Shaun Newman Podcast - #976 - 2025 Year in Review

Episode Date: December 31, 2025

Ken Rutherford hops on to discuss all things 2025 and the SNP. Top 10 episodes, highs/lows of the year and questions from all of you. Tickets to Cornerstone Forum 26’: https://www.showpass.com/cornerstone26/Tickets to the Mashspiel:https://www.showpass.com/mashspiel/Silver Gold Bull Links:Website: https://silvergoldbull.ca/Email: [e-mail] Grahame: [phone]Bow Valley Credit UnionBitcoin: www.bowvalleycu.com/en/personal/investing-wealth/bitcoin-gatewayEmail: [e-mail] Prophet River Links:Website: store.prophetriver.com/Email: [e-mail] the code “SNP” on all ordersGet your voice heard: Text Shaun 587-217-8500

Welcome to the Sean Newman podcast. Today, I am joined by Kenny Rutherford, guest number one of the show if you go way back in the time machine. And we are doing the year and review for a year two. It doesn't feel that long ago, Kenny, we were sitting here. Not here. We were sitting in Lloyd doing the first one. It was kind of like a, not a dumb idea.

It was just kind of like one of them spur of the moments. Like, there's a year in review. And then I started thinking about who I'd want to do it with. and I'm like, well, I need somebody to ask me questions and somebody who's maybe hosted a show before and, you know, your name came up and I was like, that makes complete sense. He was guest one.

He might as well, you know, do the year in review. And I think when this finally comes out on December 31st, it will be episode 976, I believe, is what the year and review comes out this year. So thanks for hopping back in with me to do another one of these, I don't know, let's take a look back and see what the podcast did in a year. Yeah, well, thanks for having me, Sean. It was, it was, well, you and I both listened to it from last year. In some ways, a year felt like it went by

in a month, but when you, it also felt like a long time ago, man, the world's covered a lot of ground. Our lives have covered a lot of ground in 12 months. You know, when we were talking, it was like Chinese spy balloons and. Well, and we were talking about the federal election. And at that, and at the time, I was like, oh, Pierre is winning. Slam dunk. Right? And this can't be screwed up. up and then of course carny comes in and then you're like oh what elbows up everything and you know like that hasn't been the world that it wasn't the world i was completely wrong in my my thought of where we're heading and um now here we sit right so it it has been you know in a lot of senses

a dark year but on on other senses it's been a great year and so that's why we do these and uh you know we joked about it halfway through the last one like what i was saying oh we're doing a second one and you're going to do this annual with me. And it's funny when we get closer to Christmas, I'm doing, I haven't recorded it as of recording this, but I get to do Christmas Day with Tanner in a day. I think that'll be our third year in a row doing that. And this has just become another one of the annual things

that I look forward to at Christmas time. There's lots to look forward to at Christmas. And this is just one of those fun ones that I look forward to. And I'm happy that you enjoyed it well enough to come back on and do it with me. Well, thanks. Thanks for doing that. Thanks for doing this, Sean. having me out. And now, you know, we talked. And every year it gets more because you've just done

so much thinking and so much talking and so much discussion that when I was listening to my comments from last year where you've become an interesting person of your own because of all those conversations. I don't know about that. My wife would argue with John. I think I made a comment of, you know, you'd say you have a degree or maybe even into a master's degree. Well, you've had another year and another how many conversations on the year well i was i was doing the math so it was um on uh if i did five um no sorry four standalone podcasts a week i should come out at um 200 and eight and i did 204 so when i talk about consistency and being one of the driving forces of the podcast i was pretty close and the four i missed was july i took uh the month of july off and there would have been a

few more missed there and there would have been a couple added in because I had a couple weeks where I published five on a, you know, an extra one on Friday. And so, you know, when you look at success, you know, I don't know what the percentage is of 204 at a 208, but it's, it's awfully high. And those are recorded conversations. Yeah. And so you have other conversations outside of that, other books you read, other people you reach out to. And then also, you know, you and I talk almost every morning. And I always, well, I admire you for so many reasons. But one is it's like, Ken, I've got 10 minutes because then I have to get through this book or get through this article because I'm interviewing somebody in an hour and a half and I have to finish their book

or their article or an interview that they just had that came out two days ago. I have to make sure I'm up on this. And so you're doing a lot of research for all of these conversations. Well, Dallas Brody was the most recent one. People heard that conversation. And I still hadn't watched making a killing. And I'm like, well, I better go watch it. I mean, it only got released. You know, I was feeling bad for my, oh, why haven't you watched this? I'm like, wait a second, it's been 11 days or whatever it had been since they've released it. I'm like, don't beat yourself up too much. It actually just came out.

And then she'd already done an interview, too, that had gotten sent to me. And I was like, okay, I got three hours of I got to get through this so I can actually speak coherently to Dallas Brody about what is actually happening with 1BC. And not every guest is like that, but certainly, yeah, there's a lot that goes in behind the scenes. you would probably know more so than the most that, you know, people send me stuff all the time. And I'm like, oh, my, how am I going to, you send me stuff all the time. Jamie Sinclair, I know you're listening to this, sends me stuff all the time. And I appreciate it. It's trying to find the time to actually get through some of the stuff and whether or not it's useful to the week's work ahead, you know.

And there's lots of, lots of stuff going on in the world, as we both know. Well, Sean and I The listeners will figure this out As we've kind of talk about Well, what are we going to talk about? A year in review. What do we start with something like this? What was a sort of personal?

What was a high in just your personal life From this last year, Sean? Well, just to go back a year to start that, you asked me roughly the same thing a year ago And I talked about Taking my wife to Lake Louise for a weekend. trip couples retreat and being like pretty nervous about that and that was one of the most important that was the most important thing we celebrated 10 years in 2024 and 11th year here in 2025 and one of the

big things I did this year is I stopped drinking for a year and I want to make this clear because I do not like lying to my audience it bugs me because I want them to know I had a caveat and the caveat was that I would drink if my wife was like I want to have a drink with you So I didn't drink all year minus, I believe, like six times. Like on our anniversary, we had, we went for a hike, like a long hike. Everybody can have a chuckle about this because Sean hasn't been drinking now. This is August. We go for a long hike and it's hot.

And we're in Wisconsin and we go for lunch and she goes, do you want to have a drink? And I said, do you want to have a drink? She's like, yeah, I think I'd like to have a drink. So we had one drink on the balcony of a restaurant and we had to go walk it off because we were both tipsy. And I was like, you know, coming from a guy You used to be able to, you know, I don't know, you know, I sat in here the other night with the military boys And I would have been there with them had, you know, five or six and felt pretty good I had one drink in the afternoon now. Was I dehydrated all the things? Sure

And we were giggling like two little high school kids walking around One of the small towns of Wisconsin because Neither, like Mel, the reason I made the caveat She'd asked and Mel drinks less than anyone I've ever known that comes from my circles, right? I come from a hockey circle where you drink every weekend. Mel's always had the ability to say no to anyone.

So when I told her I was going to do it, she's like, she surprised me about because she's like, you're not going to drink at all. I'm like, I thought you'd be happy about this. She's like, well, what if I want to have a drink with you? I'm like, well, okay, well, then I will have a drink with you, but I'm not going to do it unless you want to do it unless you want to do it because I'm not forcing you to drink every time I want to have a drink.

So it took until the summertime. I went about, well, basically eight months straight with nothing. And then on her anniversary, celebrating 11 years, I can't even remember. It was like some daquery or something on the, you know, on a hot sunny day. And, yeah, anyways. So just to be, you know this as much as I think my audience does. I don't like misconstrueing what I'm doing. So I stopped drinking this year.

And I just wouldn't say, that I went the full year without drinking because there's been a couple of times where I've had a beverage with my wife. It's one of the things Tyler Tote talked about, and I nodded because I was like, I fully agree with what you're talking about. I just really enjoy it,

and my wife doesn't drink at all. She hardly drinks ever. And just cutting that out has been, well, you know this as well, letting the audience in, I called Kenny, Was it four months in? Five months in?

Yeah, four or five months in. Yeah, that sounds about right. I can't remember if it was Cornerstone Forum or just before that. And you were asked me how it was going, ah, yeah, it's going okay. I just, you know, I'm going to be honest. I'll probably, you know, when I get to the year, I'll probably just have a drink. Like, I'm not that worried about it or whatever. And then you asked me a question that was basically,

how is drinking, stopping drinking, change your life? And my answer before I could even think about it was, well, it's been the best thing I've ever done. And you're like, well, why would you have a drink then when it's all over? And I'm like, huh. Yeah, because what I remember you saying was, you know, I'm glad I'm taking some time off drinking. But I don't know if I'm ready to be done drinking because I still want to have a scotch with my brother. That's right. I don't have a scotch with the book club.

I still want to be able to have a cold beer after a hockey. And I remember listening to you sick. And it was like your brain was focusing, which we all do, right? Your brain seemed to be focusing on the plot. of drinking. And from the outside looking in as a friend of yours, I watched giant bars of gold of value being handed into your life from not drinking, not waking up, hungover, time with your family, right? You know, producing more, dreaming more. And then I hear you talking about getting, you know, a couple loonies flipped your way of, but I think once in my life I'd still like to be

able to have a scotch with my brothers. Well, that's fine too, but look at what you've got from not drinking and look what you get from drinking it looks i'm failing to see the the motivation to drink again and you know they say um you are the average of your five closest friends and i think because we were in the book club together you know we we we were in the hockey world together and i've kind of been moving together which is supportive of the five closest friends theory that i decided i was going to cut back drastically on drinking as well And I've got a question for you on this. It's because I've most a lot of good things coming to my life.

But there was twice this year, not that it was a terrible time, but where I had more than two, you know, where I would have been over the limit of driving, to be legal to drive. And like you, I've become much more spiritual. And I find that when I wasn't drinking, I'm sleeping right and I'm eating right. I didn't realize that I'm much more connected spiritually.

I wish I could say all the time, but often. And I found those two days that I had more than my two is it was like a cord was cut. It was like I lost my spiritual connection. It was a really hollow, empty feeling. Now you haven't gone back to drinking. So I guess you can't ask that. But do you find your spiritual connectedness is correlated with your decrease in drinking? I don't know how to answer, actually.

you know we're sitting in a new studio and I don't know if I've ever told the story of like how it comes to be because you're talking about like how do you connect to God and I'm like I wish I could tell you it's you know you have one plus one or you press this button and you do that and all of a sudden boom you're in there and I've heard lots of people talk about it

but I don't know I pray every morning and I do my best to read Proverbs for sure every morning or as close to it as I can get. And to me, that is, that's how I connect. It's, it's, lots of different people talk about it. I was reading, one of the books we read in the book club was Tools of Titans. And I went back looking through that for a morning routine just to see what other, you know, very successful people did in their mornings.

And one of the things you see is, you know, some meditate, some do, uh, just a quiet time and they write, they do different things like that. And I'm like, oh, I already do that. and I've like I just people call it grounding I just find it gives me a level of peace that I cannot control what Mark Carney does or what happens in you know the BC legislature or what it goes on over here I can control what I can control and I fully believe that God has control this entire bloody thing and he's been driving it and so the reason I bring up the new studio is it's last October and I had tried to will my way to a new studio I had I had many of the blue color guys

they know who they are they came out they looked at a couple different spots I'd had a bunch of people come look at it you know and it was just and it always felt like it had this force pushing against it like this isn't going to work and I try and make it work and I try and ignore facts and it just didn't work and I was telling Jamie Sinclair when he was in here you know I've had the premier in the studio in Lloyd. I've had country music artists. I've had all these different people. Not one person's ever complained about sound quality.

Full stuff. It doesn't matter if somebody's taking a leak, walking down the hall. Nobody's ever said, you know, your sound quality sucks in here. It needs to get better. And watch Jamie Sinclair. He'd been in the studio a handful of times by that time. And at the end of it, he goes, you know, you need really neat.

Where's that new studio at? I'm like, what? He's like, your sound quality sucks. I'm like, who are you? You know, like, and Jamie, I have full time for you. You know that. We were just talking a day. I'm just like, surprised that it's Jamie Sinclair.

So then, you know, he's like, you know, you want to go for lunch and a beer? And I'm like, yeah, sure. And so Jamie's thing is he doesn't like to sit. He likes to go stand at the bar. So we go into OJ's. We stand at the bar. And he's talking to me about this. And I'm like, yeah, I know.

And I've been trying. And we're sitting there and we're having a beer. And him walks John's Hagel. And I go, that's kind of funny. And so I invite Jonas Haggle over. And Jonas and Jamie start talking. And out of the conversation comes this spot. Well, that's where it came from.

And I look at Jonas and I'm like, wait a second. Could I come take a look at that? And, you know, like immediately, I just had one of those moments where I'm like, oh my goodness, this isn't, like I had no hand in figuring this out whatsoever. And then to just add to it. So I went and prayed about it. And I, you know, like, man, you've got an interesting way of doing things. You know, like, it's just cool when you can see it. So then I come out and I look at the A-frame, which nobody's really seen yet since past.

