, go do whatever, man.
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Do whatever.
00:12:43.679 --> 00:12:44.240
Yeah, yeah.
00:12:44.399 --> 00:12:47.919
We would have family reunions, yeah, and it was like the same thing.
00:12:48.000 --> 00:12:54.159
Like the kids, we just had our own little section, and then we would just grab our flashlights and run into the forest.
00:12:54.399 --> 00:12:55.200
And just go nuts.
00:12:55.279 --> 00:12:57.919
Just go, yeah, just in the forest, in the middle of the night.
00:12:58.159 --> 00:12:58.480
Yeah.
00:12:58.720 --> 00:12:58.960
Yeah.
00:12:59.039 --> 00:13:00.559
Uh all right, man.
00:13:00.720 --> 00:13:04.559
It's kind of going back to you going to California, going to Cal Poly.
00:13:05.600 --> 00:13:11.120
Uh, like that move obviously had to be kind of like, I don't know, culture shock, maybe.
00:13:11.200 --> 00:13:12.639
Like you kind of mentioned it earlier.
00:13:12.879 --> 00:13:13.039
Yeah.
00:13:13.279 --> 00:13:19.279
Did your perspective kind of change in any way from being coming from Illinois and not being in California?
00:13:19.519 --> 00:13:21.679
You know, California is a little different, obviously.
00:13:21.919 --> 00:13:26.399
There, there's a lot out here to, I don't know, uh to deal with, I would say.
00:13:26.559 --> 00:13:28.639
Like the ideas are different, maybe.
00:13:28.799 --> 00:13:29.120
Yeah.
00:13:29.279 --> 00:13:31.440
Uh did it change your perspective at all?
00:13:31.519 --> 00:13:32.879
Just being out here in California?
00:13:33.279 --> 00:13:35.600
Or were you just here like I'm just here to go to school and that's it?
00:13:35.679 --> 00:13:36.159
Like, I don't care.
00:13:36.799 --> 00:13:41.600
Yeah, it was the I would say the first year was a bit of cult like culture shock.
00:13:41.679 --> 00:13:42.000
Yeah.
00:13:42.320 --> 00:13:48.480
Getting used to like yeah, just the different mix, a different, a little bit different demographic.
00:13:48.799 --> 00:13:59.279
It was a lot, a lot more diverse back in the neighborhood in Chicago, and then it was like, you know, it's like 90% white at the the neighborhood that we moved into.
00:13:59.440 --> 00:13:59.759
Yeah.
00:13:59.919 --> 00:14:00.399
Yeah.
00:14:00.639 --> 00:14:02.960
Out there in um, it was in Orange County.
00:14:03.120 --> 00:14:03.360
Yeah.
00:14:03.600 --> 00:14:11.600
And so we it was getting used to that, but at the same time, seven years old, so eight years old.
00:14:11.759 --> 00:14:12.080
Yeah.
00:14:12.320 --> 00:14:14.960
It was e you know, it that's all it took, was a year.
00:14:15.200 --> 00:14:27.440
Then we go to school, then we got friends, then we're hanging out, yeah, you know, we're and then like by the next year, we're just, you know, all you know into integrated into it and it's just yeah, doing your thing.
00:14:27.679 --> 00:14:49.039
Just doing our thing, yeah, you know, and then but yeah, that's a good point though, because then I always had a sense of like like uh I just want to like kind of explore more because of my experience in Chicago, and then my experience in Cali and Orange County, and then it's like okay, I want to explore more.
00:14:49.200 --> 00:15:01.679
So I was you know, it's funny, I was resistant to going to Cal Poly, yeah, but it was like the best thing that happened for me to like just get away, get get out of the house, be on your own, be on my own.
00:15:02.639 --> 00:15:08.720
Um yeah, and then so then you know it was there was there was college, yeah.
00:15:08.960 --> 00:15:19.440
And of course, that was just you know, it was just I had the big you know moment where it was like, oh, I don't have to answer to anyone.
00:15:19.600 --> 00:15:21.279
Um I'm free, man.
00:15:21.440 --> 00:15:22.080
I'm free.
00:15:22.240 --> 00:15:23.120
It was like so.
00:15:23.200 --> 00:15:24.799
That really helped settle me down.
00:15:25.120 --> 00:15:29.120
All my complaints were really gone at that point because I'm just going to parties and stuff.
00:15:29.360 --> 00:15:30.480
Yeah, and that's what I was gonna say.
00:15:30.559 --> 00:15:42.159
Like when I went to college, it's like you there was all that freedom, and it's not it's not necessarily good if you're not mature enough, if you don't have the mind for it or whatever, the structure, the discipline, right?
00:15:42.399 --> 00:15:51.919
You just I I I didn't go to class hardly, you know, and I showed because I ended up having like a 1.5 or something, man, and then I joined the Marine Corps, you know what I'm saying?
00:15:52.159 --> 00:15:53.919
Uh, because I wasn't focused, man.
00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:55.519
I got into the partying and stuff like that.
00:15:55.600 --> 00:15:57.279
So for you, was that challenging?
00:15:57.360 --> 00:15:59.200
Like you said, you mentioned the partying and stuff like that.
00:15:59.279 --> 00:16:01.360
Did how did you balance it or what?
00:16:01.600 --> 00:16:05.519
You know, I I I thought I had a good balance, yeah.
00:16:05.759 --> 00:16:14.960
You know, but then I I think I really got hit over the head when you know when I, you know, was blessed with the presence of your cousin.
00:16:15.120 --> 00:16:15.600
All right.
00:16:15.919 --> 00:16:17.120
And uh here we go.
00:16:17.279 --> 00:16:18.399
Yeah, yeah.
00:16:18.639 --> 00:16:25.120
That was my that was my my uh that was my my like yeah, did it kind of ground you?
00:16:25.279 --> 00:16:28.399
That was my yeah, that was when I was like, I was grounded.
00:16:28.480 --> 00:16:29.600
Well, I was grounded.
00:16:29.679 --> 00:16:31.840
Then it was just a free fall at that point.
00:16:32.080 --> 00:16:34.799
Then it was like, all right, I I I can skip class.
00:16:34.960 --> 00:16:35.600
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:16:35.919 --> 00:16:40.000
Yeah, let me go down, let me go down and visit, visit, you know, Mimi.
00:16:40.399 --> 00:16:41.919
And and uh yeah.
00:16:42.320 --> 00:16:43.279
She's a wild one, man.
00:16:43.440 --> 00:16:45.360
Man, you know, hey she's a wild one.
00:16:45.519 --> 00:16:46.879
We had we had a lot of fun.
00:16:47.039 --> 00:16:51.440
Yeah, you know, and then you guys met at a party, right?
00:16:51.679 --> 00:16:52.879
Or yeah, right?
00:16:53.200 --> 00:16:54.080
Met at a party.
00:16:54.240 --> 00:16:56.320
We met at Vets Hall.
00:16:56.559 --> 00:16:57.919
At the Vets Hall.
00:16:58.480 --> 00:16:59.600
Yeah, yeah.
00:16:59.840 --> 00:17:01.039
That place has some memories too.
00:17:01.120 --> 00:17:01.440
The vet hall.
00:17:03.039 --> 00:17:06.799
It was uh, I believe it was a hieroglyphics concert.
00:17:06.960 --> 00:17:07.519
Oh wow.
00:17:07.839 --> 00:17:08.160
Okay.
00:17:08.240 --> 00:17:08.640
It's crazy.
00:17:08.960 --> 00:17:10.480
For those of you that know hip hop.
00:17:12.079 --> 00:17:13.440
The hieroglyphics, yeah.
00:17:13.680 --> 00:17:17.039
And so first it first uh you know, first impressions.
00:17:17.359 --> 00:17:18.000
What was that like?
00:17:18.160 --> 00:17:19.519
I mean, did you just bump into her?
00:17:19.680 --> 00:17:20.799
Did you notice her?
00:17:21.119 --> 00:17:22.559
Like, what was that like?
00:17:23.599 --> 00:17:25.680
All right, um, I'm gonna tell the story.
00:17:25.920 --> 00:17:26.720
All right, I want to hear it.
00:17:26.880 --> 00:17:27.359
I want to hear it.
00:17:27.519 --> 00:17:28.720
I want to hear your your side.
00:17:28.960 --> 00:17:30.400
Okay, yeah, you hear my side okay, yeah.
00:17:30.720 --> 00:17:31.839
I want to hear your side story.
00:17:31.920 --> 00:17:33.920
Yeah, it's this is this is it's a beautiful story.
00:17:34.240 --> 00:17:34.559
All right.
00:17:34.720 --> 00:17:36.480
The fun the beginning parts are funny.
00:17:36.640 --> 00:17:40.480
So that hieroglyphics party was where we met.
00:17:40.559 --> 00:17:40.960
Yeah.
00:17:41.200 --> 00:17:44.559
There was a party before that, the weekend before that.
00:17:45.200 --> 00:17:51.519
Um, and and by this is like actually, this is like um during WoW Week.
00:17:51.759 --> 00:17:52.319
What is that?
00:17:52.640 --> 00:17:54.880
The week of explain week of welcome.
00:17:55.119 --> 00:17:55.839
Oh, week of welcome.
00:17:56.079 --> 00:17:58.400
Cal Poly, they had their week of welcome.
00:17:59.200 --> 00:18:05.839
And the funny thing was, even like a even pre-story with that, I was really resistant to go to Cal Poly.
00:18:05.920 --> 00:18:06.160
Right.
00:18:06.319 --> 00:18:07.039
To get up here.
00:18:07.519 --> 00:18:08.559
I mean, there's nothing out here.
00:18:08.640 --> 00:18:11.680
So I mean I, you know, that was my idea.
00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:12.880
A lot of people think like that.
00:18:13.039 --> 00:18:13.680
That's how they think, right.
00:18:13.759 --> 00:18:26.880
It's like so parents moved me in, and then after they moved me in, I went back to Orange County County with them because I'm like, I don't want to be here, I'm gonna go hang out with my friends.
00:18:27.039 --> 00:18:27.440
Yeah, yeah.
00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:28.559
Sucks.
00:18:28.960 --> 00:18:32.240
And then so I jumped back in the car and they were like, What the hell?
00:18:33.119 --> 00:18:34.079
Wait a minute, okay, hold on.
00:18:34.480 --> 00:18:35.599
So they drop you off.
00:18:35.759 --> 00:18:39.039
They're trying to do the full-on send-off, set you up in your dorm room, whatever.
00:18:39.359 --> 00:18:40.640
They had their tissues ready and everything.
00:18:40.799 --> 00:18:42.079
And then you're like, No, I'm going with you.
00:18:42.240 --> 00:18:43.440
And then they I'm going back, yeah.
00:18:43.519 --> 00:18:45.920
Like I just jumped in the back seat and they're like, What was a reaction?
00:18:46.000 --> 00:18:46.880
What was a reaction?
00:18:47.039 --> 00:18:48.160
They were like, What are you doing?
00:18:48.319 --> 00:18:48.559
Yeah.
00:18:48.720 --> 00:18:50.000
And they're like, Oh, I'm gonna go back.
00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:51.599
School doesn't start for another week.
00:18:51.759 --> 00:18:52.559
Oh, okay, okay.
00:18:52.720 --> 00:18:53.039
I'm good.
00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:56.240
So they, you know, because the week of welcome was it was a week.
00:18:56.319 --> 00:18:58.160
So they moved me in on a Wednesday.
00:18:58.400 --> 00:18:59.519
They were trying to get rid of you, man.
00:19:00.960 --> 00:19:01.839
You just didn't get the hint.
00:19:02.079 --> 00:19:06.000
My dad is like, get out of here and just get in that dorm and go to school.
00:19:06.160 --> 00:19:07.440
That was what my dad wanted.
00:19:07.519 --> 00:19:15.119
He he he made a he made a map with a radius of 90 mile radius, and he's like, you have to go to school outside of that radius.
00:19:15.279 --> 00:19:16.400
Damn, that's awesome.
00:19:16.559 --> 00:19:18.240
So no, yeah, that's awesome that you're gonna do that.
00:19:18.400 --> 00:19:21.359
No applications, yes, yeah, none of the LA schools, none of them.
00:19:21.519 --> 00:19:22.160
No, get out of here.
00:19:22.319 --> 00:19:23.039
Get out of there, right?
00:19:23.119 --> 00:19:25.920
Yeah, so I'm glad I took him up on that.
00:19:26.160 --> 00:19:30.799
But but yeah, so um, so anyway, I finally come back.
00:19:30.960 --> 00:19:31.519
Yeah.
00:19:31.759 --> 00:19:34.400
And so it was that that following weekend.
00:19:34.480 --> 00:19:37.039
It was Wednesday, so I came back the following weekend.
00:19:37.200 --> 00:19:39.519
It's like Saturday, Saturday or something like that.
00:19:39.599 --> 00:19:40.240
Yeah.
00:19:40.640 --> 00:19:44.880
And then right away, um, there were some dudes I'd already met.
00:19:44.960 --> 00:19:50.079
We're all hanging out, so I had my crew, and we're like, all right, let's go to this party.
00:19:50.720 --> 00:19:52.319
And oh yeah, yeah.
00:19:52.640 --> 00:19:53.920
Could we just we just walk over there?
00:19:54.079 --> 00:19:54.319
What's up?
00:19:54.559 --> 00:19:56.720
No, the party, it's in Avala Beach.
00:19:56.880 --> 00:20:02.400
And we're yeah, we're in like we're like, what, 10, 15 miles away in San Sabispo?
00:20:03.039 --> 00:20:04.640
And then good 10 minutes at least.
00:20:04.880 --> 00:20:05.920
How the hell are we gonna get there?
00:20:06.079 --> 00:20:10.400
And then we finally find this one dude that's gonna give us a ride.
00:20:10.799 --> 00:20:16.880
And then so we all pile and I swear it was like seven of us in a tiny like forward focus.
00:20:17.119 --> 00:20:18.640
Those are college days for sure.
00:20:18.880 --> 00:20:19.519
Yeah.
00:20:20.160 --> 00:20:25.920
And man, so we so we mob down to Avila and You and the crew.
00:20:26.160 --> 00:20:26.799
Me and the crew.
00:20:26.960 --> 00:20:27.279
Yeah.
00:20:27.519 --> 00:20:37.200
And all right, so back then, Cal Poly, there was a huge black student population at Cal Poly back in the late 90s.
00:20:37.279 --> 00:20:37.519
Yeah.
00:20:37.680 --> 00:20:39.920
This is four before Prop 209.
00:20:40.240 --> 00:20:40.559
Okay.
00:20:41.200 --> 00:20:43.599
And it was pretty impressive.
00:20:43.759 --> 00:20:44.559
I was really impressed.
00:20:44.960 --> 00:20:46.799
When I got up there, I was like, oh wow.
00:20:46.960 --> 00:20:50.640
And so I had, you know, that's how I was able to, we I just had this crew.
00:20:50.720 --> 00:20:51.839
We just all melt.
00:20:52.160 --> 00:20:53.440
You gotta get your crew together, man.
00:20:53.680 --> 00:20:58.160
And a lot of these brothers were African brothers from Ghana.
00:20:58.480 --> 00:20:58.960
Oh, okay.
00:20:59.039 --> 00:21:01.839
Okay, I was gonna ask you from Ghana, Nigeria.
00:21:01.920 --> 00:21:02.559
Yeah.
00:21:02.799 --> 00:21:05.440
And so I'm saying, so these dudes are big.
00:21:05.599 --> 00:21:06.000
Yeah.
00:21:06.160 --> 00:21:11.839
And we're I'm piled up in a little we fit in that car, just like we're like on each other's laps.
00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:12.720
Oh, yeah.
00:21:13.200 --> 00:21:15.920
So we're just so happy to get out of that car and we get to a party.
00:21:16.000 --> 00:21:27.920
So we just pile out, the party's going, and you know, and so we just, you know, making our way in, you know, all right, you know, trying to impress, walking in, looking smooth or whatever.
00:21:28.079 --> 00:21:31.359
And all I remember was because these big dudes in front of me.
00:21:31.519 --> 00:21:36.720
Okay, and so one dude goes in, goes to the right, other dude goes in, goes to the left, and it's clear.
00:21:36.880 --> 00:21:40.400
And the next thing I see is these two big brown eyes.
00:21:40.559 --> 00:21:41.039
Oh damn.
00:21:41.359 --> 00:21:45.519
Staring at me dead in the face, like staring at me in the eyes.
00:21:45.680 --> 00:21:48.799
It you know, it's like it gets awkward, so I kind of look away.
00:21:49.119 --> 00:21:51.599
Was it like hypnotizing or like memorized?
00:21:51.839 --> 00:21:52.960
Oh my gosh, it was hypnotized.
00:21:53.039 --> 00:21:55.920
Yeah, it was like um I uh there's that movie.
00:21:56.000 --> 00:21:56.880
What's the what's the movie?
00:21:56.960 --> 00:21:58.000
Is that Nino Rico?
00:21:58.079 --> 00:21:59.839
Nino Nino Pop Nino Pobre, Nino Rico?
00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:00.240
Rico?
00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:05.680
Is it uh uh well obviously uh was that the movie that m yeah, I'm sorry, yeah, yeah, Mexican movie.
00:22:05.839 --> 00:22:06.079
I don't know.
00:22:06.160 --> 00:22:07.200
I gotta I gotta look it up.
00:22:07.359 --> 00:22:13.920
But it was it about yeah, and and there's that scene where the just the lights go out when he sees the girl that he falls in love with.
00:22:14.160 --> 00:22:15.119
And then you can just see the eyes.
00:22:15.440 --> 00:22:16.559
It's goes that was it.
00:22:16.640 --> 00:22:18.160
Like the everything else was black.
00:22:18.480 --> 00:22:19.200
And all that stuff.
00:22:19.519 --> 00:22:21.359
So you had blinders and you were just focused.
00:22:21.599 --> 00:22:31.680
It was I was just focused, and it was just the eye it was just all I saw was these big old eyes, it's like it's just big brown eyes to stare, and then I'm looking away and I look back, she's still staring.
00:22:32.400 --> 00:22:33.039
Are you sure they were eyes?
00:22:33.680 --> 00:22:34.319
Oh yeah.
00:22:34.559 --> 00:22:35.680
They were eyes, man.
00:22:35.759 --> 00:22:42.480
They were eyes, and then so man, it's like, all right, so so that made me really nervous.
00:22:42.640 --> 00:22:42.799
Yeah.
00:22:43.039 --> 00:22:46.319
Because I was used to girls that just like pretend they're not looking.
00:22:46.400 --> 00:22:46.640
Yeah.
00:22:46.799 --> 00:22:50.640
Because usually your girl's like Well, I mean, my cousin's pretty straightforward.
00:22:50.799 --> 00:22:52.480
There's yeah, yeah, she'll let you know.
00:22:53.359 --> 00:22:56.799
Yeah, but there's I just come across a lot of girls that just act like they're not looking, right?
00:22:56.880 --> 00:22:57.119
Yeah.
00:22:59.119 --> 00:23:04.000
And she just was still looking at me, and I was like, okay, all right, so I'm gonna just walk up to her.
00:23:04.480 --> 00:23:05.440
All right, and I was sorry.
00:23:05.599 --> 00:23:08.160
I started walking towards her, and it's like, all right, so what are you gonna say?
00:23:08.319 --> 00:23:09.599
Uh I don't know, what should I say?
00:23:09.680 --> 00:23:12.720
It's not and oh wait, dang it, we're right here, she's right here.
00:23:12.880 --> 00:23:16.000
Um and I just kept walking.
00:23:16.319 --> 00:23:17.680
Damn, dude.
00:23:18.400 --> 00:23:20.480
And I'm sure she was disappointed.
00:23:20.720 --> 00:23:21.359
I don't know.
00:23:21.519 --> 00:23:23.359
I don't know because I'm pretty sure she was.
00:23:23.680 --> 00:23:25.440
I just took off, went down the hall.
00:23:25.839 --> 00:23:34.480
Luckily, there was this hallway that went straight to the back of the of the house where the party was at, and uh I just went in the back and got some air to reset myself.
00:23:34.880 --> 00:23:38.799
Damn, she had that kind of effect on you, like you couldn't you couldn't even compose yourself.
00:23:39.119 --> 00:23:42.240
I can it was just I took your speech away.
00:23:42.480 --> 00:23:43.599
Yeah, no, no, no.
00:23:43.759 --> 00:23:45.519
I I think I I can I can relate.
00:23:45.759 --> 00:23:46.319
I can relate.
00:23:46.400 --> 00:23:47.839
I've been in those situations before.
00:23:47.920 --> 00:23:56.640
But um, so then you you meet her, obviously, you guys end up together, you end up having your first child.
00:23:56.880 --> 00:23:57.599
Yeah, yeah.
00:23:57.759 --> 00:23:58.160
Yeah.
00:23:58.400 --> 00:24:00.960
We met together, end up having the first child.
00:24:01.279 --> 00:24:06.960
First child was uh that ended up being 99.
00:24:07.839 --> 00:24:14.240
So I was like with uh starting my was it starting?
00:24:14.319 --> 00:24:20.079
Yeah, beginning in March of my second or third year at at Cal Poly.
00:24:20.160 --> 00:24:21.839
So you were you were more than halfway, maybe.
00:24:22.079 --> 00:24:23.759
Yeah, a little more halfway.
00:24:24.240 --> 00:24:25.839
And but yeah.
00:24:26.079 --> 00:24:30.480
So I I think I barely beat you in the GPA thing.
00:24:30.799 --> 00:24:31.359
Really, man.
00:24:31.680 --> 00:24:32.319
I was pretty bad.
00:24:32.400 --> 00:24:33.519
I had a 1.56.
00:24:33.759 --> 00:24:34.160
Yeah, man.
00:24:34.319 --> 00:24:46.400
I was I was a little above that because yeah, it was that I just remember City in class, and then it was like got the news, and it was just it just went downhill from it.
00:24:46.640 --> 00:24:57.680
Yeah, it went down, and but you know, um, yeah, it was just it was just a test that I had to just, you know, um, yeah, yeah, show up for.
00:24:57.920 --> 00:25:02.960
And I know that I I've had conversations with my my cousin and the whole story and with the family.
00:25:03.039 --> 00:25:06.640
You know how it is with Mexican families, how they're so dramatic about things.
00:25:07.440 --> 00:25:18.880
And uh, because I went through it, of course, when I had my first, when I had the the first interaction with my father-in-law, it was very nonchalant for me, and he wanted to kill me basically.
00:25:19.279 --> 00:25:23.759
But uh I think your experience, I don't know, was it a little different?
00:25:23.920 --> 00:25:25.519
Was it was it intimidating?
00:25:25.599 --> 00:25:28.480
Like I think you had a conversation with my uncle, right?
00:25:28.559 --> 00:25:33.519
You guys had a uh I don't know how what was that like just because I've been through it.
00:25:33.599 --> 00:25:38.880
So we did we did an arranged thing where um I came to visit.
00:25:40.079 --> 00:25:45.119
Um and I I the spotlight was on you, man.
00:25:45.440 --> 00:25:48.480
The spotlight was on, it was at the house.
00:25:49.039 --> 00:26:05.359
I just wanted to, you know, based on what you know what your what Normie had explained to me and everything, I knew that I just wanted to show that I was going to be there, you know, and and and provider, yeah, exactly.
00:26:05.599 --> 00:26:09.119
And be there and and be there, yeah, you know, and not I'm not going anywhere.