And the story I always tell about Reg is at the beginning of COVID, I had a couple of calls that were very difficult. and the guy who always bright in my day was Reg Hagel. He'd call me out of the blue and just say what you're doing is amazing. Just keep going. I'd be like, Reg, I haven't talked to you in like five years. And then he'd just call you out of the blue. And then, you know, who's on the bus to Tucker Carlson? Reggie Hagel just dancing around, having a great time going with us when Tucker came to Rogers' place and we took the bus there.

And of course, Reg is there. Every single show I did, every single one. Reg was there. He never missed one. And Reg, and then this. HAYGO family, they're all, I've described a lot of us this way, is quirky, good quirky. They're artists, they're alive, they're thinkers, and they've been on the same side of this, this freedom side, I think, is the whole family. And so the Hagle family, you know, from top to

bottom is, well, I've already said it, freedom people. And Jonas has this part. And in this yard site is an old A-frame and an old shop that debatable, whether it should have been burnt down or turned in something, but it had a cool feel to it. So now you take it away. So Jonas says you should come out and take a look. So I go take a look at the A-frame, and I quickly realize it's just not suited for a studio.

I'm like, this is, you know, like I'm trying, once again, I'm like, this isn't it. So I'm actually praying about it. I'm like, this just isn't it. Like, I can't do what I want to do in this spot. Like it doesn't work. and if I bring in my oldest brother, he goes, why don't you look at that building?

What's what's wrong with that building? I look at it. I'm like, that building? This one? So it's Jason? Yeah. Oh, interesting. And so we came and looked at it.

And I'm like, you know, okay, maybe, you know, like Stu Lake came and looked at it. I had a bunch of people come look at it because I'm like, this is a terrible idea. Tell me right now. But the thing I've been praying about is I had a lot of time to think on what I wanted out of a studio, a new one, I was going to design in the dimensions specifically Kenny and I said okay my current studio is a

12 by 12 room and I want 24 feet I want it double the length and I remember specifically going I want it 12 feet wide no no let's go an extra two feet I want it 14 feet wide and so when I measured this place I was laughing because it was 24 feet by 16 wide and I thought well that's pretty darn close but you know what the the width of it is now after we framed it in 14 feet wide and i just chuckle about it because i'm like you know i had there are times where i'm like this is a terrible idea but then i go but who put you here wasn't me it certainly wasn't me and so um when you talk about the drinking and connecting uh you know i i know drinking can throw a lot of things out of whack but at that time it was you know

I was having a sociable beer with Sinclair that actually put me in the position of where you know so I don't know how to everybody I feel like is different now in saying that you know the Bible talks about not drinking excess that Proverbs talk specifically about beer and wine

and what they're and who should have it you know and so I can see how you could make that conclusion for sure so When we started, we were talking about highs in, of your year. So what I've got out of that was the no drinking, the podcast studio, obviously, coming together. Any other things you'd say these are highs of the year? Well, if you're going back to the podcast, the Cornerstone Forum, we took it to Calgary.

And I think I've told this a few times. But, you know, Silver Gold Bowl and Bow Valley Credit Union, specifically Brett Oland and Nick Morianos, who've both been guests on the show now. After they came to Lloyd's, they're like, this needs to come to Calgary. And I must have told them no, four or five times. No, I'm not doing it. Like, you're a year or two faster in me. I'm not taking it. That's way too much stress.

I'd done an event in Eminton back in 2023, if memory serves me, correct. Byron Christopher and then Chris Sims and Kit Carson and Wayne Peters. And that took, that probably gave me more gray hairs than I had. Oh, that was the church. Yeah, it was a beautiful spot. So, would that be Cornerstone 1? No, well, no, that was SMP Presents, and I just had different themes every time. So you fast forward, Cornerstone 1 was in Lloyd Minster in 2023.

With Andre and Danes. 2024. No, that was just an SMP. Cornerstone number one was in Lloyd in 24 with Curtis Stone and Tom Longo and Alex Craneer. I had, I think, six guys speak. And the idea was a dark, more. morning and a and then solution afternoon and it didn't work out exactly what like you know it wasn't a perfect success i learned a lot off that and both brett and nick told me you got to

bring it to calgary i'm not coming i'm not coming and for reasons i've just said and they convinced me to go to calgary so i went to calgary and sat with them and we took it to calgary against all my misgivings and they they just were like this needs to come to calgary this needs to come to how there. And so when we did it in the wind sport, Nick was there when I picked the venue. And he was laughing at me because I walked in the wind sport. And I'm like, this is it. He's like, this is it? You want to do it in a rink? I'm like, yeah, I want to do it in rink. This is, this is something. And that was the first time I started to understand what I was building. And I didn't, I'd never grasp it. I come home after the Cornerstone Forum. Mel's with me.

We go up to the room and we're just sitting there. And, you know, I'm just decompressing because it's a lot in a day. And she's asking me about it. You know, and when did you think? I'm like, I'm just struggling with how many people shook my hand profusely in the best possible way. I just don't understand what they're shaking my hand for. I don't know what I've done. Actually, I just put together a group of speakers and, you know, and I think I run a professional show and I just don't get it.

And it was the next morning, I went down for breakfast, because I still didn't understand. I was sitting in the breakfast room and all the people that had come to the show were in there. And they were hopping from table to table, talking with everybody. It was just like almost kumbaya. And I'm like, oh, my goodness, I'm building community. That's all it is. I looked around. I'm like, oh, you can buy a ticket.

Where can you ever buy a ticket, Kenny, and go to some show where you know nobody and leave with 10 new friends? I don't know if I've ever Like have you Like maybe in the middle of COVID You go into a hall And you leave with a couple of friends But like other than that I don't know of where you go out

Unless you know a bunch of people You can literally sit at any table In the Cornerstone Forum I would almost I would probably bet money on it And come out with somebody They're like that was an interesting person Everybody says that

And I witnessed it the next morning And I'm like oh this is what it is It's pulling together the community Once a year and they all talk about wanting to stay connected. And I'm getting text right now from people that are coming to the next one saying, I've been talking to these people all year long

and we're excited to see each other again and everybody's excited. And I'm like, oh, I'm like, I just didn't realize. I'm wondering, I'm guessing a lot of people, as we learned through COVID, you thought you were all alone, right? 100%. And you find out that while you were, there's a lot of people walking the same path that you were.

and you just had to find them. And if you didn't come to Sean's Cornerstone Forum, I'll tell you my personal experience and why I really encourage you to come is I was very outgoing prior to COVID, very social, very involved in the community. And COVID, whatever, hit me upside the head with it, like a two by four.

And I really questioned a lot. And people I thought I could trust, the people that I thought were good and systems. I mean, we don't have to rehash the COVID thing. but since then I would say I've went from being extremely extroverted to extremely introverted and I'm very private you know you'd ask me to come on a couple times earlier this year and I just I just want to keep my business my business and keep my friend list very short you know I'm very careful about who comes into our home and I'm very comfortable sitting at the arena all by

myself and while I made those decisions on purpose it also feels good to social socialize, but who do you socialize with when there's so few that are awake or aware or care or understand or alert? And so every year when you say, you should come. I'm like, I don't know if I'm ready to be out with people, you know? And you've done this to me a few times and I owe you many thank yous. But I'm like, I got to support Sean. So I'm going to come. We'll find a way. I'll figure out how to be an extrovert again for a day. And I'm guessing we all feel the same. And all of a sudden you get in there, there's an energy, there's a vibe. And you sit down at a table and you're like, oh, everybody's been kind of pre-filtered here. So we're all good. So nobody's

going to judge anybody? Nobody's going to be mad. Oh, well, I'm Ken. This is my wife, Jennifer. And you want to have lunch together? You know, and there's such a, I'm smiling as I'm talking about, I can't wait for the cornerstone forum again. So if you're, if you feel like, like I'm describing it all, challenge yourself to come out and socialize with this group of people. There's an energy in the place. And if there's bad people there, which of course, there probably is, but they're pretty rare. Seems we have a pretty good collection. Now, Sean, your Cornerstone Forum.

What are the dates for this year again? March 28th is the Cornerstone Forum. It's at the Calgary Weston Airport Hotel. So we moved it this year because we had three minor, but three complaints that were kind of consistent. Cold feet from the arena floor. Sound from not only the glass,

but the trade show. And then stairs. There was some people. that were just elderly, and we're struggling with the stairs going down into the bowl. And so we went and looked at the Weston, and what it does is it does more than that, because for me, one of the challenges that I struggle with is efficiency, picking people up from the airport, getting them 20 minutes away, and you know, and on and on. Calgary Weston Airport, if you're flying in, it's 24-7 shuttle to the hotel.

And once you're at the hotel, it's all there. and then it allowed us to do one other thing Friday night we have a social now so now there's I think there's as it sits right now I think you know once again this is recorded before December 31st we just passed 225 tickets sold 80 some of those actually I don't even know if that's correct anymore 80 some are coming to the Friday night social which is just in the hotel it's nothing crazy it's going to be just a room that people can come and meet other guests and it's just something to come in the night before but you can literally get a shuttle to and from the hotel You don't have to rent a car.

Once you're in the hotel, it is gorgeous. And then the conference hall is right in it. So you can walk right into it. It gets rid of the cold feet. It gets rid of, you know, it doesn't have glass or anything from a sound quality. And then the trade show is actually separated from the actual show. So if you want to go and have conversations, I'm all for it. But there will be a wall so it won't interrupt what's going on on stage.

And I think that'll be also a benefit to the show this year. Sure. Do you have a cellot number? 700. 700. Okay. Well, and we know some of your guests and Sean and I, you've shared with me a surprise guest who's confirmed, but we can't say the name. But there's a big name coming that will be named, I guess, when you're ready to name or this person is ready to name? No, well, we just got to finalize things. So like, I get really excited about it, but then I'm like, but I know how this goes. And so until it's like confirm, confirm, we're just going through. the hurdles. And the hurdles take time. And I'm hoping, honestly, I hope it's announced before

this episode comes out. But if it isn't, it's because there's hurdles going on, which means probably in January we're going to announce one. But the other names that are coming, Martin Armstrong is coming back, Tom Longo, Alex Kraner, Vince Lanchi, who had heart problems last year, but who all the guests went for supper the night after. And they were saying, well, what's the one guy that you would have here. And they all said Vince Lanchie. So, reached out to Vince, he's over the moon, he's coming. You know, you got Matt Erritt and Sam Cooper.

Sam Cooper's new. And I've been wanting to have a debate on China. I wanted it last year. Couldn't get Sam, and he said he'd come this year. And so I have Sam Cooper coming. And the whole goal, and Matt's game for it, I believe Sam's game for it, is they're going to have a debate. It's going to be the first debate at the Cornerstone Forum ever.

And it's going to be on China. because Matt Earp paints one version of China and Sam Cooper definitely paints a different version. I'm just like, well, let's put these two people on stage and let's just have it out in a respectful way, I assume, but you're going to have two very intellectual guys going back and forth about that. I'm always big on positivity.

Ever since Blaine Steffin's wife went to an event before the first Cornerstone Forum on a Friday night, she said, Blaine, I don't know. I'm sorry, folks, if Blaine, if I'm getting part of the story wrong but it was the gist of it was I don't know if I can sit through another day of like just hearing how bad the world is and she leaned over to them you know in the first 40 minutes of it and she's like this has a different vibe I'm glad I came I'm glad you brought me and so we always add in you know last year it was a solution in a world

full of problems. This year's is a path forward in a troubled world. And so Chad Prather is coming. He's a Texas comedian that I just, he has some succinct thoughts that I think will be very good. Karen Katowski is the one who talks about discussion and freedom is given to the people who have it, not to the ones they were most oppressed. I thought that was a very powerful thought. And so those two, and I'm waiting to announce the third one who will join them. And that roundtable is really, you know, last year it was Kaelin Ford. and Chase Barber and Rock Giltack talking about different things

that were happening in society. Right now, I think ideas and keeping a positive mindset are so important when you stare at Mark Carney being one away from a liberal majority and I agree with twos.

I assume that's coming in 2026 and it's like, what do they do? They pump you full of fear. They try and suck out all the things that make it look like anything is possible. I just don't, I know that's not true. and they can say whatever they want. So I always try and find a way

to inject a little bit of positivity into that. And Tom Bodrovix is back as a host. Tuse is going to be in a new role this year. He is going to be emceeing the day. So he's going to be introducing all the guests. I think so. Yeah. Of course you would.

Yeah, me and Tuse had a long shot about it. He always gives me a hard time. Oh, he didn't like my hosting ability on a round table. And I'll say it again on air now. It had nothing to do with that. one of the things that I did not realize about bringing in all the hosts is I thought I could put them with an A-list group, and boom, and it's just magic. But if there's no familiarity, then it has clunkiness.