00:26:09.279 --> 00:26:09.839
Yeah.
00:26:10.079 --> 00:26:18.160
And that was that was really the game plan, and you know, it was and I think it helped.
00:26:18.400 --> 00:26:18.640
Yeah.
00:26:18.799 --> 00:26:26.640
So you know, we went in there, we had we broke the news, and it was, I mean, it was really tough.
00:26:26.799 --> 00:26:32.319
You know, it was just you know, you see all the this the jaw dropping, the concern.
00:26:32.480 --> 00:26:32.799
Yeah.
00:26:33.759 --> 00:26:47.359
Uh my, you know, my my mother-in-law just like kind of like just like like just like kind of really just going off processing, yeah, processing like what are we gonna do here?
00:26:47.519 --> 00:26:54.319
Yeah, and I the main thing that really really got to me is just I just saw like how hard it hit my father-in-law.
00:26:55.119 --> 00:26:55.920
Oh man.
00:26:56.160 --> 00:26:57.440
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:26:57.680 --> 00:27:06.720
And so I I so I did my then I did my speech about um I'm you know, I have this because I was working that that summer.
00:27:07.200 --> 00:27:25.759
We're telling them I was working, I was making some good money, I was telling them, okay, I'm saving all of this money, you know, we're going to, you know, have it all for the baby, you know, so you know, I'm gonna be here and I'm going to you know finish school, gonna you know, yeah, that provider.
00:27:26.079 --> 00:27:34.559
And um I I think yeah, I think it yeah, I think it helped, but it was still disappointing, yeah.
00:27:35.200 --> 00:27:39.839
In that moment, did you kind of did it kind of click at any moment you're like, damn, this is like an adult moment?
00:27:40.079 --> 00:27:41.200
Like I'm an adult now.
00:27:41.359 --> 00:27:41.599
Yeah.
00:27:41.759 --> 00:27:43.279
Did it click then or before?
00:27:43.519 --> 00:27:46.240
Any time before that, or was it kind of one of those moments right there?
00:27:46.559 --> 00:27:48.480
That was one of those, that was those moments.
00:27:48.559 --> 00:27:50.640
Uh it was like yeah.
00:27:50.799 --> 00:27:52.799
There was, I mean, obviously there was the news.
00:27:52.880 --> 00:27:53.039
Yeah.
00:27:53.359 --> 00:27:56.240
It was like alright, I gotta step up.
00:27:56.400 --> 00:27:58.400
But then there was that next level, yeah.
00:27:58.799 --> 00:28:00.559
Yeah, I know when it hits you family.
00:28:00.799 --> 00:28:01.359
Yeah.
00:28:01.680 --> 00:28:05.519
I know it hit me, like when I was like, shoot, now I have to be an adult.
00:28:05.680 --> 00:28:06.000
Yep.
00:28:06.160 --> 00:28:16.640
Like, it kind of like, I don't know, I wouldn't say it kind of like stuns you, but it just puts you in a in a different mindset of like, dude, I can't just be doing the same BS.
00:28:17.119 --> 00:28:17.359
Right.
00:28:17.519 --> 00:28:19.920
I gotta get my shit together and I gotta step up.
00:28:20.079 --> 00:28:20.400
Yeah.
00:28:20.640 --> 00:28:25.279
And like that's when it hit me when like I was gonna be a dad for me.
00:28:25.519 --> 00:28:25.839
You know?
00:28:26.160 --> 00:28:26.640
Yeah, man.
00:28:26.720 --> 00:28:26.960
Yeah.
00:28:27.519 --> 00:28:28.880
So I can relate.
00:28:29.119 --> 00:28:29.839
I can relate.
00:28:30.160 --> 00:28:30.640
Right, yeah.
00:28:30.880 --> 00:28:42.640
All right, and uh, so like take us take us now to like okay, you you went to Cal Poly, obviously you got your degree, um you ended up getting another degree, a master's degree later on down the road.
00:28:42.960 --> 00:28:46.720
Uh, what was it like for you um transitioning over into like your career?
00:28:46.880 --> 00:28:47.839
Like, what was that like?
00:28:48.079 --> 00:28:49.039
How did that go for you?
00:28:49.200 --> 00:28:55.440
Like, um are you still doing what you love, or I don't know.
00:28:55.599 --> 00:28:57.759
You know, like how's that going for you?
00:28:58.319 --> 00:28:59.359
Man, it's been a journey.
00:28:59.519 --> 00:29:01.680
Yeah, it's been a serious journey.
00:29:02.240 --> 00:29:10.559
Um yeah, going into my career, it was interesting how I got the bachelor's in computer engineering.
00:29:10.640 --> 00:29:20.160
Yeah, yeah, graduated, and then I told myself, all right, going back to this, we're going back to this babe, we're going back to the city.
00:29:20.240 --> 00:29:21.680
Yeah, pack up the kids.
00:29:21.839 --> 00:29:23.759
We had we had two, we had Tino back then.
00:29:23.920 --> 00:29:25.200
So we had two kids.
00:29:25.759 --> 00:29:33.680
He was like like born like he wasn't right at right after I graduated that yeah, that August after so he was a baby.
00:29:33.759 --> 00:29:46.880
We had Naya, she was like three some, you know, three years old, and then like pack up the kids, we're going, you know, we're gonna go back to like you know, Southern California, back down south, and I'm gonna I'm gonna get a you know get a job.
00:29:47.119 --> 00:29:48.960
Yeah, just be be a provider, man.
00:29:49.279 --> 00:29:50.720
Yeah, I wanted to be, yeah, be that provider.
00:29:51.039 --> 00:29:52.880
We're just gonna go down there, get a job.
00:29:53.039 --> 00:30:01.119
And so we we literally actually I worked, I worked, I had a I had a slew of student jobs at Cal Poly.
00:30:01.519 --> 00:30:04.880
And I I worked at one until I couldn't work there anymore because I graduated.
00:30:05.039 --> 00:30:05.279
Yeah.
00:30:05.440 --> 00:30:07.519
And then that's when, okay, let's move.
00:30:07.680 --> 00:30:12.240
And then we moved in with my parents down in Orange County.
00:30:12.480 --> 00:30:15.200
And then I started job searching.
00:30:15.279 --> 00:30:17.519
I started hitting all of the job things.
00:30:17.599 --> 00:30:20.000
I got this computer engineering degree.
00:30:20.240 --> 00:30:22.559
I'm trying here, I'm trying there.
00:30:22.799 --> 00:30:26.960
There's like all of these, you know, these these almost like happen.
00:30:27.279 --> 00:30:28.640
Yeah, oh yeah, yeah.
00:30:28.799 --> 00:30:31.839
You know, they're like say they're gonna hire you, then you don't hear from them.
00:30:32.079 --> 00:30:32.880
That's the worst, man.
00:30:32.960 --> 00:30:33.599
I hate that feeling.
00:30:33.680 --> 00:30:34.640
I've been through it too, man.
00:30:34.799 --> 00:30:35.359
Been through it.
00:30:35.680 --> 00:30:36.640
Through a lot of that.
00:30:37.039 --> 00:30:43.599
It was just going on and on, and then I would go to um, I was applying, I was like, like, like, come on, computer engineering.
00:30:43.680 --> 00:30:46.720
I was going to like Raytheon and Lockheed Martin.
00:30:46.960 --> 00:30:47.680
Yeah, the big companies.
00:30:47.920 --> 00:30:52.880
The big companies, and then I would get there, and then there's just lines for like miles of people.
00:30:53.359 --> 00:30:54.799
That's gotta be super discouraging, man.
00:30:54.960 --> 00:30:55.839
It's crazy, yeah.
00:30:56.000 --> 00:31:00.400
And yeah, this was this was 2002, yeah.
00:31:00.640 --> 00:31:06.880
And so those all of those defense contracting, like yeah, those are big in those years, yeah.
00:31:07.119 --> 00:31:09.839
And so I was trying those, trying everywhere.
00:31:10.000 --> 00:31:15.119
And anyway, long story short, there nine months went by.
00:31:15.359 --> 00:31:16.000
Yeah.
00:31:16.480 --> 00:31:21.359
And then there was nothing, but during that time, this is a little tangent.
00:31:21.680 --> 00:31:22.079
Sorry.
00:31:22.400 --> 00:31:24.240
No, no, no, go for it.
00:31:24.480 --> 00:31:37.839
It was so that was in that was in like September, and then in March of that next year, March of 2003, we're like I said, we're living at my parents' house.
00:31:37.920 --> 00:31:38.319
Yeah.
00:31:38.880 --> 00:31:43.759
Mom bangs on the door, wakes us up, and says, get out the house.
00:31:43.839 --> 00:31:44.559
The house is on fire.
00:31:44.720 --> 00:31:45.680
Oh, damn.
00:31:46.079 --> 00:31:47.920
And I'm thinking, what?
00:31:48.240 --> 00:31:49.039
The house is on fire.
00:31:49.200 --> 00:31:51.200
Mom, did you is like the stove on fire?
00:31:51.359 --> 00:31:53.519
I'm thinking, okay, we gotta go get a fire extinguisher.
00:31:53.759 --> 00:31:54.079
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:31:55.279 --> 00:31:55.599
No big deal.
00:31:57.440 --> 00:32:03.200
Man, I walk out, I walk out of the door, look down the hall, and I can from the hall, I can see into my parents' room.
00:32:03.279 --> 00:32:08.960
Oh, and in my parents' room, there, and then I could see the window behind my parents' room, yeah, and there's flames going up.
00:32:09.039 --> 00:32:10.000
And this is the second story.
00:32:10.160 --> 00:32:12.400
So this is the was a fire from the outside?
00:32:12.720 --> 00:32:13.839
It was inside.
00:32:14.079 --> 00:32:19.680
It started on there was a like a porch type of thing, like an enclosed patio that's on the back of the house.
00:32:19.920 --> 00:32:20.160
Okay.
00:32:20.319 --> 00:32:24.240
It started there, and so that whole thing was just one big giant barbecue.
00:32:24.799 --> 00:32:37.200
It's just like the flames were coming up on the window, and then we just I just turned, grabbed, uh, grabbed the guy, I grabbed Naya, normally grabbed Tino, and we just ran out the house.
00:32:37.440 --> 00:32:45.440
And then on our way out, my my dad is like, did anyone bother to call the fire department?
00:32:45.680 --> 00:32:46.319
Oh man.
00:32:46.720 --> 00:32:50.480
And he's saying this, and he's like butt naked.
00:32:50.799 --> 00:32:51.680
Oh, wow.
00:32:51.920 --> 00:32:53.200
He sleeps in the nude.
00:32:53.599 --> 00:32:53.920
Okay.
00:32:54.480 --> 00:32:57.200
That was uh that was an interesting day.
00:32:57.680 --> 00:33:01.759
So he just kind of like walked out, like he's he's he's like butt naked.
00:33:01.920 --> 00:33:02.559
Yeah, butt naked.
00:33:02.799 --> 00:33:04.559
He's downstairs and he's on the phone.
00:33:04.880 --> 00:33:05.440
Nonchalant.
00:33:05.680 --> 00:33:08.240
Nonchalant on the phone that's closest to the fire, by the way.
00:33:08.480 --> 00:33:08.799
Wow.
00:33:08.960 --> 00:33:12.480
It's like on the other side of the phone is the freaking like inferno.
00:33:12.720 --> 00:33:13.920
I'm sure that was a sight.
00:33:14.000 --> 00:33:14.240
Yeah.
00:33:14.319 --> 00:33:17.359
And it's like, anyone about fire department?
00:33:18.559 --> 00:33:18.880
Wow.
00:33:19.200 --> 00:33:22.400
Like, dad, and I just yell, Dad, get out of the city.
00:33:22.559 --> 00:33:24.240
Can you put some clothes on, please, dad?