And I'm like, oh, I guess I know all these people, so I should probably be hosting just a touch more. And I give a ton of credit to the Prairie Rising Forum for bringing me out. I tried doing the same thing, removing myself from hosting duties, and really just being a facilitator. And they said, Sean, we wanted you because we like what you do on stage. So you were going on stage. And I'm like, oh, oh, okay, sure. Yeah, all right. I'll do that.

And it kind of reminded me of like, I know all these people. I have an idea in my head. Nobody else can do what my idea is. Shout out to Chris Sims for pointing that out as well. And so I'm like, okay, I need to be on the charting a pathway forward in a troubled world. I need to be on the geopolitical roundtable. I think I'm probably going to have to navigate. the debate because it's my idea of these two people. I've interviewed them both several times now

and I just see their arguments and I'm like, well, I just want to see them collide. I just want to see what comes out of that. And is it a winner or a loser? I don't know. I just want people to have to think about China because we're told on one end they are literally the worst thing ever. Jamie Sinclair, I know you're your fist pumping because you're like they are. And then I'm told in a different realm by a lot of people I respect that they're not the culprit that, you know, the city of London and things like that are the actual culprit. Like, well, why don't we just have them face off? No, I agree with them.

Because you're now a professional communicator and you're in the know on all these topics and you, that's what you do for a living, is to bring the ideas and thoughts out of people. So it, to me, it'd be like having a hockey team and bringing Alexander Ovechkin and him saying, you know what, I'm not going to do any shooting today. I'll let other people do the shooting. It's like, no, Ovechkin, you are the shooter. I know, it just feels weird because, like, I don't think about. myself as a professional anything i still feel like the same kid who flipped the mic on with you

yeah six years ago and was just like yeah this would be fun and i just want to sit on this side i want to listen to people and i see other people and i'm like that is a smart cookie and i want them to talk i don't want to talk i want to get out of the way and let them talk but when it comes to facilitating discussion i've been thinking a lot about it's like you have to do what you do normally and that's that's what you do it you bring discussion out and so i guess what we're when you go back to the cornerstone forum the big thing is is today as you're listening to this december 31st i hope people are tuning in is the last day for early bird prices so like you can buy a ticket later on i'm a huge procrastinator i do this all the time where i could have got the early

bird ticket and save myself a boatload of money and instead i wait until a week before and then i go buy the expensive one and i kick myself i'm like just just buy the early bird ticket if you're going to come just go buy you're saving yourself money and whether or not the big guest gets announced or in January, or it doesn't happen, the cast of characters coming. Larry C. Johnson is another one that just got announced. The lineup is going to be a ton of fun. The day is going to be a ton of fun. If the headline speaker for all intensive purposes is Martin Armstrong again,

Martin is going to have some things to say. Last year he wrote an entire paper and talked about Alberta Independence, right? Like, there's going to be things there that are just going to be worthwhile to be in the crowd for on top of the community that's going to show up. Yeah. And when I go, you asked how many people is a sellout, 700, and that it may seem like, oh, you're only at 225, there's plenty of tickets. It's like, yeah, but we had 650 people there last year, and we're already outpacing where we were

a year ago at the same time. And the world's in a tougher spot, and your speakers are more. And I still, as I record this, I still have like a week to push. Buy your tickets. Buy your tickets and come. And you won't regret it. No. I don't, lots of things I do.

I'm like, oh, yeah, you can, whatever. You can catch it later. You don't have to watch it. But I'm like, the Cornerstone Forum is one of my pride and joys that I've created. And I've had to argue with speakers about 13 and a half minute keynote speeches. And they're always staring at me. And I've drilled it into them. where nobody argues anymore.

You know, like, they're just, they just get it. They get what I'm doing. And now they've probably seen the success of doing it the way I want to do it. And I've gained confidence in doing it the way I want to do it. And I've had tons of feedback from lots of people. They're just like, you know, I've been to lots of conferences. They never stay on time. I had a guy in Regina come up to me.

And he said, you were going to be done. You told me at the start of the day you were going to be done at four, 35 and you said but don't hold me to that like there could be a couple things because we had a ton of people calling in because they'd had a you know a bunch of people not be able to make it to regina for pretty unbelievable reasons regardless he comes up to me and he goes you said 435 and it's 432 I marked it down I cannot believe you can do that and I'm like oh I don't think is that hurt but obviously it's not something you know you go to the UCPA now that's 4,000 people and everything else they had a point how long was it folks they had

at a point where I thought I'd missed Daniel Smith speak she started like an hour late because of security and getting that many people through and I'm going you really didn't think trying to get 4,000 people through metal detectors was going to slow people down who's running that I know that You know, like you have to adjust having 200 people eat versus having 700 people eat changes things. And so you have to be conscious of that. Otherwise, you will no doubt run over time. And I guess I just didn't realize that that's a skill I have. And I don't know.

I'm not normally OCD, but in that event, I am a little bit anal when it comes to every second. Tuesday was talking to me today. And I'm like, man, I don't know. I maybe got an extra two minutes, three minutes. And then I started laughing. I'm like, and he's like, no, I get it. I'm like, you didn't get it. I'm like, of all things, two is to say today that you get that,

it's funny to me because it was only two years ago. They were bugging me on stage about being the time cop and Sean and his time and everything. But it's starting to show this is why the event is different. You come, I'm not going to waste your time. I'm not. Yeah. It's going to start and end on time. You're very good at it.

Because even though, like a lot of people that speak, or want to keep speaking. Yes. And they don't want to hand up the mic. You know, when we're doing the Saskatchewan in Saskatchewan, because I've done it a lot, it's hard to pry the mic out of somebody's hands

that you respect and they're there out of their own. And you're very good at, you know, it could be Daniel Smith up with the mic and you've got a timer in front of her and you tell her it's 12 minutes, right? And you have a way of interrupting people with, you show respect,

but you also show it's a non-negotiable. Like you, I don't know how, you do it, but you bounce it. Well, people were wondering if I was going to interrupt Martin Armstrong. And I'm like, I was, listen, folks, full stop. I was nervous to do that. I'm like, Martin's on a roll. Do I go out there? But I'm like, looking at the time and he's a minute over and I'm like, I got to. And so I'm talking to his assistant. She's like, no, go interrupt him. I'm like, and I can see everybody's look on their faces. I'm coming out on the stage. Martin's sitting there. But it's funny. I haven't, you know, I've had one argument out of any cornerstone forum speaker

that I had to be firm on and not on stage in an actual conversation leading up over 13 and a half minutes. And after that, I've had, you know, Martin Armstrong doesn't turn around and go get off the stage. He goes, oh, oh, yeah, for sure. And then we sit down and we carry on. And you got 650 people in the crowd

and, you know, there's rules of public speak as you would know better than any of us is people need a bathroom break every so often. People only have a tension span of so long. And so even though there might be three people in the onset that would listen to one speak and talk for four hours. You know who really cemented this for me? And I'm hoping I sent him a video of the studio

because he's a big reason why he made me think this way. It was Brett Kissel. I went and watched, I got to- Professional entertainer. I literally got to go watch, not a watch. Actually, if you can believe this, folks, I got to introduce Brett Kissel on stage with, forgive me.

I don't forget her name now. But it was somebody from the radio station in Lloyd. Either way, we went out and we worked as a duo on the stage and you know we got to introduce and so I got to sit and watch a breck kissle concert and lloyd now is breck kissel garth brooks i assume breck kisle would agree with me no you're not you are a fantastic singer but what i will say about breckstle great singer unbelievable ability on stage to recognize when a crowd is fading in and out and the rhythm to change things on the roll and keep them sucked in i just watch i just sat there and watched i'm like wow that is

attention to detail and I've taken the way he runs a concert to running a conference because I've watched how many halls have we sat in I mean I've sat in more than I where where where somebody you know instead of talking for 15 minutes 25 minutes I you know I've seen Tamara Leach talk for 45 I've seen James Lindsay talk for 45 and when you have a true keynote large speaker that's what the events for nobody else and it's going to be a two-hour event and 45 minutes of it is one speaker okay but when you have a long day it's going to be four or five hours and somebody talks for an hour and a half I don't care who you are you could have Jordan Peterson up on there when you know you've got three other speakers you're like oh I got a pee you know I can just imagine if you're a smoker you're just

your brain starts going other places no matter how engaging they are yeah there's rules the So, of course, I was going to tell you, Brett Kustav, I've ever told you this before? He's got links back to this area. Of course he does. Did I tell you this? I don't know. If you don't know this about Kenny,

if there's somebody out there that is related to somebody who's related, Kenny's going to be the man. You're like an encyclopedia of genealogy for the area. No, his, so he's from St. Paul area, and my wife is from Elk Point. And so my wife was friends with a guy named Derek Germain. And Derek Germain moved out to Paradise Hill. crossed the river from us here.

And I played senior hockey with them with the Paraly Seal Hawks. He was a goalie that I played with St. Paul Canadiens. Then he came played in Paraly Sale. And so was buddies with Derek. And when we're up in Shore Park, Derek would say on a Friday, hey, come on over. Brett's coming over. He's in town singing at an old folks home or he's in town sitting at the church or something like that. And that kid must have been, I don't know, eight?

Yeah, he was young. If you go back and listen to his story when he was on the podcast, he started super young. And that kid had, he's the real deal. Like his face beamed and he would just pick up the guitar and there'd be my wife and our little kids and his uncle and aunt, Derek and Tracy, and just love to sing. And yeah, wonderful kids. So anyways. So let's move. Hey, one other comment for you is your two of your key sponsors are Bow Valley Credit Union.

Silver Gold Bowl. And when they first came on, it looked like a match. You know, I remember going like, oh, yeah, that's a match actually. And as time goes on, the fit gets tighter and tighter and tighter, right? You know, when you think what's happened to inflation, government rules, lack of trust institutions, right? Is it's like, oh, man, that's a fit. And now we look and see what gold and silver are doing. I'm glad you bring it up.

Yeah, it's a, oh, shoot, man, thank you. I am a silver collector. Thank you very much to Sean and server goal. You know, Tuse gives me crap about this all the time. The time he came... Would I hear this? I love this for that. The time he came and I didn't give him a silver coin when he was in studio

because I always give somebody a silver, and I'm like, oh, I just didn't even think about it, right? Like I was, you know, we're co-hosting a show. I don't think to give the co-host a show. And I was driving out here tonight. I'm like, you're giving Kenny a silver coin. and then we got sitting here talking I forgot all about it I'm glad you brought it up so to all those who don't know anyone who sits in studio across me gets a silver coin from silver

gold bowl and I want to look it up again because every time I look at the the price 3% today I think it was I look at it daily um for anybody that's considered 92 84 bucks look what it's done in the 30 days Sean look what it was 30 days ago I'm trying to see if I can do it on my phone here okay Per ounce price, not the maple price. 30 days ago would have been You have one of the drafts that throws up for 30? November 28th, so that was, oh, well, here, November 27th.

We're at the 19th, it was 71.442. 70, 42, 30 days ago, and you just said it's 92. Buy silver. Everybody buy silver. Yeah, yeah. Well, that's the thing. And the thing about silver. And the thing about silver gold bull...

I mean, anything that's precious metals or... You know, like, I don't... I got a ton of time for Silver Gold Bull and Bovali Curating you because they literally have been helping do things that I would have never been able to do. And when you buy through... If you're going to buy precious metals, buy through Silver Gold Bull

because they are watching everything and it only lends to them sticking with me longer, not less, right? Because they're keeping track of how much money goes through the podcast toward them, you know, like how many people reference the podcast and they keep track of it. And it's been really interesting to know that people are listening and buying silver and gold and, you know, and on and on. I delayed for years buying silver because I didn't know what to do. Well, you remember I was telling you this story. Remember I went a few years ago to the Lloyd, it was a trade show, Christmas Expo. Yeah. And there was a silver guy in there.

Yeah. And I bought, yeah, I don't know. Maybe it was $300. He's a quirky dude too. Maybe he had $300 for because it wasn't this crazy amount. But it was like old coins because I'd known from Martin Armstrong before, is it 65 or 69? It doesn't matter.

Well, it does matter. But there's a year in the 60s where if you go before that, it's like 80% silver and quarters and everything, right? And so I bought a whole couple of sheets. He had these books. And I said, what's your most rare silver coin you have? And it was like a $30 coin back then. And I think about that.

And I'm like, man, I said, and we talked about it. We're like, we should just go out and see this guy and buy a whole bunch of silver. But everyone's kind of, I don't know. And here you sit where it's gone up junk silver and there's. Yeah, but it's, but it's been 30 days that's gone up 20 bucks. Just go buy any silver, right? But the, you know what it'd be a good podcast is with Bow Valley Credit Union? Because I was listening to him when you interviewed him last is right now, I just buy physical.

You know, and Rhett and I, we were up with some Jitsu stuff. He's like, kind of, I don't know. I'm like, listen, here's what you do. Go get some cash of your account. Let's stop at a coin shop and just go buy something. Like, just walking and say, I'll take maples. Silver maples. It's that easy.

And Silver Gold Bull, send them right to your door. Well, the thing is you go online. Everything's online with Silver Gold Bowl. And you just buy it and they just ship it right to you. Yeah. The, the, uh, um, uh, or one of this. Oh, so with, um, Bull Valley Credit Union, he was mentioning some ways of holding it in like, can you hold in taxary savings accounts

or in your RSPs or, I think he was mentioning somewhere where you can actually have it on, they'll store it for you and you can use it. You can, yes. I tell you what. I think you should do a podcast with them. I tell you what. Brett, if you're listening, we'll, we'll find a way to make that happen in here. Because all these pensions and people's investments. And it'd be a good time before the deadline. March 2nd is the deadline for RSP contributions and you can do that through Silver Gold Bowl. I'd like to hear that on on because this is new territory. Like, you know, for, I mean, I've got a commerce degree in MBA and I don't know what of that.

Anyways, I'd like to learn more. Yeah, so I buy my family silver coins every year for Christmas, and I write down the date I bought it and how much I paid for it. Two Christmases ago, I pulled them out a week ago, $34. For a maple, that wasn't per ounce. That was per maple two years ago. Now we're at, that $92 is per ounce. So throw, what is it, three bucks or four bucks on it to put the Queens or the King's head on it.

So that's got to be a $96 coin now, $34 to Christmas ago, $94. $4.95 today. Shout to Kyle Coz and his family because their kids are into buying silver and they talk about they're just like went up 2% today. Last time I was there is like, it went up 2% today. This is amazing. I'm sure they're like celebrating right now because you can imagine having kids buying, putting their harder money into more silver and then watching it just go through the roof.

It's like, I don't know. It has been wild to watch, right? Because I mean, when I first started out, I was like, I go back to this. conversation with Daniel Smith all the time. I remember being like, I don't know if I can give you a silver coin. She was like, well, what's it worth? I think it was $38. I should just go back and listen so I know the facts right. She's like, oh, anything under $500 I can have. Oh, here's a silver coin. Now I'm like, I'll bet you by next Christmas. You can't give it to her. Right? At this pace. Yeah, it'll be 504. Sorry, Danielle, I can cut it in half. I can give you some junk silver. That's all I can

give you. No, that's good. Anyways, so the, yeah, it'd be nice to hear more on that. And the strong match for you. So now we've talked about your highs. Let's talk about Sean. If you're okay, then I'll ask you the question. And if you're like, you know what? I'd rather than talk about it. Then don't talk about it because you got to keep a little PCU for you too.

But what's a low? What was a struggle for you this year? Oh, what was a low? That's a tough question. It's not because I'm sitting here going, I can't talk. about these things. It's, and I don't mean to make my life sound like it's perfect. It's probably far from it. Hmm. I mean, I don't know. The thing that comes to mind is we had her dog pass away. That sucked. That was a tough moment, but at a tough moments come really interesting

things, you know, like my kids all got to say goodbye to a dog that's been there longer than they have and that was a lot of tears and a lot of interesting conversations hard conversations but like as a father I go good like I don't want to see Bain pass away that that sucked but to shield my kids from it I mel and I talked I just they got to say goodbye to the pet you know and so that was a tough day and it's funny like that's the one thing you know that's a tough question because it's like what is what is the low of the year man it isn't all the junk going on in the in in in the world right like we can go down some dark rabbit holes but like you know like this comes back to your no drinking thing and the conversation we had when you're like look at what you've done with

your life and i'm like oh yeah hmm got to think about that for a bit and i don't know i you know like one of the things I like about a year in review is someday I hope my kids will go back and listen and and it's just been a really good year enjoy that that's what a blessing is to say that well I don't always take everything everyone tells me

and just implement it but the people closest to me and even Brett Olin and Nick Mori annals know this I don't like going to Calgary And the reason I don't like going to Calgary isn't the drive. It's because then I've got to be away from my wife and kids. And so Nick will be like trying to convince me to Calgary and then he'll be like, I know.

I know maybe we should just do it over Zoom because, you know, I know you don't want to leave your family. And the reason that I'm so like stuck on that is, you know, one of the things I did early on in the podcast, which I was very, very fortunate. The Lloyd Archives hired me to interview community pillars who were roughly the youngest, maybe 60 the oldest I think was like 95 you know how many people in that age demographic here you have kids and say it goes by in the blink of an eye don't you dare let that slip by you be a part of those kids lives you make sure you in chairs every moment and when you hear it that many

times you're like yeah I just I don't want to I don't want to miss it you know like when we first got into different realms you know both of us you ran for the Maverick party and I sat with all the leadership, because I strongly considered it. But somewhere in the back of my brain, I'd had all these conversations, all these, you know, community pillars and elders of mine, and they all, you know, when you looked at what you were going to give up, I just went, I'm going to give up way too much. And although the world is spiraling, if I were to win, which was a complete long shot,

but I'm like, if I win, I'm going to miss out on their childhood, and I don't want that, you know I just don't and it's like I don't always take the lessons you know this because at times I can be pretty hard-headed go back to drilling water wells and you tell me what I should do and being like now I'm doing it my own way but with the when you get told enough times don't let your kids like their childhoods disappear on you that's something that tons of people talk about and I just I've become very like I'm not missing it and the not drinking thing do I have have bad days. Yeah, everybody has a bad day, but I don't have consistently bad days.

And so I get to coach and I get to be just crazy busy and sometimes you're tired out and everything, but I'm around my kids, you know, like I've been praying for Mila every night. She asked me to pray for her. She was, forgive me for not fully understanding, but, you know, like nightmares and that type of thing and so you want me pray for you she said yeah sure so now you know i'm leaving to come out here and you know it was only like seven o'clock she's like you're leaving i'm like yeah she's like can you pray for me right now i'm like sure and like so i pray for her and she'd give me a big hug and like she just hold on i'll miss you and you know and it's like that's the stuff that brings you up

and so i'd love to sit here and say what's the hardest part i don't know there's lots of struggles and running the podcast. But I don't know, compared to, you know, like some other people and the struggles they're going through, I think it's been a pretty good year. You know, the kids growing up so quickly, all the old people would say that to me. And when it's your first kids,

people that have heard me on the pot, heard me on the podcast, we have six kids. And when the old people would say older, being middle-aged, say, oh, enjoy those days, it goes by an instant. I know what it's like when you've got diapers to change, kid and hockey, somebody's got to get to music lessons. You know, the car needs to be picked up from the shopping. You're like, what do you mean? This goes by fast.

Like, I haven't slept in like eight years, which means my wife hasn't slept in 12, right? And this is not going fast until they go. And what I find is the minute they hit puberty is because they're not that, they're growing a little bit each year. And all of a sudden, you wake up one more and they walk up the stairs and they have a deep voice and they got some hair on the top of their lip if they're a boy. and they're almost as tall as you and that goes by just so fast because they're growing so quickly and for the females as well

and so with Benny our surprise number six I was like okay I know how fast this goes now so I'm going to relish every moment thank God I'm not drinking hardly and even though I put everything into every minute I'm with little Ben it still goes by lightning quick and so things I'm hearing out of you

is praying with Mila is what's the scripture Sean says raise a child in the way and when they're old, they will not depart, right? Is so thankful to my older kids, I'm sorry. I wish we would have done this and I failed in so many ways. But me and the boys that are at home and my wife, we pray every morning. We read the Bible every morning, we pray every morning. We practice gratefulness, so we have to say something that we're very grateful that we have in our life

and we're grateful for something to experience. and I watch my boys pray and it's it's they know it's real right if dad thinks it's real and if mom thinks it's real and I notice it does a good thing in my life so look at a little mila saying dad before you go could you pray for me if she didn't think it was real she wouldn't ask you to pray for so good on you and then the whole not drinking thing is again if I could go back in time I would have made this decision a lot earlier is think of all the extra moments you had with your children this year that moment to pray because dad wasn't hung over he wasn't out you know at beer league hockey till two in the morning you were there to prayer through every single one of those nights

and a big part of that's because of no drinking right so you can see that they're linked you can't separate them so good on you Sean really good I know the am I interrupting do you have any thoughts before we move along oh I can it's your show so no no no no one of the reasons I bring you on is so that you don't because I can sit and we can talk this for six hours because you know it's just you talk about the year and it's like a hard moment was my son starting football yeah and getting them in the car and it was something that I hadn't I'm not a football guy I don't know I don't know like I I know the game and I've watched it but I didn't you know I don't know and he's nine he's going up against 12 year olds and they're big 12 year olds and there's full

contact and you know one of the things I love now about football is it doesn't you know like hockey's we're slowly phasing out contact because we're like oh it's such dangerous and then i watch football i'm like they got nine-year-olds going up against 12 year olds yeah rugby football so it's just cool so we get in the car after the first practice and he doesn't know anyone he doesn't know the game he doesn't know the terms i can't help him and he comes in and he just melts he just balls i'm not going back and i go buddy you've signed up for it And he goes, I know what you're going to say, and he's yelling at me. And he's just, and I'm like, in Sean Newman style, hey?

You can tell he's got a piece of, I'm like, well, go home and you can talk to your mom. So it goes home and, you know, Mel says roughly the same thing. But let's go to sleep on it. You know, it's just, and anyways, they had a pool party after the second practice. And so we just used that. We're like, well, there's a pool party. So I want to go to the pool party. All right, I'll go to the second practice.

So he gets in the Vialcoff's second practice. What did you think? it wasn't so bad now he wants to quit everything to just play football and i you know this is when you go what are the low moments what i don't know they could have been a low moment instead my find my way or my son finds a way to push through something very uncomfortable it was very uncomfortable i would have been uncomfortable as a kid not knowing anyone getting run over by big kids and you know i can just imagine who's this little thing to loving a sport doing whatever he could the coaching staff was unreal like it was just it was really cool to watch and so you know like

the no drinking thing is just like i don't know you didn't i didn't look at it like i was giving up that much but then one night you know and i've never thought of myself as a drunk so i've never had to use the word sober and mel said it just kind of you know like um just kind of like off the cuff you know something along the lines we really like sober shock because he's just he's always there and i was just i don't think she realized how important that meant to me because you know i don't know if i'd actually change that much you know i told you i was waiting for the six month mark because i'd listened to a lot of people talking about the six month mark and really noticed a change i didn't notice a change i didn't notice a change at three months it wasn't like all of a sudden

i just had more energy or anything wasn't anything like that the comment for my wife was very interesting because she was right you know coming out here tonight she doesn't have to worry about me hitting a ditch because i'm drank a bottle of scotch or something she's just like he'll be home and the reason is is because i'm not drinking and i've done it now the coffee on your breath instead of yeah yeah well that's the thing right you come out here and it's it's full of coffee and and and you know whatever else but like you know it's it's just funny those stick out to me this year more than anything and you know like um i don't know if we're going to get into this i assume we are but if i go back to when we started the book club i'd wrote about it in 2018 that i wanted to change

like 17 things but then i like did this like i tried figuring out the root cause and the root cause to me back then was drinking because of drinking i eat like crap i sleep like crap i don't exercise enough because it's an offshoot of that and i can keep saying this but i'm like but it still took me six full years to finally go, okay, I get it now. And so if you're wrestling with something like that, don't beat yourself up because we all wrestle with things like that. What I can say on the other side is like I'd built this thing up in my head like it was going to be so hard and I was going to lose everything. But like, you know, I haven't lost any, I don't know. lose any friends over it? Really? No? If you lost a friend because you stopped drinking that,

they weren't really a friend. That's right. The, the, uh, it had like so many things in life, a couple things that come to my mind, Sean is now that I'm middle aged, you know, you just get to see, when you have more years on you, you just get to see, see more. So that's why those 95 year olds have so much values. They just, they just seen more. And if you had a year, we're like, you know what? We lost a dog, you know, uh, you know, son with his football. Be thankful. You know, last year because, you know, as we know, people get sick. People have car.

People get sick. And I go, the dark days. We'll have days where we're, well, if we do this every year, there'll be days that we've got to shut it off for a while because there'll be a tear in your eye, right? Or our mind. And so you had a good year. So thanks be to God for that. Agreed. And I'm not a, I don't think this, you know, can I continue?