00:33:24.480 --> 00:33:26.240
Yeah, yeah, put some clothes on too.
00:33:26.559 --> 00:33:33.680
And man, so we run out, and then like, and then like I was trying to like hold, hold.
00:33:33.759 --> 00:33:41.680
Yeah, you know, I'm holding the kid and trying to like go back and yell at it, and then I finally set night, finally to like set nine down.
00:33:41.759 --> 00:33:43.440
I think like neighbors like were holding her.
00:33:43.519 --> 00:33:43.759
Yeah.
00:33:43.920 --> 00:33:47.039
And then I was like gonna run back and then like, no, don't go back.
00:33:47.119 --> 00:33:49.039
And I'm like yelling at them to come out.
00:33:49.279 --> 00:33:52.880
Well, so then my my dad ran upstairs to get clothes.
00:33:53.119 --> 00:33:54.400
Um thank thank God, right?
00:33:54.640 --> 00:33:55.680
Yeah, thankfully, yeah.
00:33:55.920 --> 00:34:02.559
My mom, my mom, my mom, who told us to get out first, she went back upstairs as well.
00:34:02.720 --> 00:34:04.160
It's like, what are you doing?
00:34:04.319 --> 00:34:08.559
She went to go get her purse with her all her stuff, like her wallet and everything.
00:34:10.400 --> 00:34:11.039
Oh my god.
00:34:11.199 --> 00:34:17.519
And then so they were upstairs, and then the windows broke in.
00:34:17.679 --> 00:34:19.519
Like yeah, from the heat, they shattered.
00:34:20.159 --> 00:34:20.880
They shattered, yeah.
00:34:20.960 --> 00:34:24.719
So they shattered, and then my mom's like crawling on the floor with her bag.
00:34:24.880 --> 00:34:29.360
My dad finally just grabs some clothes and they finally run out.
00:34:29.760 --> 00:34:42.159
And then they get outside, my dad puts clothes on finally, and then my mom, my mom comes like came out with the bag, and then it was just like it it's crazy.
00:34:42.239 --> 00:34:43.760
It was like a scripted scene.
00:34:43.840 --> 00:34:44.239
Yeah.
00:34:44.480 --> 00:34:50.159
Where right at that moment, after they ran out, the like it just like all like came apart and just oh man.
00:34:50.880 --> 00:34:51.360
You saw the fire.
00:34:51.920 --> 00:34:55.039
Like, kind of like is it like the movies where you see a house like burn?
00:34:55.199 --> 00:34:56.639
It was Is it the same thing?
00:34:56.880 --> 00:34:58.639
It was it was crazy.
00:34:58.719 --> 00:35:06.960
It was like a very like serene type of scene where um like the movie backdraft where you kind of show the fire being like alive.
00:35:07.199 --> 00:35:08.000
It was like that.
00:35:08.239 --> 00:35:08.559
Wow.
00:35:08.719 --> 00:35:17.360
It was like it was like this like thing floating through the house, burning up everything, and then it just went and made its way to the roof and then and came out the roof.
00:35:17.599 --> 00:35:18.800
It was wow.
00:35:19.280 --> 00:35:19.920
Yeah.
00:35:20.239 --> 00:35:29.679
Man, so yeah, no, I've never been any any I've never been through anything like that as far as any a house fire and like that, but that had to be obviously a lasting impression.
00:35:29.840 --> 00:35:33.039
You probably think about it every now and then, but thank God you guys got out of there safely.
00:35:33.119 --> 00:35:33.440
Yeah.
00:35:33.840 --> 00:35:35.679
Got your kids and you guys made it out.
00:35:35.760 --> 00:35:37.840
But obviously, did you guys ever find out what happened?
00:35:37.920 --> 00:35:38.800
What was the cause of the fire?
00:35:38.880 --> 00:35:39.920
Was it a short or something?
00:35:40.079 --> 00:35:40.320
No.
00:35:40.480 --> 00:35:41.440
No, never found out.
00:35:41.679 --> 00:35:42.480
Never found out.
00:35:42.639 --> 00:35:46.159
It was it was just yeah, just starting the back there.
00:35:46.400 --> 00:35:46.960
Oh man.
00:35:47.119 --> 00:35:48.960
I mean, yeah, electrical or something.
00:35:49.039 --> 00:35:49.199
Yeah.
00:35:49.360 --> 00:35:52.159
Well, me and your brother-in-law, we used to we used to start fires when we were kids.
00:35:52.239 --> 00:35:57.199
I don't know if you know the famous the famous mattress fire at uh at the yeah, we I've heard of that.
00:35:57.360 --> 00:35:59.760
We were like little pyromaniacs when we were kids.
00:36:00.079 --> 00:36:00.320
Nice.
00:36:00.400 --> 00:36:02.079
Yeah, so we would doing your research.
00:36:02.239 --> 00:36:05.199
Yeah, so it might have been me and Rick that started the fire for all we know.
00:36:05.280 --> 00:36:07.039
So I'm just joking.
00:36:08.559 --> 00:36:10.719
Shout out to my cousin Rick if you're listening, man.
00:36:11.280 --> 00:36:13.039
Good times when we used to play with matches.
00:36:13.280 --> 00:36:13.440
Nice.
00:36:13.599 --> 00:36:16.800
Uh no, but seriously though, uh, you know, things happen for a reason.
00:36:16.880 --> 00:36:20.239
I'm sure everything, insurance, everything worked out, the house got fixed.
00:36:20.639 --> 00:36:31.679
Luckily, everything worked out, they got the house fixed, and the funny thing is, the this kind of segues into the job thing where we got a rental house.
00:36:32.079 --> 00:36:40.000
Like my parents finally got a rental house, and it was they were like, Oh, we need space because we have Warren and Noimi and the kids, and and so we need space.
00:36:40.079 --> 00:36:47.519
And so they get this big ass house that they rented, and then we get you know what little belongings we had.
00:36:47.599 --> 00:37:04.480
We get set up in there and everything, and then I swear that next a week later, I get a call and my my old my boss from one of my student jobs, Cal Poly, says, I need to do an emergency hire.
00:37:04.719 --> 00:37:06.880
Can you can you be up here on Friday?
00:37:07.119 --> 00:37:08.239
Damn, you're like, sure.
00:37:08.400 --> 00:37:11.280
And I was like, Yes, I'll I'll I'll be there.
00:37:11.360 --> 00:37:17.840
Because man, I was I was looking at like I was looking at Costco, I was starting to like you know do anything.
00:37:18.239 --> 00:37:22.320
Yeah, I mean, when you when it comes to looking for jobs at Costco, great company.
00:37:22.480 --> 00:37:28.480
Great, but I'm saying if you have a degree, if you have a degree, you know, computer engineer, whatever, like you that's what you want to be doing, obviously.
00:37:28.639 --> 00:37:28.960
Right?
00:37:29.119 --> 00:37:30.239
You know, that's the goal.
00:37:30.559 --> 00:37:31.360
Something like that, yeah.
00:37:31.440 --> 00:37:33.360
And so I was like, yes.
00:37:33.519 --> 00:37:37.280
And then right after I hung up, it was like, man, we just moved in.
00:37:37.440 --> 00:37:40.159
I had to turn around and tell my dad, okay, now we're we're leaving.
00:37:40.320 --> 00:37:41.440
And they were like, oh damn.
00:37:41.599 --> 00:37:43.599
Yeah, so now just the two of them in a big ass house.
00:37:43.840 --> 00:37:44.400
Big ass house.
00:37:44.559 --> 00:37:45.360
Yeah, uh down there.
00:37:45.519 --> 00:37:47.679
Well, I mean, it was only temporary because they were just renting it anyways, right?
00:37:48.000 --> 00:37:50.239
It was a rental, but that process took a while though.
00:37:50.639 --> 00:37:50.960
Oh, did it?
00:37:51.039 --> 00:37:51.119
Okay.
00:37:51.760 --> 00:37:57.119
They ended up being in the the rental for like I would say like like a couple years.
00:37:57.199 --> 00:37:57.360
Yeah.
00:37:57.519 --> 00:37:58.880
Yeah, it was about a couple years, yeah.
00:37:59.199 --> 00:37:59.599
Oh wow.
00:37:59.840 --> 00:38:05.039
But um, but yeah, so then then we made our way to Central Coast.
00:38:05.280 --> 00:38:09.039
And then you worked at Cal Poly for Cal Poly for decades.
00:38:09.199 --> 00:38:09.519
Yeah.
00:38:09.679 --> 00:38:10.239
Yeah.
00:38:10.559 --> 00:38:10.800
Yeah.
00:38:10.880 --> 00:38:14.079
And then you made the transition over to USC.
00:38:14.320 --> 00:38:14.559
Yeah.
00:38:14.719 --> 00:38:26.559
Then the kids got older, and um my my uh mom was getting older, so we wanted to be closer, Southern California, closer to family down there.
00:38:27.199 --> 00:38:33.599
And so um started looking at stuff down in Southern California and landed the job USC.
00:38:34.320 --> 00:38:35.679
And then now where you at now?
00:38:35.840 --> 00:38:36.559
What are you doing now?
00:38:36.800 --> 00:38:40.159
So then, yeah, okay, so this is why it's been a journey.
00:38:40.239 --> 00:38:45.599
That's why I say this, because I was at USC for about five years.
00:38:45.840 --> 00:38:46.559
Go Trojans.
00:38:46.719 --> 00:38:48.320
I mean Trojans, yeah, five years.
00:38:49.360 --> 00:38:50.880
Still my team, but yeah.
00:38:51.199 --> 00:38:58.000
And um then in geez, what year it was this last year?
00:38:58.400 --> 00:39:00.159
So yeah, I was there for five, yeah.
00:39:00.239 --> 00:39:01.119
I was there for five years.
00:39:01.199 --> 00:39:01.360
Yeah.
00:39:01.599 --> 00:39:08.400
Then 2025, the USC got hit hard with the federal cuts.
00:39:08.639 --> 00:39:10.079
Yeah, I remember we had a conversation about that.
00:39:10.880 --> 00:39:11.519
The funding.
00:39:12.000 --> 00:39:15.199
And so I was in the Keck School of Medicine.
00:39:16.000 --> 00:39:24.880
And it's like I think I think USC as a whole, it was like number two in the nation for federally, federally funded monies.
00:39:25.280 --> 00:39:25.679
Yeah.
00:39:26.239 --> 00:39:29.199
And so it hit it, they got hit hard.
00:39:29.840 --> 00:39:33.679
And so they had to do uh institution-wide layoffs.
00:39:34.000 --> 00:39:42.239
And unfortunately, I was included with the faculty in my department that got got got laid off, got the notice.
00:39:42.880 --> 00:39:43.280
Yeah.
00:39:43.760 --> 00:39:44.800
It happens though, man.
00:39:45.039 --> 00:39:45.760
It happens.
00:39:46.000 --> 00:39:49.920
And at this point, I'm happy to say that it happened for a good reason.
00:39:50.159 --> 00:39:56.719
Yeah, I was gonna say, like, you know, there's always you always want to say the grass maybe, you know, it it's greener on the other side sometimes.
00:39:57.280 --> 00:39:58.960
Not always, but sometimes it is.
00:39:59.119 --> 00:39:59.360
Right.
00:39:59.519 --> 00:40:02.480
And maybe in your situation, you like you said, things happen for a reason.
00:40:02.719 --> 00:40:04.239
Um are you happy now?
00:40:04.400 --> 00:40:11.440
Are you in a place where you're like, you know, you may not be doing exactly what you want to do, but are you comfortable?
00:40:11.599 --> 00:40:12.559
Are you content?
00:40:12.719 --> 00:40:14.320
Are you satisfied?
00:40:14.639 --> 00:40:17.440
You know, I I am I I am I'm content.
00:40:17.519 --> 00:40:19.119
Yeah, and I'm excited.