Sure. But like they're, you know, like you just look at my parents, for instance. They're both turning 70 next year. And you go, do they got 20 years last? 30 years left they got two years left I certainly hope it's the the former I hope they got a lot of time left but a man that we both respected and Frank Mann passed away at 72 and you just go Reg Hegel right and you go into there one minute to there one minute next minute or not right and so like you know I'm just

trying to just breathe it in you know like I interviewed this goes way before all the COVID stuff I interviewed Ray Ferraro and he told me just be where your feet are and I think about that the coffee referral yeah you just said be where your feet be where your feet are

it's a good one be present yeah just you know and and so like you know we got a lot of distraction I'm no you know I'm no perfect man on it right like you got a phone tied to you all the time I can get sucked in at different times but like

just be where your feet are and and you know like even the pain like there's beauty that can come out of it right so well if there's two for anybody that's that is struggling to say that if there's you and i would usually be if we weren't the last two we're we're amongst getting out of the hitman dress room right i was the last guy at the hitman dressing room all the time i loved that room maybe you locked it up right i don't regret those years those are those are fun but part of being present is being sober right is is to be in the moment right to be really truly in the

moment with somebody special is, I think it would be talked to do that when you're drunk or high, right? That's my view. But, but came to my attention. First of all, Sean, the last year we did this, there was one episode that you came out with that was the number one episode of your year previous. And before we get into talking about your top 10 episodes of this year, sure. Let's just touch base on that one for a one.

And that was, why don't you set the table on that one? Well, Chris King gets removed. he's the coach of the year he wins a national championship to go undefeated and then he gets removed for um a girl having i don't know an episode an issue uh at a at a practice and and so then you know like i interviewed some of the teammates and then i interviewed a couple more and a couple more and anyways that that episode had um in the first i think it was like the first day and a half 125 000 people watch it and i was just like what the you know what it happened the first day yeah yeah yeah and so that that that was the number one episode of 20 24 and that was that was

interesting to me because i was thinking about it that was the high watermark the high watermark before that when i was talking about it was 34 38000 somewhere in there that was a my first high watermark. I'd never, you know, I'd never hit that high and then it was 125. And this year, it's, you know, beyond that. And but regardless, you know, the, the Chris King story. And people have asked me, you know, like, we need a follow up. And I'm like, oh, it's in court. And the guy I want to have on is Chris King. And I talk to Chris quite a lot, you know, I see him. Is it in court right now? Because I don't even know. It's kind of what radio silent. Well, that's, you know, like, from my understanding as it still is, it'd be interesting to hear Chris just be like, I can't talk on it.

I assume he can't. But as soon as he can, my plan is to bring him on because I think for myself, you know, it would be something really, really interesting. You know, and I followed that up. Carmen Zayek came on and talked about her dealings with Lakeland. and yeah, that was, you know, it doesn't happen too often, Lloyd, but after I'd had that, I was walking around Lloyd, and I was having people stop in the middle of the street yelling out the window saying, keep going. That's freaking awesome. And I'm like, look, you know, and that was a first in a long time that I've had that notoriety, I guess, if I could say it

that way where yeah that was a pretty wild a couple of weeks of um covering a local story that really hit a nerve yeah the humans we are individuals but we're also an organism together and once in a while something just rolls through and that and that caught the interest of the public didn't it so but i actually didn't know if there was closure to it if you've reached out to him or well i've ran into him lots and i and the last time i asked him about it because he's not allowed to come on folks and talk about it, right? They're in the, they're in the middle of, I still think it's in the middle of court.

I think that's where it's sitting. Yeah. Okay. Well, let's get, that's 2024. Now, let's talk 2025, Sean. Sure. Now, when you rank your 10, top 10 episodes, you do it by what counts or views or clicks or how do you,

what qualifies to get episode to the top 10? Yeah. We talked about this last year because they changed it. Like Spotify, it used to be downloads, but then they found, you know, if you didn't open it, it automatically downs. Then I went to plays and you had to listen to it for so long.

So that is how we get the numbers and the statistics. It's, you know, like I'm super beyond skeptical at this point of anybody who has a hold of my data and then tells me what's going on. You're not suggesting the social media platforms play numbers or games. Sorry, Sean. This is exactly what we both know is happening. So, like, it's hard to know. What's the statement where it's like, they know that I,

know that they know yeah and it's it's it's totally true so like um there you know like the numbers bug me because I'm like that's interesting you know like Dallas Brody for instance that I just released it was it was interesting to watch it on social media because it it got no traction in the interview then I put up a clip of it and the clip had 26,000 people watch it in the first 24 hours And I'm like, that's interesting. So was it the way it was broadcasted? Was it, you know, like, I'm like, that doesn't make any sense. What I do know from going through Freedom Convoy, COVID, all that stuff is at times I know for sure I'm just shadow band and nobody can find anything I'm doing, which really sucks.

So the numbers come off of a bunch of statistics that I can pull from different social media platforms. I always take them with a bit of grain of salt. But at the same time, there's other people that are just. doing very well and so maybe at times just it isn't doing as well as it should and that could be too but that's why i have the cell phone and uh and people text me and i can tell when an episode really just blows it out of the water you can just see the interaction a high interaction episode usually correlates to how well an episode is going to do um so yeah the the top 10 is based off of all the statistics i can pull in but i've that's become something i'm going to have to be

way better on. I used to be able to just do it at the end of the year, go back through a year, and I found that as becoming more difficult on certain platforms to gather all the data from. And that didn't used to be. What is data? Like, we're trusting the numbers. Like, to verify what you're saying when I was still believe in politics, you know, when I was involved with Susque United Party is you'd, there'd be a video that would go out and it would hit and it'd be 7,400 views in the first afternoon. And you'd wake up the next morning to see what it went to it. And it'd be at 3,800. It would literally decline. right the number of views so so so and i'd watch it with my own eyes so but regardless i wonder from

a statistical perspective assuming that they're mucking with all of your numbers we still have a ranking of the most to the least correct so so so we can still say but these are your top 10 rows they probably mucked with your numbers they probably are throttling in back but let's talk about let's talk about what did you want to talk about well i was just going to say the number one episode do you want 10 to 1 no no i just i watched the numbers as we were doing it because it was and it was insane. It was literally insane. And we'll get to the number one episode,

but we might as go 10 to 1. Well, number 10 is Alberta Prosperity Project. I'd had on, it was close to right after Carney gets elected, and I'd had Mitch Sylvester and Dennis Modry and Jeff Rath come on to talk about what they were doing. And that's what number 10 episode is. That should surprise nobody. You know, like they were getting the number that I've been told

again and again is they were getting 5,000 people signing up an hour as soon as the liberals won, right? And so I brought them on to talk about what they were doing. And that was the number 10 episode. I don't think that's any shock. Um, but it is, you know, it's, it's a timely episode about a local, relatively a province, but, you know, I'm an Alberta podcaster is what most people would consider me now. Um, I consider myself Western Canada because I have lots of great ties to Saskatchewan. But regardless, I bring on the Alberta Prosperity Project to talk about what they're doing. And that hit number 10. That was episode 844. I could see another one of those episodes doing well in the upcoming year. Because I don't think those issues are going away anytime.

No. Well, they're going to have a reference. They're going to have their question, I would think, um, through and they'll have the petition going here. I think early 2026 is what I understand. And if that happens, I'm certainly going to bring on some people to talk about it. Hmm. Okay, let's go to number nine. Scott McGregor. This is probably a name that nobody remembers. He's the CIS agent. I actually just had it pulled up so I could.

I've got to re-listen to that one because I'm sitting here. I don't catch every one of your episodes, but it's almost every episode. Yachtime. Here, give me. McGregor. Give me one second. I had it pulled up and then, of course, I closed my phone. I got to re-listen it.

I'm going to write it down as we're talking. So, Scott McGregor. was on episode 821. He's a Canadian intelligence expert and co-authored the Mosaic Effect how the Chinese Communist Party started a hybrid war in America's backyard. And he came on to talk about things

from a Canadian and intelligence perspective. And the reason I got him on the podcast was because of a cop I'd had had on. And he said, oh, if you're interested, I have some dealings with some CIS, former CIS guys. And I was like, well, sure. I've never had a seize this guy on before.

And honestly, when I did the numbers, I was like, Scott McGregor's number nine, really? How did that happen? I don't know. I go back on it. Have you only had them on once? Once. Why don't you have them on a second time?

Well, I'm going to have to because I'm like, one of the things I do with the top ten is I'm like, well, miles will have them all back on. They're taught 10 episodes. You'd be silly not to bring them back on. But I'm like, Scott McGregor's number nine. As a friend, friend advisor and birds of feather flock together, he's probably got some friends that have some pretty interesting things to say.

That's a, that's a trailer chase down. I mean, if your audience puts it to number nine, they're interested in it. They're telling you. Number eight, number eight, number eight, Sam Cooper and Mark Cahotas. Yeah. And so that's why Sam, I mean, I've wanted Sam on the Cornerstone stage for, for a couple of years now, I guess, and they're talking about China's involvement in Canada. And so you can tell China is a big issue in Canada, and that's why it comes up.

And that's why Jamie Sinclair gives me a rough time when, you know, mainly we don't talk about it enough, probably with Tom Longo and Alex Craneer, but they have their view on it. Now, others have a different view on it. And that's why this year at the Cornerstone Forum, I'll keep reiterating this, that's what's going to happen. We're going to have worlds collide and we're going to see what comes out of the discussion. So is Jamie Sinclair going to be clapping, allow us in the audience when Sam Cooper takes a stage? Hey, Jamie? Number seven is E.M. Burling game. yeah he talked about the first time he's on he talked about the english civilization it was a very

interesting thought i still remember it being an interesting thought and a ton of people reached out after he came on this was the the irish accent who's the author the older fellow not the author no em berling games the green beret living in england i remember the name i remember i remember i don't remember the author that you had he has a very interesting way how he talks where he thinks and it almost is like did you glitch or what are you doing there like you listen and he's like I'm organizing my thoughts I'm like oh okay and he uh episode 918 was number seven 19 hey are you you mentioned pinning these or somewhere because I as I'm going on oh these I'm going to go back so so on December 31st on X I'll count down the top 25 and I'll pin them at

the top link so you just tap on it well you just go to my X account and at the top it'll be a thread So you can walk through the thread of all the top 25 episodes, and I'll just give you the top 25. Cool. Okay. Number six, Dave Collum, 936, episode 936. And, you know, people may be, like, Dave Collum shouldn't shock anyone. He's the professor from Cornell, who was on Tucker Carlson. Right.

He's an interesting guy because he has the ability to talk about anything. You want to talk about anything? his big thing is child trafficking he's gone deep into that but this specific episode we talk about Charlie Kirk and the oddities that go on with the Charlie Kirk assassination and obviously people liked it because you know like that was basically 30 episodes ago that might be another one to fall upon with all the Canis Owens and the yeah well and everything yeah yeah it's been it's been interesting to watch you know like who knows what the truth is hey but but it's number six okay keep going number five dr william mackis another insane character and i try getting dr william mackis

back on for people who've been texting me about this and he told me not until after he did a big show or a big american podcast which i don't think has ever happened so i should probably reach out to him again try and bring them back on lots of people if i get texted or emailed about one guest in particular, once a week, if not 10 times a week, Dr. William Macchus, people looking for ivermectin treatments on cancer. Fenn, Ben-Dazole, like, that is an interesting character. And it would be nice to know more about that. Remember, he was, and he backed that up, I think, didn't he, Sean, on, there being a doctor

that was charged with pedophilia. Yeah, all the stuff in AHS. And it was like, Kate, either you were completely full of it or this thing. is corrupt, you know. I remember thinking that. And he would back it up with a name and a case. And I'm not saying I know that much about other than pretty controversial. It brings up some pretty rough things. And he seems to back it up. That, if you get him on, man. Yeah. Well, I was, am I remembering it correctly? Yeah. Wasn't there a doctor at a BC that was charged with something? It ends up at Alberta Health Services. And at the time of this episode, he was facing jail time, right, from the

Alberta government and people wanted to know what the heck was going on because he has man how many people is it on sub stack now is it 200,000 like it is a ton of people essentialized funding which we'll come back to yeah yeah uh number four dr jack curs oh yes and that's where he yelled at me and with no shirt on and talking about how canada screwed up and you got to figure it out and you guys got to get out of there and um my goal is to go interview Dr. Jack Cruz in El Salvador. Didn't we talk about it either when I was, no, it was our last year in review. I said, I'm going to will it into existence.

Somehow I'm coming with you. I want to see El Salvador. I want to see Jack Cruz. I want to see love, love those areas of the world. But yeah, you should go. That's number four. And have him on again. That guy, like he's either one of the smartest guys that I've ever heard listen to or he's

completely insane. There's no middle ground with that guy. I don't think he's completely insane. I think it's brilliant. isn't where I'm leaning. Number three, Martin Armstrong. Sure.

Episode 756. Very, every episode I have on to him. Probably, you know, when we talk about the high watermark from two years ago, 38,000, I want to say, every episode of Martin Armstrong's

is probably 30,000 to 40,000 people. Yeah. Easy. Well, a common friend of ours, a wonderful lady, Angel Schmidt. I think if you had Martin and only Martin, She would come to your Cornerstone Forum just to hear you.

Can you imagine having Martin in this studio with Tom and Alex sitting on each side and just... It's going to happen. I agree. At some point that, like, I was telling you before we sat down in here, this room feels better when there's four people sitting in a chair. It's just, it's naturally designed for it. It just feels like with the military guys, I could have sat in here for seven hours. I was having a blast, just letting them go.

It's just nice to be in the middle of the bush where you know that there's not somebody listening on this out of the wall. Yeah. You know, it's a, and you're out in nature, so it's really cool. So what number are we on right now? We are on to number two. Tom Luongo, Alex Criner, it should shock. Nobody, they've been in the top three. They were number one two years ago. Last year, I think they finished number two or number three. And this year they finished number two. I mean, they've had it, you know, they've had, um, people just enjoy hearing them discuss geopolitics. stop. They just want to, they just want to hear the back and forth and, and, uh, allowed them to

kind of discuss what's going on and hyposa and just kind of flow. And, and we do it roughly once a month, you know, I roughly have them on 10 to 12 times a year. And I don't try and overdo it. I don't try to bring them on too much. I just try to bring them on and then let them discuss basically the months has been and they've, they've been bouncing ideas and trying to figure it out. They finish number two. Those two guys can agree and disagree. Yes. And be very respectful with each other both them like i like how they israel palestine for them was a very interesting episode

where they disagreed and it was interesting to me i got a lot out of the discussion full stop i like the disagreement yes well freedom of speech and disagreement and let the best ideas flush to the top by allowing people to debate them in an open forum yeah right well sure okay so number number number that was number two the number one episode the new high water mark and this is in the first 24 hours was 500,000 and that was the federal live election stream when when you talk about the numbers and how they can change things it was 10,000 people an hour

were tuning in live so two's always yeah I know he's listening to this and he's going to be like you say it right we had 88,000 people watching us simultaneously not 88,000 people in the first 12 hours simultaneously and we were watching the number grow by 10,000 every hour it was beyond insane to watch and be like what you know and we talked about it on the mashup festivus episode where I was like you know I was like maybe 20,000 Tuesday like it'll be it'll be won't be a success if it's 50,000 it's easy to say that Monday morning quarterback because I was like if we have 50,000 people tuning into us I'm like we've done something well 88,000 and the only reason reason it slowed down is because then you had to compete with rebel and juno and cbc and all the

other streamers who were all coming online to talk about the federal live of sorry the federal election up until that point 10,000 every hour it was insane to watch the number jump and it was and people are hungry for it oh obviously simple statement now i'm sure twos is joked about this and probably even dug up the numbers because he's a does such a good job of research and being funny but uh have you looked at your viewership numbers in compared to cbc like are those numbers publicly available when you're talking about that election live stream we were keeping track of it all night they had about i think towards the end they had close to 200,000 people watching live yeah uh and we were number two uh no maybe we were number three were number three

twos no no i'm going to have them yelling at the radio what was your total budget for the show what your dollar per per viewer was they what cbc's i mean i mean the budget was i don't know let's call it 1500 dollars or something yeah and you got a billion dollar organization being subsidized by the government and we were with a brand that's been around a long time oh yes professional people on all on cameras on sound on 100% agree and you do with 500 bucks and you're in the same same arena playing And it tells you how fast this thing's changed. As much as they want to grip and hold the power, it's slipping quickly. Well, and it also tells me that, and I have talked a little bit about it with twos,

is like the live on big events, people are hungry for information, but it's more than just information. They're hungry for some dialogue, some conversation. We brought on people all across Canada from every province. it was 40 to 50 people that are all intelligent and don't say whether there's stupid things said on there I'm sure there were but overall it was it was fun you got to know what the election result was yeah Carney gets elected everybody was kind of bummed so we talked about that and in the conservative world or the the world where you have no home and you're not a conservative and

you don't like the liberals and you're skeptical of the PPC and you're definitely not NDP because NDP is not a real party. You had this place to see what was going on in Canada and here's some intelligent people talk about it and have a laugh or two because that's what Tuse does exceptionally well. When it's getting too serious, Tuse finds a way to quip in and everybody starts laughing again because, you know, this is a live broadcast. This is serious. You have 88 these.

You can't say that. Tews will say it and we'll watch everybody squirm if they won't laugh. Most people just start laughing because, I mean, like, how we've found a way to make an election. There can be no fun in it. And it's like, and we've found a way we've, we've just found this rhythm, the two of us to really have a lot of fun when the world is pretty dark and depressing. And that is very much needed. And I don't know, the federal election live stream has set the bar to a whole. new world that i was i was shocked i was like half a million people holy crap 88 000 in the first

you know in the first watching us simultaneously are you freaking kidding me twos is two says now he's like we should have never stopped we should have went till four in the morning see if we could have got a hundred thousand i'm like in fairness to twos he's not wrong because what would have ended up starting to happen towards the end is it slowed down right we went from 10 000 an hour then it started to be only maybe a thousand an hour but what started to happen at the end is it started to pick up a little bit again because you know i don't know if it's rebel or juno or whoever you know it's it's it's midnight out east they're like we're going to bed it's over elections done we're turning it off it's a job being twos are having so much fun it's like can we go out we could probably go another

hour so we you know at some point you're like could we've got to a hundred thousand if we would have went another hour or two it's possible because eventually cbc turns it off and there's people still going, I wonder if somebody's still talking about this. It's like after an Euler game. You don't want them to shut down after hours until you're in bed because you've still got things to do. And so, you know, maybe a 12-hour live stream, maybe it's going to go longer next time. I can see two's convincing me of that. But you could see, you can't go too late because have you ever had a guest fall asleep? Jamie? Jamie? Oh, man, we watched that on the fest of us. Oh, man. It's still funny to this day. Poor Jamie. That was killer awesome Jamie.

two's poking fun of me to let you let you off easy did it Jamie but Sean I wonder tell me if if I'm on the button or off one is you had fun in a world it's full of darkness you were having fun in something as dirty and gross as politics one two people have come to have relationships and they trust different it's not everybody's not not all listening to Sean Newman but the media became contaminated and for me I'll speak for me personally I don't care if you're Fox News, CNN, I don't trust any of you. So if there's somebody that spoke some truth in the last five years, if you're having a conversation on something like politics or, you know, a court decision

or because you've kind of been telling me the truth last few years or appearing to anyways, I'm going to give you my mind. I'm going to give you my ears. I don't care about what's on CBC or CNN or Fox. The next thing, though, when you and I were talking about earlier, I didn't realize how important it was, is decentralized. funding because as as I know you I can trust Sean trust you with my life you're an honest guy I've never seen you take a dollar I've never seen you be underhanded you're a human so

of course you sin but I've just never seen it and as good of a guy as you are if all of your funding that you used to feed your family came from one check let's pick somebody as nice as Jonas Hegel if he wrote if he was writing the whole check for for your podcast could you come out and speak against canola or against farming or against right you'd be like I can't really touch those ones because my funder so by having decentralized funding allows you to speak freely be independent so it's better to get a little bit from a lot of people than a lot from one or two correct the the the the uh the poison of centralization and so i didn't realize this and you and i talked i became a a supporter of you in that regard but can you tell us so you have

substack. And how is the person? The reason I chose the substack, I started on Patreon. And then Patreon, uh, removed a few people that I watch. And I was like, oh, I don't know. I don't like that because eventually I'll say something and I'll just have all my funding pulled. And the reason I, I'm not a big YouTube fan, although I release on there and it is a wonderful

platform, everybody knows they've removed not only myself. but so many others. So there's certain platforms that I've watched, Substack being one of them, where dissenting views can go, and will it always be this way? Who knows? But on Substack,

I've found a place where I can post things, and now, because of Matt Smith, and I keep bringing them up because he pushed me to release the podcast on there every episode, there's a way to become a paid member on there. It's eight Canadian, or no, eight American dollars a month, or you can pay 80 for a year.

So it's a fixed number? Yeah, yeah. So if you want to be a substack? You can become a free member. You can just go on and be a free member and watch the show. But to be a supporter, it's $8 to become a paid member per month. Or 80 if you sign up annually. Yeah, kind of thing.

Yeah. And, yeah, like, I mean, if I was thinking about it realistically, you know, like how many paid, you know, if you have. I don't know, pick a number, Kenny, you know, like if you had, I don't know, I don't know, I can't do mental math right now, but I don't know how many people it would be, but if you had a, all your money coming in from, right, 500 people, 800 people, a thousand people, all of a sudden people, all of a sudden, if any, everything, all the advertising dried up, or a story came where it was, you know, conflicting as you say canola with with Jonas you wouldn't have the why I need to go talk about it

there's no right there's no pin pin pinch point and you know but at the same token it's like I've heard from a lot of people they're just like I want to support this I want to support that and I'm like yeah I fully understand I'm not I don't like

I want to give value for them supporting me and so like which you are sure but you like I know I don't like them selling for you and I know you don't want to sell yourself but I've always known the free speech is important and hearing thoughts from others even if they aren't the thoughts that you agree with it's very important to hear them and I think you and independent journalists we should be supporting to keep you what was your guest that said the the communist states that came out first were the ones that had the most freedom the most freedom of speech.

So that makes you more and more important every single day. We have to find a way to keep you going and not just you, others. And even some that would disagree with you. We need them all, right, with an opposing view, decentralized freedom of speech. So, so if you can support Sean, you know, the, well, I appreciate that, Kenny. I, yeah, like, I get uncomfortable about it. I'm just like, people are, I think more and more people are struggling more and more every day because of what's going on in society.

So to sit there, go, I need your money. I'm like, I don't want to do that at all. This is why I've gone the advertising route so that businesses can benefit from teaming with me. And I think Silver Gold Bowl and Bow Valley Credit Union, rec tech and guardian. And, you know, I got people like Caleb Taves who gives a spot up for a community spotlight.

It's just like super cool. Shane Stafford, you know, Windsor Plywood, Profit River. You know, there's just, just this wonderful group of people, you know, Planetcom, you know, doing all the internet security and building me a website. Like there's a ton of wonderful businesses and I look at those people and there's a bunch of people who businesses who've done a lot of great things and they don't want the recognition for it. So like I struggle with trying to get every individual to this is the only way and you've got to support independent. Like I don't know. I've found a different way. But if you

wanted to be truly independent, it would be, you know, a million people giving you a dollar, and I know that's a lot of dollars, but versus one person giving you the million, right? Just to look at the risk. And then the contamination that comes from one person setting. The, yeah, like, you know, for my family, I mean, what do, what do I really hope for for my family and myself in Canada to be sovereign and free? That's it. So what do I need to be sovereign free? Well, I need some of those. I need some food in the fridge. I need the ability. to speak, and we need you. We need you to keep the thinking going,

to keep the debate going. So if I should put my money into some silver, I should also be putting some money into you. Not just you, independent media. Yeah. So thank you for doing the show. I appreciate you bringing it up. I just, you know, I mean not.

I sit on this side, and I'm still uncomfortable with it. Sorry, folks. I'm like, I just, in today's world where the government taxes everything, the inflation is going insane, people are trying to make ends meet and to go you need to worry about Sean

it's like I just I don't know if you're uncomfortable If all the Sean's in the world went back to a nine to five Because it was easy and you don't take any flack You don't have to talk about anything controversial Yeah fair enough This ends in a hurry I think we should go for a moment Sean

You gave the opportunity to people That were your most loyal Oh sure Listeners subscribers Yeah no no no no This fits right into the substack So paid members what I did was I you know like so one of the things about becoming a paid member is not every

post hasn't but certain posts are only for paid members right this is a Sean Ryan thing right you can get into different discussions so what I gave the paid members was the opportunity to ask a question on the year in review and that mean you would discuss it okay so this is you know you want to get a question in on next year's year in review become a paid member that to me is an easy sales pitch you want to enter the discussion then you know support and I interact with all these people lots because I actually get to know them quite well so if you want that that isn't at a benefit you get so here's some of the questions okay here's the first one uh Lee shout out to Lee he says um no Lee Hepner okay

Manitoba Lee is uh Lee is a wonderful man and he uh he's got to be in the top five percent of people who text me weekly, if not daily. He's up there. Anyways, shout out to Lee. He says, I'm an optimist, and I guess when it comes to Kand, I think the country has been slipping away from us from a long time already. Maybe it's sped up a little since 2015, but I honestly feel social media and podcasts are just informing us at real speed these days.

The negative side of that is anxiety in the population, the mainstream media just elevates that energy. My question is, how do you decide what direction or topic you will see? steer the show into. Okay, so let's make sure we understand the question. He's saying that Canada's heading downhill, and there's in social media and podcasters, there's a lot of discussion on that, which is very negative. That's the second part to it, right?

Am I correct? Yep. Negative side of that is anxiety in the population. And that leads into the head game of doom and gloom, the sky's falling, I don't know what else to do. and then the last part of the question is how do you use that to steer your podcast or how do you no his question is how do you decide what direction or topic you will steer the show into considering the the the background that he gave okay so what's your answer um

i listen to my audience and what i mean by that is is um a ton of the guests I can't be everywhere at once. And Lee and a whole bunch of others, including yourself, listen to, if I can listen to a podcast today, let's say, there's people out there listen to seven podcasts today. I'd be an idiot not to take the best one they've listened to and say, you need to stare at this. And do I get to all of them?