00:40:19.360 --> 00:40:21.039
Okay, I I like that word excitement, yeah.
00:40:21.360 --> 00:40:21.760
Excited, man.
00:40:22.000 --> 00:40:22.639
Possibilities, right?
00:40:23.039 --> 00:40:28.000
Yes, yeah, yes, that getting laid off opened the door to so many possibilities.
00:40:28.159 --> 00:40:30.800
And it's interesting, the universe like just really spoke to me.
00:40:30.960 --> 00:40:38.400
As soon as I got laid off, yeah, I got, okay, I got this a um an offer to do an audiobook.
00:40:38.480 --> 00:40:38.639
Yeah.
00:40:38.880 --> 00:40:39.280
Narrate the thing.
00:40:39.519 --> 00:40:40.000
That's awesome, man.
00:40:40.719 --> 00:40:41.119
Oh, okay.
00:40:41.280 --> 00:40:44.480
And then um, oh buddy of mine hit me up.
00:40:44.639 --> 00:40:47.599
Uh hey, can you help me work on this, work on a movie?
00:40:47.760 --> 00:40:48.159
Yeah.
00:40:48.559 --> 00:40:48.880
Oh wow.
00:40:49.199 --> 00:40:51.119
Worked on a work, yeah, worked on a movie.
00:40:51.199 --> 00:40:56.400
And then um, yeah, and then so it's just like the creative side.
00:40:56.480 --> 00:40:58.639
I had this like freedom to work on the creative side.
00:40:58.880 --> 00:41:00.079
And that's the exciting part, huh?
00:41:00.239 --> 00:41:01.920
That was that was the exciting part.
00:41:02.079 --> 00:41:10.400
And then, but then it was also exciting on, you know, that that got me thinking, like, okay, well, what else could I do as a living for other things?
00:41:10.800 --> 00:41:15.599
And um, so yeah, so there was like a lot of there was opportunity.
00:41:15.840 --> 00:41:20.960
So I would just really sit in that feeling of opportunity and just really focus on it.
00:41:21.360 --> 00:41:30.800
And I had spent those five years at USC, also some of the years at Cal Poly, doing a lot of instructional design.
00:41:31.119 --> 00:41:31.440
Okay.
00:41:32.000 --> 00:41:42.559
And instructional design, what it is, is basically you put together the courses that someone then goes and teaches.
00:41:42.800 --> 00:41:43.119
Okay.
00:41:43.360 --> 00:41:48.559
So nowadays, every course they're they're gonna use a learning management system.
00:41:48.800 --> 00:41:51.199
So it's like you put the curriculum together, kind of?
00:41:51.519 --> 00:41:52.000
Right, right.
00:41:52.159 --> 00:41:55.440
And so on that learning management system is gonna be all the course material.
00:41:55.760 --> 00:41:56.159
Gotcha.
00:41:56.400 --> 00:42:00.480
And so there'll be the syllabus and the assignments, the quizzes, and tests, and all that stuff.
00:42:00.719 --> 00:42:02.480
I always wondered who did all that, man.
00:42:02.800 --> 00:42:04.159
So yeah, yeah.
00:42:04.320 --> 00:42:16.639
And uh usually an instructional designer works in concert with the instruct the like faculty instructor, yeah, to like, okay, oh, you got this, you want to do this, you want to do that, you should do it this way.
00:42:16.719 --> 00:42:17.840
Let's arrange that.
00:42:18.079 --> 00:42:22.880
Oh, and I can fix up this you know, presentation for you, I can fix up this video for you.
00:42:22.960 --> 00:42:23.599
Yeah, yeah.
00:42:23.920 --> 00:42:30.079
And then in my department at USC, it was like a whole nother level of that.
00:42:30.159 --> 00:42:40.400
It was like complete like white glove service where it was like I did the entire course with you know with very little input.
00:42:40.559 --> 00:42:46.719
There was, you know, there was there was some like subject matter experts that I would work with, but then it was like my course.
00:42:46.800 --> 00:42:47.280
Yeah.
00:42:47.519 --> 00:42:50.159
But then I didn't teach it, and I wouldn't give credit for teaching it.
00:42:50.239 --> 00:42:51.519
And it was like put it together, though.
00:42:51.679 --> 00:42:53.360
I put it together, yeah.
00:42:53.440 --> 00:42:56.639
And then they would somebody just comes in and then like you take all the credit, right?
00:42:56.880 --> 00:43:03.599
Some like, yeah, some part-time instructor would come in and okay, some goofball with a freaking tie that doesn't even match their outfit.
00:43:04.719 --> 00:43:09.039
Freaking, yeah, yeah, bad cover and you know, and just and just teach it.
00:43:09.119 --> 00:43:14.880
Yeah, and then so so for me, I would always think about that.
00:43:14.960 --> 00:43:21.119
And so in when with this opportunity to sit and think about what I really want to do, it's like you know, I have all of that experience putting that stuff together.
00:43:21.280 --> 00:43:22.880
I want to teach this stuff, yeah.
00:43:23.039 --> 00:43:24.559
I want to I want to teach.
00:43:24.880 --> 00:43:32.000
And so I just really started focusing on that, started applying to all of the teaching jobs I could find.
00:43:32.239 --> 00:43:37.039
Um, a lot of them I ran into where, you know, oh, you need your PhD and this and that.
00:43:37.199 --> 00:43:37.360
Yeah.
00:43:37.519 --> 00:43:39.920
I was like, okay, well, you know, that's something I I could think of.
00:43:40.480 --> 00:43:42.000
Maybe maybe work on.
00:43:42.239 --> 00:43:46.000
But then I started seeing in the community college college scene.
00:43:46.079 --> 00:43:46.320
Yeah.
00:43:46.480 --> 00:43:48.320
And some some CSUs as well.
00:43:48.480 --> 00:43:48.639
Yeah.
00:43:48.719 --> 00:43:52.639
I started seeing a lot of them where you you you only need a bachelor's.
00:43:52.800 --> 00:43:53.199
Yeah.
00:43:53.440 --> 00:43:56.320
Um, you know, and some are some a master's as well.
00:43:56.400 --> 00:44:05.199
And so I would just really apply to those and And then um yeah and just really kept that in mind what I wanted to do.
00:44:05.599 --> 00:44:13.679
And in the meantime, I also started um well I shouldn't say I really started.
00:44:13.760 --> 00:44:21.519
I actually started when I was working, but I started volunteering with a a a nonprofit called uh Camping to Connect.
00:44:21.679 --> 00:44:22.320
Oh yeah, yeah.
00:44:22.480 --> 00:44:22.639
Yeah.
00:44:23.199 --> 00:44:27.199
Which we're gonna get into a little bit because of the you know the nature stuff, yeah.
00:44:27.599 --> 00:44:43.119
Yeah, but I so I started I started you know working with them and then um and then it was like kind of like okay, that's along the lines of like you know, doing instruction, yeah, providing type of facilitation.
00:44:43.360 --> 00:44:44.400
Yeah, it is, yeah.
00:44:44.639 --> 00:45:02.320
And then um after months, a couple months of like really applying for teaching stuff, I finally got a call from the local community college down in LA at Pierce College, and uh so yeah, they and they hired me on as an adjunct.
00:45:02.559 --> 00:45:05.440
And that's where you're where you're at right now, and that's where I'm at right now.
00:45:05.760 --> 00:45:06.000
Right.
00:45:06.159 --> 00:45:07.039
Yeah, yeah.
00:45:07.280 --> 00:45:10.320
You I I was gonna lead this question.
00:45:10.400 --> 00:45:18.800
Uh I was waiting to ask this because I was waiting, but your definition of success, has that changed now that you've been through this journey?
00:45:19.039 --> 00:45:23.760
Like what was what you thought was successful back then, a few five years ago to now?
00:45:23.840 --> 00:45:24.880
Do you think that's changed?
00:45:25.599 --> 00:45:27.440
What success means to you?
00:45:28.480 --> 00:45:29.199
Uh yes.
00:45:29.360 --> 00:45:30.719
Yeah, yes, definitely.
00:45:31.039 --> 00:45:31.440
Yeah.
00:45:31.760 --> 00:45:39.119
Five years five years ago, I was just I was just like doing what I thought was what I should be doing.
00:45:39.199 --> 00:45:39.440
Yeah.
00:45:39.840 --> 00:45:42.800
And just, oh, you have this degree, you should be doing that.
00:45:43.119 --> 00:45:45.840
You have your master's in instructional science and technology.
00:45:46.159 --> 00:45:46.800
So you should be this.
00:45:46.960 --> 00:45:56.960
So you should be do instructional science, instructional design, blah blah blah, you know, and just do it, you know, and then become the manager of instructional design and then the director and this and that.
00:45:57.119 --> 00:46:09.679
And then um during those five years at USC, it was like I really learned that it's not uh I really learned that it wasn't fulfilling for me.
00:46:09.760 --> 00:46:10.400
Yeah.
00:46:10.800 --> 00:46:19.519
And so I it's it's like, you know, I really kind of, you know, in the back of my mind, kind of welcome the layoff.
00:46:20.639 --> 00:46:31.360
I know what you're saying, and that's what kind of was gonna, my point was like, yeah, you may be in the the cush job that makes X amount of money, but really, are you happy?
00:46:31.599 --> 00:46:34.480
Like, you gotta ask yourself, like, is this what I really want to be doing?
00:46:34.719 --> 00:46:39.119
Or do I want to do something that really uh that I really have a passion for?
00:46:39.280 --> 00:46:39.519
Right.
00:46:39.679 --> 00:46:47.440
You know, right, and if if you get the opportunity to do something like that, where you like you feel like you're making a difference or you have the passion for, great.
00:46:47.679 --> 00:46:48.960
You know, more power to you.
00:46:49.119 --> 00:46:56.480
It may not have the same salary attached to it or whatever, or the same benefits or whatever the case is, but at the end of the day, I think you feel more fulfilled.
00:46:56.639 --> 00:46:56.960
Right.
00:46:57.119 --> 00:46:59.920
You know, you come home and you you might be a little more satisfied.
00:47:00.079 --> 00:47:03.440
Right, right, you know, so that's just kind of my little thought on that.
00:47:03.840 --> 00:47:10.079
Um, but now let's transition over to like we're gonna talk a little bit about like the healing power of nature.
00:47:10.400 --> 00:47:12.880
I know you mentioned that you're part of an organization now.
00:47:13.199 --> 00:47:14.719
Um what does that mean to you?
00:47:14.800 --> 00:47:16.239
Like what what what is that?
00:47:17.599 --> 00:47:24.639
Well, what that means, I mean, just really, really at a at a basic level, yeah.
00:47:25.119 --> 00:47:37.599
How much getting outside, you know, uh, how much it it really changes you, you know, uh physically and psychologically.
00:47:37.920 --> 00:47:38.400
Right.
00:47:38.559 --> 00:47:42.320
And just just at a basic level of getting outside.
00:47:42.800 --> 00:47:46.480
And so just getting out for a walk changes you.
00:47:46.559 --> 00:47:57.519
Yeah, you know, and then and then I feel like when we say getting out in nature, that's like, you know, I think that's just an even another level of like changing the scenery.
00:47:57.679 --> 00:47:58.239
Yeah.
00:47:58.559 --> 00:48:01.440
And um I think our mentality changes.
00:48:01.679 --> 00:48:03.679
Our mentality changes, yeah, all of that.
00:48:03.760 --> 00:48:03.920
Yeah.
00:48:04.159 --> 00:48:09.760
And I feel like, okay, so you can see it just on a very experiential level.
00:48:09.840 --> 00:48:10.239
Yep.
00:48:10.639 --> 00:48:13.440
You know, uh uh direct experience.
00:48:13.519 --> 00:48:14.719
You go outside, you feel better.
00:48:14.800 --> 00:48:16.400
You go, go take a walk, feel better.