No, but when I start to see things get sent to me over and over and over again, I'm like, I've got to pay attention to that. so the text line has been an interesting endeavor and so I monitor it very closely I think I can be honest in saying that if you text me I do my very best to get back to you the same day I'm not perfect there are times where it slips there's times where way too many texts come in and I you know slowly weed through them but when I start to see something is hitting over and over and over again i'm like i should have that person on uh i'd be i have kind of like levels there's whale hunting like i want jo rogan on right but if you never send or try and track that down will

it ever happen oh maybe but if you never try and throw a spear at it there's no chance it's like you miss 100% of the shots you know you don't take right you got to shoot the puck so i have a list of people I want to have on and I take shots of them and see if I can get messages through maybe there's oh maybe there's a different way you know Neil Oliver's one in particular that just happened and that just all of a sudden Tom Longo brought him up I'm like oh when did he bring him up after you interviewed him yeah one day did he know that you had interviewed him no no no it's before I interviewed him so he had he booked Neil Oliver no he brought him up and I'm like you know Neil Oliver and he's like yeah

oh I see okay but I didn't I didn't push him on it because Tom was going to have him on his podcast I'm like oh no I'll let Tom and then maybe I'll reach on but then I noticed Neil had Alex trainer on I'm like I'm gonna reach out to Alex

and see if he knows Neil because I'm like to me that's way too close what is the degrees of freedom no yeah two degrees of separation and it's five degrees right isn't every you know and so I reached out to Alex Alex is like, yeah, absolutely you should have them on. And, you know, like, it didn't happen that fast,

but at the same time, in the context of it, it happened relatively fast. When I hadn't wanted to have John Rich on, I reached out to Paul Brand. I'm like, who's in the country music industry that I know, that knows I'm not a douchebag and might give me a chance? Paul Brand, full stop.

Reach out to Paul Brand, have his email the same day. And then it begins this game of like, can I get you on? and um when i'm going for large i take shots of people because like those take time and effort and that maybe at times a little bit of god's grace or a little bit of luck but the mainstay of the show like what is happening in canada i read the mashup those things keep me informed on what's going on and then you start to see things happening you're like i should try and see if i can get somebody from there on it i should try and that comes a ton from the

audience. So how do I, I guess, Lee, a long answer to your question is I listen to you guys. I listen to you, Lee. I listen to all the people that text me and I just start to see patterns. And I recognize a pattern. I go, that's somebody I need to have on. Dallas Brody, although she'd come on once before, I'm not sitting there going, I need to have Dallas Brody on, but then Dallas Brody, all the things started happening with 1B.C. And it actually wasn't, that wasn't why I reached out with her. Making a killing came out. And that, went to the moon and back and you had it booked and I reached out to Dallas Brody's team and I had it booked and by the time she's coming on 1 BC is

absolutely in turmoil what the heck is going on I was telling you I'm like yeah we I have to talk I can't even talk about making killing anymore this is what the conversation is yeah we talked about and so that that's just I guess pattern recognition but Lee to answer your question as I listen to you and I listen to the people that are really engaged in the show I can I make me well observation of you, I think in relation to Lee's question, if I understand it correctly, is that, Sean, you have a gift at, no matter how dark it is or how much things are in decline, you seem to have, you won't give up hope.

No, I'm an internal optimist. Yeah, and I used to be an internal optimist. and I still am but I'm more with Lee of saying like if I look at all the temperature inches around me but we've already won Kenny and we all know why we've already won so I'm going to say two things one is I'm glad

because you have to have hope and even if the day is dark in a week enjoy today because it's not dark yet and you're good at that darkest time in my life brought the best people into my life exactly it changed my life and leave what one thing that Sean and I we talk a lot is the whole thing that hard times make strong men. So you can't

get strong unless you have hard times. So therefore be thankful for the hard times. Because it brings goodness. And the third thing, Lee, and I don't know if this is meant for you, but when I was really struggling with, I think what I hear in your question is when you start to pay attention to what's going on around it can get a little heavy on the noggin.

And Sean, you and Andre, it all came together around the same time. You suggested Alan Watts, fairly modern philosopher and when I combine that with Carl Jung, combine that with Christianity, combine that with you and Andre, this isn't our world and we're not here to control it. Let go. Be at peace with it.

It's not your job. You can plant the seeds, but it's not you that does the watering. And so for me, when I was listening to Alan Watts, who you've met personally. No, I haven't met him personally. No, no, no, no. I interviewed. No, who gave him a ride? Rod sellers.

Oh, Rod sellers. That was one of my archive interviews. Right. Yes. You and I and Andrea were talking about it. Yeah, because Ellen Watts has since passed, right? He's no longer... Yeah, and it's a little bit like, yeah, it's doom and gloom,

but this is not our world, and we're put here for a reason at this point in time. And if it's your job to be here during a time where it's a little bit of a dark period, then do it, do it to the best of your ability and put a smile on your face way to do it. So that's my observation. You want to go to the next question? Yeah, so the next question is Kevin Damon, who you know quite well. Another amazing man. Kevin, once again, is in my top 5%, probably, Kevin, if I'm being a...

honest with you. Probably 2% of people who text. He said, I would like to hear more about the getting guest process. Is there a process of just cold shot emails? Is there a network of names, podcast hosts share around? That kind of thing I find interesting. I would have piles of anxiety trying to organize a guest. There's also a second part that I'll get to distracted at you. There's a ton of hustle in getting guests. You know, I, I, I can't remember if I've shared it or not, but to get Daniel Smith the last time took me 60 emails, I think was the final total. There's a ton of frustration that comes in that, but I think even John Rich.

John Rich probably took me 20-some emails. There's times where they just don't email back, and that's really deflating. It is beyond deflating because you just want, as soon as I get a no, at least I know they're reading my email. Jordan Peterson's team is case in point I have talked to Michaela Peterson via email do you think I can get Jordan Peterson

no it's the most frustrating thing but at least I'm talking to Brett Weinstein same thing I've talked to Brett Weinstein's son via email because I've interviewed Heather he's just not interested simple as that and you go huh that sucks but at least I get an answer

getting guess is a ton of hustle It's a ton of emailing, digging into it. The contact information is everywhere, but getting a conversation and a dialogue started has always been that way, all the way back. Keith Morrison, you remember I had Keith Morrison on Dateline years ago? Yeah, yeah, the Canadian. That took, I remember, it took a lot.

But it was funny, they just kept telling me no, but it's such a polite way, and I just keep saying, well, I'll reach out in a month, and they go, great. And so I kept reaching out. It took me like eight months, Finally, I assume they just realized I wasn't going away, and they said, he'll give you half an hour on this date. And I was like, great. And then the lady who had been his scheduling person for NBC was like, that was really good.

And I'm like, what do you come back on? And she said, yeah, but you got to give us maybe a year or something. You know, and by the time the year had come around, I was into a different realm, and I haven't really gone back down that road. But, you know, how do you get people? Sam Cooper to come to the Cornerstone Forum, that took way too many emails to get the hopeful guest here that I get to announce in time,

if it becomes a yes, takes a lot of hoop jumping. It takes a lot of just, you know, that is the hustle of it. Sure. I just can't see Kevin having anxiety. Yeah, no, no kidding. People don't know.

Kevin's a black belt jiu-jitsu. He comes in through Sean's podcast. Here's a question for you, Kenny. Carmen wants to know is Ken Rutherford for some sort of mobster or king pen of crime? Mopter or king. No to neither. Carmen is Kevin's better half.

And she's come out a couple times. Kevin comes to our community now. He's part of our community. He's a brother. And he comes out and helps us with the jujitsu in our fight club. And Carmen comes out and she's a beautiful human. She hit it off with Benny. My little son, Benny, is a handful.

And usually he's a little too. much for most people, too much energy, too much, too much pizzazz, too much attitude, too much something. And him and Carmen were like besties. They just hung, like, Betty loves Kevin, but he's like, when's Carmen coming back? So now, I'm not sure where that comes from, because Kenny is certainly not a mob boss. I don't know where that comes from, but the answer is no and no. George Shostack says, my question would be, do you and your guess, oh, no, wait, you know what? one other question that Kevin had before I move on is there a network of names podcast host share around

I think there's a net in my world because I don't have I've seen where like four podcasts go in the same building and then I assume what they do is they pay for just take Jordan Peterson for example they pay for him to come in and then he does the circuit in their building and then he leaves I've seen that. There's the Walt Garden theory of Jordan Peterson

where he has select groups and they share guests. And so in my world, there's like a loose connection. If I see that, well, I just said it with Alex Criner, I see him go on Neil Oliver. I reach out to people that I've become more than just an acquaintance with and I leverage that friendship to get on somebody I normally can't get. You got to be careful with that

because if I reach out to John Rich who I just had on to have on everyone, then I'm over-leveraging that connection. And the reason I felt comfortable with Paul Brand, if I'm being honest, is because I interviewed Paul Brand once and the second time, if people remember, I went and interviewed him in person.

And there is something different that changes when you sit across from somebody and you get to look them in the eye and go, hmm, this guy is... Paul Bisinette from Spitz. in chicklets. The reason I got him is because I talked to him in person. Wasn't he half tight in the crowd when you...

Oh, yeah. He was high as a kite. He was a kite. And he told me no. And then I was just like, oh, okay, fair enough, whatever, not a big deal. And then I don't know if it was my reaction to him saying no. Because he looked at me, he's like, ah, screw it. Let's do it. And I still have his number. And every once in a while, I'll try and get him back on. It never seems to work.

But... I bet you it's coming. Like, you're not... What Kevin's referring to, I've seen it when I was younger at college, I was on the Students Association. students union. And when you'd book talent, you know, you go to buy a comedian or a hypnotist, there's a list. You can see how much they cost and who's there. And then I've also seen it with these people that speak at colleges and schools, you know, when they get somebody to get to talk about suicide prevention or drug prevention. There's a list. Like it's a business of its own

in industry. Most people don't realize that properly, but there's people that that's what they do. And you go into your catalog and say, how much can we afford and what does this person speak on and you contact their agent. And so I imagine it's probably coming for podcast, Sean. It's probably just podcasting is in a state of chaos because it's brand new, but probably order is coming and there probably is going to be a list. So good question, Kevin. George Shostack, my question would be, do you and your guests or your feeling slash knowledge think that we L. Burtons can truly separate? That's a deep question.

So the question is, do you and your guests? But I guess your guests aren't here other than me. So let's just point it at you. do you and your guess or your feelings slash knowledge think that we can think that we all burtons can truly separate i think we can have a referendum i think that is coming after that i'm it's it's past my it's past the event to rise them you know like ben trudeau comes to mind where he's like don't do it Quebec did. He's like, you're going to get tied up in legal battles with Canada for the next 30 years. You know, I think, again, Burlingame and blood needs to be sacrificed for freedom.

That's a, that's a more dark or real, you know, like, are we there? I don't know. Can we truly separate? I think history is shown, yes. Are we going to in the next take? years? I don't know. I don't know. I think we're going to get a referendum question. I think we're going to have a chance to vote on it. I think there's going to be an opportunity for Alberta to say we want out. Is that going to happen? You know, I'm just one, I'm no longer naive. I thought Daniel Smith, when she was running for the UCP leadership, I thought she was going to win in a landslide. And if people remember that, it was like that tight. It was beyond tight with Travis Taves.

That really surprised me. I really surprised me. I was like, huh, didn't see that coming. So I'm not a fool to think in my echo chamber, we say yes, it can. But I mean, Lukasdik just got 700,000 people assigned staying in Canada. So you already know there is a contingent of Obertans that do not want to leave. Now, is it 7030? Or is it 50-50?

Where does it sit? I don't know. I think we're going to have an opportunity. And is there anything else that you at this point would want? Would you like an opportunity? I think everybody would say, they listen to this. Yes, we want an opportunity. I think that is coming.

And Alberta is going to get his chance to say we want out. And if we get out, then I listen to, you know, I go back to what Chris Scott said. Trump or Trump's administration, you know, He said they'd back in Alberta, independent Alberta. You know, and then our conversation always goes to people like Gaddafi and like, are they going to let you leave? You know, that's the darker question. Yeah, we're sitting on a lot of money that's sitting in the ground.