00:48:16.800 --> 00:48:24.719
If you get out, if you go sit, sit in a, you know, there's a nice, if there's you get to go to a place where there's a nice creek and trees around and peaceful.
00:48:24.880 --> 00:48:27.679
I mean, you just you're just gonna be chill, right?
00:48:27.840 --> 00:48:28.400
Yeah, yeah.
00:48:29.440 --> 00:48:37.039
And so it's it's crazy how you know it's crazy how just doing those simple things does that.
00:48:37.679 --> 00:48:43.119
And then on top of that, there is some like science to it as well.
00:48:43.840 --> 00:49:00.239
So you can get into that direct experience, but also like look at there's actual the um studies of like for instance, where trees actually release pheromones that calm our bodies.
00:49:00.400 --> 00:49:01.039
Oh damn.
00:49:01.519 --> 00:49:04.079
Okay, you know, like pheromones have like, yeah, yeah.
00:49:07.360 --> 00:49:18.159
That reminds me of a movie with Mark Wahrum when the plants are the whatever they get upset because we're taking over the world and they release toxins.
00:49:18.400 --> 00:49:21.360
Oh and then they become like suicidal.
00:49:21.679 --> 00:49:25.039
So yeah, so yeah, yeah.
00:49:25.119 --> 00:49:26.800
But it's actually yeah, it's the opposite's happening.
00:49:27.119 --> 00:49:28.079
Yeah, the opposite, of course.
00:49:28.719 --> 00:49:32.079
Yeah, they're like, yeah, releasing pheromones.
00:49:32.639 --> 00:49:34.000
But this is the good, the good stuff.
00:49:34.079 --> 00:49:34.719
This is the good side.
00:49:34.880 --> 00:49:35.760
It's the good side, yeah.
00:49:36.079 --> 00:49:37.360
Yeah, this is the good side.
00:49:37.519 --> 00:50:03.039
And then um, and then also on the scientific side of the healing power of nature, there is um, so when you're in, you know, when you're in like the especially an urban environment, yeah, or when you're around uh, you know, it's a lot of technology around you, a lot of you know, you got a lot of um cell signals, you get a lot of uh, you know, why Wi-Fi.
00:50:03.519 --> 00:50:06.960
I mean, nowadays what we got you got everything coming at us.
00:50:07.119 --> 00:50:10.880
Yeah, you got started, yeah, it's all around you right now.
00:50:10.960 --> 00:50:11.199
Yeah.
00:50:11.360 --> 00:50:24.239
And so anyway, all of that really kind of at a at a cellular level, it it actually kind of disrupts your normal body system at a cellular level.
00:50:24.400 --> 00:50:28.079
So it causes like it's causes this little bit of stress on your cells.
00:50:28.239 --> 00:50:29.360
Oh, I mean, I believe that, yeah.
00:50:29.440 --> 00:50:30.079
Yeah, yeah.
00:50:30.320 --> 00:50:30.880
On your body.
00:50:31.280 --> 00:50:54.880
And so there is that, and then and then the way we're designed, so the reason that nature can be healing is we're designed to kind of our cells are you know like the frequencies that we get in nature as opposed to what we get in the like urban environments or like you know, with all the tech around us and stuff.
00:50:55.119 --> 00:51:02.960
Because when the tech with all the technology and like Wi-Fi and cell signals, all that, yeah, it's always it's a steady signal.
00:51:03.199 --> 00:51:05.199
Yeah, and that's not that's not natural.
00:51:05.440 --> 00:51:05.920
Exactly.
00:51:06.320 --> 00:51:11.920
It's not natural, and then in nature, it's a bunch of uh just a myriad of signals, yeah.
00:51:12.159 --> 00:51:19.920
Just all kinds of different different wavelengths, different frequencies that your body feels, and so um that's what it's accustomed to.
00:51:20.079 --> 00:51:24.880
Yeah, no, and I believe it because when you go out, we go camping, we go backpacking, we've been backpacking.
00:51:24.960 --> 00:51:29.519
Yeah, um, it's yeah, as soon as you get out there, you're just like, man, I feel like a different person.
00:51:30.159 --> 00:51:33.440
Yeah, and then that was which is my next transition here.
00:51:33.599 --> 00:51:34.880
We went backpacking.
00:51:35.039 --> 00:51:37.119
I think that's the first time I saw you meditating.
00:51:37.440 --> 00:51:38.000
Oh, really?
00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.559
Yeah, yeah.
00:51:38.639 --> 00:51:40.159
That's the first time I was like, oh, what's this guy doing?
00:51:40.400 --> 00:51:41.360
I think he's meditating.
00:51:41.679 --> 00:51:43.519
Uh me and Edwin were like, oh yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:51:43.599 --> 00:51:45.199
He's up there somewhere on a hill right there.
00:51:45.280 --> 00:51:47.280
And I think I think you were meditating.
00:51:47.440 --> 00:51:47.760
Yeah.
00:51:48.000 --> 00:51:49.440
So that was my next question.
00:51:49.519 --> 00:51:51.599
How how did you get into meditation?
00:51:51.920 --> 00:51:54.719
Um, like who introduced you to that?
00:51:54.800 --> 00:51:56.880
Or you know, how did you start?
00:51:58.400 --> 00:52:04.400
I mean, I just had this this general knowledge, understanding, yeah, very basic understanding of meditating.
00:52:04.639 --> 00:52:14.000
I mean, you know, like just this there was that like stereotypes stereotypical thing of like what's you know, meditating, oh, you have to sit with your legs crossed, yeah, yeah.
00:52:14.800 --> 00:52:15.440
Whatever.
00:52:15.679 --> 00:52:30.639
But um, yeah, I've I've just always had this you know interest in you know, I'm I'm I'm big on uh I'm big on like natural ways, simple ways to do things.
00:52:31.039 --> 00:52:32.719
Is it kind of like you're trying to center yourself?
00:52:32.800 --> 00:52:34.480
Is that what meditation is essentially?
00:52:34.639 --> 00:52:35.119
I don't know.
00:52:35.360 --> 00:52:36.639
Yeah, yeah, in a sense.
00:52:36.800 --> 00:52:39.199
I mean you're trying you're trying to center yourself.
00:52:39.360 --> 00:52:45.119
And so for me, I you know I had this, you know, I kind of had this interest.
00:52:45.280 --> 00:52:51.440
It was like, okay, uh I I would get these advertisements for like meditation apps and stuff.
00:52:51.679 --> 00:52:55.360
And so the very first one I came across years ago was Headspace.
00:52:55.440 --> 00:52:55.760
Okay.
00:52:56.000 --> 00:53:02.800
And in Headspace, they had this like you would do this like uh this like the 10-day trial, it's a free trial.
00:53:02.880 --> 00:53:03.039
Yeah.
00:53:03.360 --> 00:53:10.480
And and so I was you know, I would want to do these things and then to try these things, but I was very frugal about it.
00:53:10.639 --> 00:53:10.800
Okay.
00:53:10.960 --> 00:53:11.920
And so I'm it's okay.
00:53:12.000 --> 00:53:14.880
It's hey, it's all right to be frugal, but no, so it's cool.
00:53:15.039 --> 00:53:16.800
Everything's expensive nowadays, so yeah.
00:53:16.960 --> 00:53:25.280
It it helped me figure out some like very, very, very uh cool ways to get things done without you know shelling out so much.
00:53:26.000 --> 00:53:26.559
So much money, yeah.
00:53:26.719 --> 00:53:34.800
Yeah, and so with Headspace with that free trial, it was like you get like it's like 10 days of it, and it was guided meditations.
00:53:34.880 --> 00:53:48.000
So that was my intro to guided meditations, and so I would, I would um, it was like at work, like lunchtime, I would find I'm beautiful, beautiful Cal Poly Campus.
00:53:48.079 --> 00:53:49.679
Yeah, I would just find a nice spot.
00:53:50.000 --> 00:53:52.800
Oh, yeah, there's a lot, a lot of places out there you could just sit around and relax.
00:53:53.840 --> 00:53:56.639
Throw some headphones on and just follow the meditation.
00:53:56.719 --> 00:54:03.840
And and then so I would do those 10 day things, and then when the 10 days was up, I would just do it over and over again.
00:54:04.239 --> 00:54:10.639
And um just because I would have the direct experience I would have with it.
00:54:10.719 --> 00:54:22.719
Yeah, you know, it would be like, oh man, it's like nice and nice to be like relaxed and refresh at lunchtime, yeah, then come back into work and you know, help people out and deal with meetings and yeah, all this you know stuff.
00:54:22.880 --> 00:54:30.000
So um yeah, and then so from that I kind of really got got sold on it.
00:54:30.239 --> 00:54:35.360
And so I would I would look for okay, what other meditation apps are there?
00:54:35.519 --> 00:54:40.320
And so I I found another one which I still use to this day.
00:54:40.480 --> 00:54:42.079
Uh it's called Insight Timer.
00:54:42.320 --> 00:54:43.360
Insight timer, okay.
00:54:43.599 --> 00:54:53.519
And it's that one is pretty cool because you got it's it's called Insight Timer because the basis of it is just a simple timer for your meditation.
00:54:54.400 --> 00:54:58.719
And um, and it has like a watch thing for the Apple Watch.
00:54:58.880 --> 00:55:17.360
Um, I'm sure other watches too, but you can do um uh it's just a a timer on the watch and instead of a a sound, which sometimes like if you're meditating, it's like in a in like maybe it's a public space or something, and you don't want some like gongs going off or dong.
00:55:17.599 --> 00:55:22.480
Yeah, yeah, ding, you know, you don't want those going off, so it just like vibrates on your watch.
00:55:22.559 --> 00:55:32.960
Yeah, you know, so it's like it's it's just a simple timer, but the reason I would use that app as opposed to just a timer on my watch was that it would track the times, yeah.
00:55:33.119 --> 00:55:42.639
And so I and then that was another motivator, so I would put a lot of like hours and you know times in there, like tracking like so over time I got yeah, a lot of hours on there.
00:55:43.039 --> 00:56:13.679
And um, so yeah, and then that would I would use that app and there was also guided stuff in there, and I would follow that, and that just really kind of helped supported me in this whole thing of like okay, just yeah, just keep keep meditating, and and um had good uh had a good friend that I met at Cal Poly, my one of my colleagues, really was really into meditation as well, and so um it was someone I could really like talk about.
00:56:13.840 --> 00:56:16.320
Yeah, the type of thing, yeah.
00:56:16.559 --> 00:56:17.599
Yeah, share the experience, yeah.
00:56:17.920 --> 00:56:21.280
Share the experience, and um, so that was very helpful.
00:56:21.360 --> 00:56:24.079
So I had this real like support of those two things.
00:56:24.880 --> 00:56:36.159
And I really got into it in 2016 uh because in 2014, that's when my dad passed away.
00:56:36.400 --> 00:56:54.239
Oh yeah, and that was really tough for me because I was I was I was up in the central coast, yeah, he was down in Orange County when he passed, and so I felt like I was like like I needed to find him.
00:56:54.480 --> 00:57:08.639
Gotcha thing like he just passed away, I wasn't there, and um so I kind of turned to meditation as a way of like, okay, maybe I can connect to him.
00:57:08.960 --> 00:57:13.920
Is it kind of a way like to maybe reach out, speak to him in a way, maybe?
00:57:14.320 --> 00:57:15.920
Yeah, okay, yeah, yeah.
00:57:16.000 --> 00:57:19.920
I mean then there's been many different ways, obviously, that people feel they can do that.
00:57:20.079 --> 00:57:20.320
Right.
00:57:20.559 --> 00:57:23.840
Meditation, I'm sure, is is one way of doing it.
00:57:24.159 --> 00:57:24.480
Right.
00:57:24.719 --> 00:57:27.280
Um, so yeah, I I can I can understand that.
00:57:27.519 --> 00:57:28.159
Yeah.
00:57:28.719 --> 00:57:33.519
And so I would say, yeah, so I would say like 2016, I really got serious.
00:57:33.599 --> 00:57:33.760
Yeah.
00:57:34.639 --> 00:57:44.800
And I I uh it it it and that whole thing with my dad really really motivated me to to continue it.
00:57:45.440 --> 00:57:48.800
And so it was like, keep trying, keep trying.
00:57:49.280 --> 00:57:59.119
And so I would just um I would stick to it, regular routine, yeah, and I would try to do this, make it a daily thing, like like brushing my teeth.
00:57:59.280 --> 00:57:59.519
Yeah.
00:57:59.679 --> 00:58:08.480
You know, and then um I would want to say after I would say after a year of doing that, yeah, really seriously.
00:58:08.880 --> 00:58:11.840
So in a sense, I did find my father.
00:58:12.000 --> 00:58:12.320
Yeah.
00:58:12.559 --> 00:58:23.840
Because I just just had this like, you know, um on my mind, thinking of him, and it was like it was like having this conversation with him in my head.
00:58:24.000 --> 00:58:24.320
Right, right.
00:58:24.559 --> 00:58:42.480
Like this real serious like this conversation, and and it was really, really cool because my dad was like very he was a very straight to the point, very like um, he was he was like, you know, he was not not soft about it.
00:58:42.880 --> 00:58:43.440
Straight shooter, right?
00:58:43.679 --> 00:58:50.400
Straight shooter, but he would also like like if there's any judgment to be said, he's gonna say it to me, you know.
00:58:50.559 --> 00:58:52.239
So he's gonna point the towel.
00:58:52.800 --> 00:58:55.440
Yeah, he's he would, you know, he'd mock me.
00:58:55.599 --> 00:59:00.960
He would, you know, like it's like you know, it's all he always had something to say about you.
00:59:01.199 --> 00:59:05.360
And then it was always so it was just like this real like tough, tough love.
00:59:05.519 --> 00:59:08.559
Yeah, you know, and it was just like sometimes you need that, man.
00:59:08.880 --> 00:59:10.800
Sometimes you sometimes you need that.
00:59:10.960 --> 00:59:20.480
But and then when I found him, quote unquote, found him when I'm writing, it was like I felt that same energy.
00:59:20.639 --> 00:59:24.159
I felt his energy, but I felt nothing but love.
00:59:24.400 --> 00:59:27.440
Do you think in a way did you think it kind of healed you, maybe in a way?
00:59:27.679 --> 00:59:28.079
Oh yeah.
00:59:28.159 --> 00:59:28.639
Yeah, okay.
00:59:28.880 --> 00:59:31.840
Oh man, it was transformational for me.
00:59:32.239 --> 00:59:38.239
Where it was just show me this, like person I kind of really looked up to.
00:59:38.320 --> 00:59:38.480
Yeah.
00:59:38.719 --> 00:59:45.679
I was always trying to uh please and and get it, get um, get um, geez, what's the term?
00:59:45.920 --> 00:59:48.480
Trying to always get his approval, you know what I mean?
00:59:48.719 --> 00:59:58.400
And then and then to be with that same energy, and it was just total love, acceptance, and no judgment.
00:59:58.800 --> 00:59:59.679
That's awesome, yeah.
00:59:59.840 --> 01:00:03.679
And it was just like like relief.
01:00:03.920 --> 01:00:06.320
Yeah, relief, mind blown.
01:00:06.639 --> 01:00:12.079
I can I can be a man and love.
01:00:12.639 --> 01:00:19.199
I can be a man and not judge, yeah, and just be.
01:00:19.599 --> 01:00:22.239
Yeah, because a lot of men have a hard time with the word love.
01:00:22.400 --> 01:00:26.480
Yeah, like I can tell you, like, you get with your boys, right?
01:00:26.559 --> 01:00:28.719
Like you're hanging out, watching football, whatever.
01:00:28.880 --> 01:00:31.519
Like, why is it so hard to be like, hey man, love you, dude?
01:00:31.599 --> 01:00:33.119
Yeah, thank you for being here, whatever.
01:00:33.199 --> 01:00:34.800
Like, why is that so challenging?
01:00:34.880 --> 01:00:35.280
I don't know.
01:00:35.360 --> 01:00:35.519
Right.
01:00:35.679 --> 01:00:38.320
I wish men can open up more like that.
01:00:38.559 --> 01:00:38.719
Right.
01:00:38.960 --> 01:00:44.800
And now that I've been out of the military, I I got a lot of boys that we would serve with together.
01:00:45.199 --> 01:00:49.199
And I was just talking about this in one of my episodes with my guys, and he's like, you know what?
01:00:49.360 --> 01:00:50.079
I love you, man.
01:00:50.159 --> 01:00:51.360
I was like, I love you too, bro.
01:00:51.440 --> 01:00:53.920
Like, you know, we went through some shit together, and why not?
01:00:54.000 --> 01:00:55.760
Why can't we express ourselves that way?
01:00:55.840 --> 01:00:56.000
Right.
01:00:56.159 --> 01:00:57.039
Why is it so hard?
01:00:57.199 --> 01:00:57.440
Right.
01:00:57.679 --> 01:01:02.159
And um, you know, with family, it's a little bit easier, you know, with your brother, cousins, whatever.
01:01:02.320 --> 01:01:06.480
Uh, but that's one of the things that I always ask is like, dude, why does it have to be like that?
01:01:06.639 --> 01:01:06.880
Right.
01:01:07.039 --> 01:01:07.599
It's okay.
01:01:07.840 --> 01:01:08.400
It's okay.
01:01:08.559 --> 01:01:09.519
It's not a bad word.
01:01:09.760 --> 01:01:10.400
You know what I mean?
01:01:10.719 --> 01:01:11.039
Exactly.
01:01:11.519 --> 01:01:12.800
It's it's just a four-letter word.
01:01:12.960 --> 01:01:13.360
Four letter.
01:01:13.760 --> 01:01:17.679
And uh, you're just trying to feel like, hey, my appreci- I'm gonna show you my appreciation or whatever.
01:01:17.760 --> 01:01:19.440
And right, that's the word I'm gonna choose.
01:01:19.679 --> 01:01:22.719
And we're we're raised, we were raised, especially in our time.
01:01:23.440 --> 01:01:26.480
We were raised with such like emotions.
01:01:26.639 --> 01:01:27.119
Oh, yeah.
01:01:27.360 --> 01:01:28.400
No, what?
01:01:28.960 --> 01:01:34.079
No, no, the only emotion that you can show and it's okay, is anger.
01:01:34.159 --> 01:01:34.400
Yeah.
01:01:34.559 --> 01:01:34.800
Right?
01:01:34.960 --> 01:01:38.880
It's just like I could just, yeah, that's all we could do is just be angry.
01:01:39.119 --> 01:01:39.920
That's it.
01:01:40.239 --> 01:01:43.199
But I I think it I think it's get it's more acceptable now, you know.
01:01:43.280 --> 01:01:50.000
I think we're getting more open to the point where like, hey, it's okay for men to say this, say certain things, or act a certain way, whatever.
01:01:50.239 --> 01:01:52.960
Um, I think we're just kind of in a different, a different era now.
01:01:53.119 --> 01:01:59.519
Now that we're older, it's kind of like, okay, I'm I'm I'm secured myself to be able to say stuff like that.
01:01:59.840 --> 01:01:59.920
Right.
01:02:00.079 --> 01:02:01.039
I don't care what people think.
01:02:01.199 --> 01:02:01.360
Right.
01:02:01.599 --> 01:02:02.400
Whatever, man.
01:02:02.480 --> 01:02:02.639
Right.
01:02:02.800 --> 01:02:03.840
Yeah, I'm gonna say it.
01:02:04.000 --> 01:02:04.719
All right, man.
01:02:04.800 --> 01:02:08.320
Um, now let's talk a little bit about the self-empowerment before we let you go here.
01:02:08.480 --> 01:02:09.840
Um, what does that mean to you?
01:02:10.079 --> 01:02:13.280
Is it kind of like taking control of yourself or again of your life or what?
01:02:13.440 --> 01:02:14.159
What's that?
01:02:14.480 --> 01:02:15.920
Like self-control self-empowerment.
01:02:16.000 --> 01:02:16.639
What does that mean to you?
01:02:16.800 --> 01:02:17.519
Self-empowerment.
01:02:17.599 --> 01:02:24.639
Yeah, you know, so what I can just what I want to start off with is really my experience.
01:02:24.719 --> 01:02:25.360
Yeah.
01:02:25.679 --> 01:02:32.960
So uh bringing uh Camping to Connect back into it, yeah, is kind of all of that segues into it.
01:02:33.199 --> 01:02:39.280
So, you know, I uh through meditation, I got that freedom to just love and be judgment free.
01:02:39.360 --> 01:02:39.840
Yep.
01:02:40.400 --> 01:02:48.400
And um, you know, and and then um and and very importantly be vulnerable, yeah.
01:02:48.719 --> 01:02:53.920
And then uh tying in also my love for the outdoors.
01:02:54.559 --> 01:03:10.000
And so I really came uh across that with camping to connect, started volunteering with them, and so it's very interesting how you know with all of that, it just the the dots connect.
01:03:10.079 --> 01:03:10.239
Yeah.
01:03:10.400 --> 01:03:18.719
And so I went to camping to connect thinking, okay, I can hike into I can like I can go hiking and like oh teach them kids to go hiking.
01:03:18.960 --> 01:03:19.920
So what is camping to connect?
01:03:20.000 --> 01:03:21.119
Feed on my train real quick before.
01:03:21.360 --> 01:03:21.760
Oh, yeah, yeah.
01:03:21.920 --> 01:03:22.559
Yeah, what is that?
01:03:22.880 --> 01:03:28.960
So Camping to Connect is what it is, it is a nonprofit.
01:03:29.119 --> 01:03:29.280
Okay.
01:03:29.760 --> 01:03:31.840
That's they started out in New York.
01:03:32.159 --> 01:03:32.400
Okay.
01:03:32.880 --> 01:03:35.519
And then they have expanded to Colorado.
01:03:35.840 --> 01:03:36.880
Colorado, yes.
01:03:37.119 --> 01:03:37.679
Yeah.
01:03:38.000 --> 01:03:44.000
And then they're now piloting an expansion into Los Angeles area.
01:03:44.320 --> 01:03:45.280
And that's where you're at, of course.
01:03:45.360 --> 01:03:45.519
Yeah.
01:03:45.760 --> 01:03:46.320
LA area.
01:03:46.639 --> 01:03:47.280
LA area.
01:03:47.519 --> 01:03:51.679
So um, so I'm yeah, helping them, helping them out with that currently.
01:03:52.000 --> 01:03:53.679
And can we find this on the website?
01:03:53.760 --> 01:03:59.920
If I if I could can I drop a link uh for people that might be interested in it if they're in the if you're in the LA area, right?
01:04:00.079 --> 01:04:01.519
If you're in Colorado, if you're in New York.
01:04:01.760 --> 01:04:01.920
Yeah.
01:04:02.239 --> 01:04:02.800
Okay, perfect.
01:04:02.880 --> 01:04:03.280
Good go ahead.
01:04:03.360 --> 01:04:03.599
I'm sorry.
01:04:03.760 --> 01:04:05.039
Yeah, it's campaignconnect.com.
01:04:06.719 --> 01:04:32.400
And um, so yeah, and what what they do is their their goal is to provide a a kind of provide a space for young men of color to learn self self-empowerment, brotherhood, yeah, vulnerability, yeah, and and and really find community.
01:04:32.639 --> 01:04:39.360
And so what I was getting to is I went to them with like, all right, you know, I go, yeah, I do backpacking.
01:04:39.440 --> 01:04:39.599
Yeah.
01:04:39.760 --> 01:04:45.119
I go on outdoors, I've done, you know, 10 days out in Sequoia National Park, da-da-da-da-da.
01:04:45.679 --> 01:04:49.440
And then yeah, they were like, all right, yeah, all right, that's cool.
01:04:49.760 --> 01:04:55.199
But what we do is we don't, you know, we don't connect to go camping.
01:04:55.440 --> 01:04:57.039
We go camping to connect.
01:04:57.199 --> 01:05:03.039
So we got it, we show them how to connect out in nature.
01:05:03.280 --> 01:05:03.599
Okay.
01:05:03.760 --> 01:05:08.239
So you take take these young men from urban areas.
01:05:08.480 --> 01:05:08.719
Yep.
01:05:09.519 --> 01:05:12.320
Some of them have just never even been camping before.
01:05:12.480 --> 01:05:20.320
Some of them, you know, just never just seen, you know, had no experience with camping, a tent or anything.
01:05:20.639 --> 01:05:28.079
And, you know, you you take them out there and it's you know, you're out there in nature, those healing things we talked about.
01:05:28.400 --> 01:05:31.039
I think that's the best environment to be in for that type of environment.
01:05:31.119 --> 01:05:31.519
Yeah.
01:05:31.679 --> 01:05:40.639
And then we lead them to through some programming that really helps them, you know, really shows them the power of vulnerability, yeah.
01:05:40.880 --> 01:05:56.639
How to, you know, the the power of of of of really claiming themselves and empowering themselves to to really, you know, really be vulnerable and connect with that.
01:05:56.800 --> 01:05:57.360
And that's good, man.
01:05:57.440 --> 01:05:58.159
Be vulnerable, man.
01:05:58.239 --> 01:05:59.039
Sometimes you have to.
01:05:59.280 --> 01:05:59.440
Yeah.
01:05:59.599 --> 01:06:03.760
Um That way you can work on whatever it is that you're working that you have to work on.
01:06:03.920 --> 01:06:04.159
Right.
01:06:04.239 --> 01:06:07.039
Uh, and that's a step towards that, just being vulnerable.
01:06:07.280 --> 01:06:07.440
Right.
01:06:07.519 --> 01:06:09.199
And it's it's it's amazing.
01:06:09.360 --> 01:06:12.639
It's amazing what what you know what what happens out there.
01:06:12.800 --> 01:06:14.159
You just see this transformation.
01:06:14.239 --> 01:06:22.719
Like there's like it really takes one day for everyone to get acclimated, but then by you know, by the second day, it's just boom.
01:06:24.000 --> 01:06:24.559
Yeah, that's awesome.
01:06:24.719 --> 01:06:24.960
Yeah.
01:06:27.679 --> 01:06:28.559
Nice, yeah.
01:06:28.880 --> 01:06:30.079
Wow, that's awesome.
01:06:30.320 --> 01:06:31.840
I appreciate you sharing, man.
01:06:32.000 --> 01:06:34.639
Um, do you have time for a quick rapid fire?
01:06:35.039 --> 01:06:36.239
A little rapid fire session.
01:06:36.719 --> 01:06:37.519
Rapid fire, sure.
01:06:37.840 --> 01:06:41.199
Questions your way, you just answer your first thoughts on it.
01:06:41.280 --> 01:06:42.559
I'm gonna give you some options here.
01:06:42.639 --> 01:06:44.079
You the first thing that comes to your mind, okay?
01:06:44.159 --> 01:06:45.199
Or you just choose which one.
01:06:45.360 --> 01:06:45.519
Okay.
01:06:45.599 --> 01:06:46.239
All right, here we go.
01:06:46.320 --> 01:06:47.679
Beach or mountains.
01:06:50.639 --> 01:06:51.119
Tough one.
01:06:51.760 --> 01:06:52.880
That's a tough one.
01:06:53.280 --> 01:06:54.480
Beach and mountains?
01:06:54.639 --> 01:06:54.960
Okay.
01:06:55.039 --> 01:06:55.440
Well, okay.
01:06:55.519 --> 01:06:56.880
If you want to pick both, cool.
01:06:58.079 --> 01:06:58.400
All right.
01:06:58.559 --> 01:07:00.639
Chicago pizza or California tacos?
01:07:01.440 --> 01:07:03.039
Oh, man.
01:07:04.159 --> 01:07:04.800
I know, man.
01:07:05.440 --> 01:07:06.719
You divided me down to middle.
01:07:06.880 --> 01:07:07.679
I have to, man.
01:07:07.920 --> 01:07:08.800
I have to.
01:07:09.360 --> 01:07:11.440
Um, man.
01:07:13.199 --> 01:07:13.599
Jeez.
01:07:14.559 --> 01:07:16.239
Man, I'd want to say both.
01:07:16.559 --> 01:07:16.719
Both.
01:07:16.960 --> 01:07:17.119
Yeah.
01:07:17.360 --> 01:07:18.480
Really lean into tacos.
01:07:18.719 --> 01:07:19.840
Okay, thank you.
01:07:20.719 --> 01:07:21.679
I love my tacos.
01:07:22.079 --> 01:07:24.320
Okay, sunrise or sunset?
01:07:25.039 --> 01:07:25.760
Sunrise.
01:07:26.000 --> 01:07:26.320
Okay.
01:07:26.559 --> 01:07:28.239
Meditation or margaritas?
01:07:28.719 --> 01:07:29.199
Meditation.
01:07:29.519 --> 01:07:29.840
Okay.
01:07:30.079 --> 01:07:32.320
Favorite place to escape to.
01:07:33.440 --> 01:07:36.960
Oh, in in favorite place to escape to?
01:07:37.199 --> 01:07:39.280
Um, within myself.
01:07:39.519 --> 01:07:39.920
Yeah.
01:07:40.159 --> 01:07:40.480
Okay.
01:07:41.199 --> 01:07:41.840
All right.
01:07:42.239 --> 01:07:45.360
Uh, one thing everyone should do at least once a day.
01:07:45.519 --> 01:07:47.039
Or at least, you know, once.
01:07:47.440 --> 01:07:48.159
Go outside.
01:07:48.320 --> 01:07:48.800
Okay, go out.
01:07:49.039 --> 01:07:50.079
Yeah, you mentioned that earlier.
01:07:50.159 --> 01:07:50.480
Yeah.
01:07:50.639 --> 01:07:51.119
Awesome.
01:07:51.280 --> 01:07:52.239
Great advice.
01:07:52.480 --> 01:07:56.559
Uh one habit that has genuinely improved your life.
01:07:58.719 --> 01:08:00.000
I'm gonna say meditation.
01:08:00.159 --> 01:08:00.639
Yeah, man.
01:08:01.519 --> 01:08:02.639
Like kind of obvious, right?
01:08:04.000 --> 01:08:04.079
Yeah.
01:08:04.239 --> 01:08:05.199
Yeah, no, that's perfect, though.
01:08:05.280 --> 01:08:06.239
This is what it's about.
01:08:06.400 --> 01:08:09.440
Uh, one habit you know you should quit, maybe.
01:08:10.079 --> 01:08:10.400
Oh.
01:08:14.800 --> 01:08:17.760
Blur um yeah.
01:08:18.319 --> 01:08:20.800
Blurting, blurting, talking without thinking.
01:08:21.039 --> 01:08:21.359
Okay.
01:08:21.760 --> 01:08:25.520
Just spatting out information without even thinking about it.
01:08:25.680 --> 01:08:25.840
Okay.
01:08:26.159 --> 01:08:29.760
If you could spend an entire day anywhere in the world, where would that be?
01:08:31.760 --> 01:08:32.079
Man.
01:08:32.960 --> 01:08:33.760
That's a tough one, huh?
01:08:34.000 --> 01:08:34.800
That's a tough one.
01:08:35.520 --> 01:08:37.600
Of course, with your wife, with your wife somewhere, obviously.
01:08:37.840 --> 01:08:41.279
Well, you know, yeah, yeah, with my wife, but anywhere in the world.
01:08:41.520 --> 01:08:41.760
Okay.
01:08:41.920 --> 01:08:45.359
You know, I would you know, I'd love to see anywhere in the world.
01:08:45.760 --> 01:08:46.720
All right, last question here.
01:08:46.880 --> 01:08:47.119
All right.
01:08:47.520 --> 01:08:50.479
What instantly puts you in a better mood?
01:08:52.640 --> 01:08:55.199
Um breathing.
01:08:55.680 --> 01:08:56.239
Breathing.
01:08:56.800 --> 01:08:57.760
Breath work, yeah.
01:08:57.920 --> 01:08:58.239
Okay.
01:08:59.039 --> 01:08:59.680
We need it.
01:08:59.840 --> 01:09:00.640
We all need that.
01:09:00.800 --> 01:09:01.039
Yeah.
01:09:01.199 --> 01:09:03.199
Because we all get sometimes we get flustered.
01:09:03.439 --> 01:09:08.960
The day-to-day, the grind, we need to kind of step back every now and then and just kind of breathe, right?
01:09:09.119 --> 01:09:09.840
Right, right.
01:09:10.079 --> 01:09:10.479
All right.
01:09:10.560 --> 01:09:16.880
Um, any last words for anybody out there listening about meditation or anything you talked about today?
01:09:17.600 --> 01:09:25.439
Um I would just say that, yeah, man, it's it's it's all it's all an adventure.
01:09:25.840 --> 01:09:32.159
So just uh, you know, look forward to look forward to the unknown.
01:09:32.319 --> 01:09:32.560
Okay.
01:09:32.800 --> 01:09:33.920
Because it's all opportunity.
01:09:34.000 --> 01:09:43.039
Yeah, and before I let you go, we got we gotta do a collaboration of uh let's kind of relive when we were back when we were kids making those little films.
01:09:43.680 --> 01:09:47.279
So now that we're adults, why can't we do a production?
01:09:48.399 --> 01:09:54.560
Let's uh let's relive some of those moments and and bring back the camp quarters or or whatever, you know.
01:09:54.640 --> 01:09:59.520
Let's let's just uh yeah, we had some good times as kids, man, just making up these little movies and whatever, Chris.
01:09:59.840 --> 01:10:04.800
But uh yeah, man, thank you once again, Warren, for for making the drive out here.
01:10:04.960 --> 01:10:08.319
Tomorrow we're gonna hang out, we're gonna probably have a pool day.
01:10:08.640 --> 01:10:10.640
So it's gonna be a nice day tomorrow.
01:10:10.800 --> 01:10:13.039
We're gonna try to enjoy it as much as possible.
01:10:13.279 --> 01:10:15.840
Um, yeah, so thanks for for making the drive out here.
01:10:15.920 --> 01:10:16.720
It's good seeing you.
01:10:16.800 --> 01:10:18.399
Yeah, good seeing my cousin.
01:10:18.560 --> 01:10:20.319
Um, and I appreciate it, man.
01:10:20.399 --> 01:10:22.239
And uh thank once again, thanks for sharing.
01:10:22.319 --> 01:10:30.399
I know it's hard for some people to come out and you know be a little vulnerable and and share their experiences or or or whatever their their thoughts are.
01:10:30.880 --> 01:10:32.640
So thank you, kudos for that.
01:10:32.800 --> 01:10:35.119
Um, everybody for for listening.
01:10:35.199 --> 01:10:36.159
Thanks again.
01:10:36.319 --> 01:10:39.680
Uh, and we will catch you on the next episode.
01:10:43.520 --> 01:10:48.960
If you're enjoying the podcast and want to help support future episodes, you can check out the link in the show notes.
01:10:49.119 --> 01:10:52.880
Your support helps keep the podcast going, and it's greatly appreciated.
01:10:53.119 --> 01:10:56.159
Also, please leave a review and share with friends.
01:10:56.479 --> 01:11:00.079
That's Sergio says it straight, where the truth comes out.
01:11:00.239 --> 01:11:03.760
Whether we planned it or not, catch you next time.