Yeah. And they're just going to say, you go over and just go and take care of your business. Well, and then you listen to different people, look at the historical context of the United States. And did they ever truly leave the British Empire? And if you start looking into the deeper history of that, you know, like, I don't know. that's a, you said, you didn't hit it right on the head. It's a deep question. What I think I believe can happen is a referendum. After that, I got no clue. I'm just as, look at Trump's most recent comments on Venezuela, where he's saying, we're coming back to get our oil. I think,

is that already said this last week, right? And so whose oil is this? Is it the peoples or is it right? The puppeteers a little higher up on the, but what would say, there is a cool book shun and something we should read it was on um who suggested to me by some of the maverick guys and the people that started the reform party right the alan kerpans of the world and uh oh who is this the other i forget he's name around the chief of staff for stephen harper who was also involved in the maverick party oh i'm forgetting his name too um key figure in uh reform party key figure somebody's yelling at the radio i'm sorry because they were all part of the maverick party as well. But some of those people referred me to a book, and it was written by some

Canadians, one of them being Ted Byfield, if it was written down, where it was actually examples of countries that had gone their own way. And how do they do it? And when did they do it? And what were some struggles they had? I think that's really healthy for us all to read. So we do actually have some hope to see. What's the book called? I've got it at home. I'm sure if we Google it, somebody that's a quirky person out there, will text us back in. But I'll be able to find it afterwards. That's funny. Because you know, you just, you just primed everybody and everyone. That sounds really interesting. It's a book we should all read. What's the book called? Don't know what the book's called. But, but I tell you what, two, uh, twos, but Ken is going to, you're going to find it. You're going to find it. You're going to text me the title. And if you're interested in that title, text me and I'll text you the book title. Is it fair to say, though, this will not happen with people sitting on their

couches. Is it possible as possible? But it takes, it's going to take some work and some bravery. Yes. to get yeah so anyway so okay so let's keep on next question uh byron christopher shout out to byron i hope to have you in this studio at some point in the near future um i have a ton of respect for byron christopher his question do people now have less or more confidence in mainstream media i think i know the answer but i'll ask it anyway the answer is i think we answered that when we talked about the cbc numbers versus yeah I think confidence is dying. It's dying. It's dying. Full stop. And I hope there is a resurgence in actual journalism like you did Byron that comes back that asks the difficult questions that are uncomfortable and we can all be better for it. That's my hope. And I believe it is going to happen. Even the people that aren't awake, I don't think they're watching normal to you. that much anymore. Are there? Maybe I'm wrong. I don't know the last time I've ever watched

CBC, Fox, CNN. I don't remember the last time. So for me, it's dead. I give it zero intention. But that's going to next question. Here's Tim. Tim said, based on the vast amount of knowledge you've accumulated over the past year, do you think that there's any hope of this country turning around and getting back on track? I ask this in earnest because I'm seriously considering leaving because with the continual slide towards tyranny, I don't see a way out. The political right is divided and can't seem to find a cohesion required to make a proper effort to write the ship. The media calls us conspiracy theories that are bent on propagating divisiveness and the government rights regulations to stifle voices that call for explanation or even simple

discussion. How can I be convinced that there are still reasons to stay and pay exorbitant taxes to the government who seemingly is repulsed by my very existence as a middle-aged moderately successful straight white male? Sign, sign, everywhere is signed, Walking out the scenery, breaking my mind, do this, don't do that. Can't you read the sign? That's Tim. That's your question. So the question, if I go back to, do you think there's any hope of this country turning around and getting back on track?

If we're talking Canada, full stop, no. Interesting. The guy who always has hope is doing my camp. I have hope. I have full hope. No, no. But you're saying Canada turning around? Canada turning around?

No. we are I no yeah Canada it's cooked if

conservatives get in as do we slow down the you know the decline sure but I mean you know

you just had it is Christmas we just had what was it called it wasn't Christmas party somebody a Christmas concert forgive me

it was called a wedding not a wedding A winter celebration, winter something. And it was kids on stage at a school saying give the land back, right? Like, we are beyond, that wasn't in Alberta, folks, that was out east. We are in a realm of where I don't recognize what is going on on the other side of the country. And I got people who listen to this show and they say they're just like us. And I fully embrace all of you.

is Canada finding its way back? Convince me how it's possible with the way our elections and parliament and governance goes. No, it looks like it's doing exactly what it was designed to do. So when you ask, is there any way to stay in Canada, the way that it is currently governed? No. But that's why I am out west. that's why I live in the community I do it's why I've surrounded myself with the people I do

I look at some of the people in Alberta and they're just brilliant and they are people who have skin in the game they are doing things some of them you know some of them you've never even heard of and they're doing it very quietly and I just admire them

and I think there is hope out west and I think Jamie Sinclair he came on the podcast we were just talking about this December, 2021, and he was the first guy, I'll give him full credit, who talked about West and East just have different values. And as soon as we realize that, we can just become Western, we don't have to get rid of the Canadian name.

We could be Western Canada. But at some point, more of us are just going to realize that what's going on isn't healthy. And we need to address that. So, yeah, that's my thought. I want to, though, like, everywhere goes through dark times and light times, right? Like, look at Russia, right? They had some strong times and obviously some very, very dark times and some up times and now they're back in war again. So I wonder if it's, if it's not just a cycle.

I know we could get into the end times discussion and these things, you know, but probably good idea to have a few hands in your cards in your hand to play because we don't know how this goes. And maybe Canada has another 150 year good years and maybe it's two. I mean, I'm not sitting here going, like, as I look out where we're at, like, Canada's on fire. In certain sense that it is, but also I look out the window and I see all the beauty that this land has. I just go, Canada, I think the question is more around the governance and where we're going. We're literally being flushed down the toilet. I think everybody can see it. There's just so many, you know, when you write it all down on what we're doing as a country,

you, it's hard to recognize it. I wonder what Tim's age is, is because one thing I noticed difference between you and I, Sean, is that when your kids are young, it's, it's, you have to put food on the table. I have adult children now. And I'm like, okay, what's this going to be like for them? They're just coming in to try to afford their first home. Yeah. Try to express their views.

Try to have a child of their own and, and, and be able to think freely. And it's like, okay, they got, they got 35 years of work ahead of them and they're in year two. how are they going to stay here? I don't know. So I don't, it's a different. When your kids become 16, 17, 18, you're like, kids, almost time for you to enter that. Your brain shifts a bit from thinking of.

Well, this goes back to the, the, can we separate? I might lean into what Chris Scott says. It's inevitable. Now, is it inevitable in the next year? I don't know about that, possibly. But I agree with them. At some point, there is just a breaking point. And Martin Armstrong has talked about.

about it being between here in 2032. And I go, I don't know what it is that breaks the camel's back, because you look around at some of the things going on in our country, and I'm like, what is it going to be? Because at this point, it just keeps stacking up. These questions hurt the mind. They're deep questions. Yeah.

The final one from Substack, Aaron, how do we collectively keep our eye on the prize while recognizing we all have differences and sometimes different values? After watching the recent implosion of 1 BC, I worry people with arterial motives may undermine the changes happening in Alberta. Well, I can tell you this, full stop. If you're trying to do something

that is probably common sense in the political realm, there will be infiltration, and they will try and destroy you. Would you disagree with me? No, that's for sure. So how do you keep your eye on the prize? That's a good question. Probably outlined,

where you want to go. I don't know. That's a, you know, when you talk about, how do you keep your eye on the prize? When I, if I bring it back to the podcast, I knew which way I wanted to head. And as long as I was heading, you know, in the direction of maybe the little mountain

that I was aiming at, I get pulled off of it and I could feel it and then I drift back to the line. Oh, that's where I'm headed. And then over time, I've just started to add things into, nope, this is going to make better and better and I knew I was heading that way, consistency and just head that direction. So that is keeping the eye on the prize. And if the prize for you is getting out of Alberta, sorry, getting out of Canada, and that's

Alberta or that's actually physically leaving Canada, that's a direction of keeping your eye on the prize. I'm not here to tell you which way one to do. But conversation, being respectful, and understanding, there's probably infiltration in the APP. There has to be, you know. For sure, there's focus on it. I mean, you just watch 1B have making a killing, talking about residential schools, adding in, is it all of it bang on correct in the documentary? I don't know.

It's a documentary. and if you've watched enough documentaries, they always aim towards their goal. And so are they bringing in the full discussion? Probably not. But it was interesting. It added a bunch into the discussion and 11 days after that,

the party is up in smoke. So you just have to have discernment. You've got to realize that people are going to try and pull you off your path. Can I make an observation of you? Sure. And you tell me if this is wrong because the question I think was how to keep your eye on the prize. Watching you and how you live your life, I find that you rank your prizes from most to least

important. At the top is your faith, your family, and your community. And so your eye and your prize is always saying, like, that might be falling down over there. But I have my faith and I have my family and have my community. And for today, I'm okay for one more day. You know, am I on base for you? Like, you don't seem to get overly, was it Kevin's word, anxiety over things that are happening out there,

even though they probably stress you out, but you're like, but they're not the most important things to me. It's my faith, my family, my community. Is that a fair statement? It's probably a fair statement, Kenny. I just did, well, I guess it's already out now, I guess by the time this airs, I did, Nicole Murphy interviewed me.

And it was, it was, was geared towards creativity and entrepreneurs and people you know that are creating things and how to basically it was a different version of the same question my mountain isn't a million dollars it isn't a million followers it is and you know at times i i still think i'm figuring out what that mountaintop is because at one point god wasn't there i certainly didn't know that's what I was aiming at. Heck, you go back and listen to the first conversation me and Tanner in a day have.

He's talking about God being the ultimate goal or Jesus and me talking about truth and Jordan Peterson's thought and how they're very similar, but they're not the same thing. My mountaintop, I don't know if the podcast is at the mountain top because I've said this over and I'll continue to say this. The day it takes me away from my family is the day it's done. And so, like, the mountain, right, it's like that's been added in. So everybody knows that.

If my family's coming with me, it means I'm in the right place. If they're starting to fall off and I'm starting to have problems there, I got to readjust. That's keeping the eye on the prize. And that's very difficult to do when it's a political movement. Like, very difficult. Yes. And then even if you get close to that, there's going to be infiltration. just does full stop yeah doesn't mean don't do it it just means have discernment and

realize that is coming don't be like don't be I need don't be naive I was naive for a very long time was I not oh both of us were and I've had my hard lessons and I'm just trying to learn and as I go along it's like oh can only control what you control that's right in front you right the uh shun you That, by the way, was the last substack question. So thank you, everyone who submitted that. Good question. Because that was, me and Ken had talked about that.

I'm like, we should do something with the substack paid subscribers and give them a way to enter into this conversation because they comment all the time and I'm in different conversations. They text all the time. And, yeah, I just appreciate the questions. And I appreciate a guy like Byron Christopher being a paid subscriber who has been a guest and he's been on my stage and... An independent journalist.

Yeah. Should be supported? Sean, no, we want to make sure we don't go too long. I know, he said, we're going to go when we go. But you and I both listened to our episode from last year. Yes. And we talked a lot about a vision board because our book club did it. And I did it years ago.

And we said, hey, let's get it together in the second week of January. We both had good years. We both had done some pretty neat things. But we didn't do our vision board. We said we were going to do it and we didn't do it. I can hear Alan chuckling, a vision board. Anyways, Al Lorenzer. Yes, yeah, yeah.

Can we always tease him because he thinks a vision board is, I don't know, what's, I don't know what is term. Flaky or something? Not flaky, no, no, more like not masculine, you know. But I chuckle about that because I've just had success with a vision board, right? I wanted to be full-time podcasting in five years. That's what I put on it, and I was full-time in three years. And I listened to you, because I respect you a lot, talk about when you write down your goals, how important it is, because then it's almost like it goes somewhere in the back of your mind.

And if you go back and look at it, it's like, holy crap, huh. I didn't, I didn't, huh. And it's funny, I didn't even think about this. You, you finish your thought because I think. Well, what we're getting on is I had an old, actually another one of your listeners. Dave, never mind. I don't know. I was a business partner with him for a while and a very driven guy.

He had a black belt in Taekwondo and bodybuilding chapel of Alberta and had a pretty successful business. And he told me to do it. I was like, well, I guess worst things could happen. Who do I want to be? Where do I want to go? Like what I want, what do I want to pursue? And so I wrote them down.

And then I went and found the pictures that was as close as I could find to what I envisioned in my own mind. And I glued them on a piece of cardboard. And yeah, it felt a little weird, but I did it. And then I kind of looked at it, but it got put away. And, but I kept it. And then when I had moved to my house and I'd bought my land and I'd, it's a long shot, I won't bore you with all things around there.

But I picked it up and you, you would, you would crap your pants. If you saw how close the house looked to my house, the, I've always loved the water and I wanted to have a nice boat for my family. The boat I bought was the exact same brand that was in the picture. Like the animals that were pictured in it, I had a, I had a dog. I was like, I want to have a farm dog. I went a little bit of a farm. I had a picture of a German shepherd.

Well, guess what dog I got? A German shepherd. I'm like, oh, that's, that's eerie. It all came true. So, and maybe go, if that's true, why don't I keep doing that? And so, although we've had goals, I haven't done another. Well, I always, I always wonder about writing about stopping drinking, how much that sat in the back of my brain.

Right down. And it took longer, but at the same time, maybe it didn't take a lot. It took the right amount of time. and all of a sudden this is there. So how about we make good on our word? Yes. What are we doing our vision board by? Because we have to answer for this

because we're going to do this again next year. Yes. How many things we're going to put on the vision board? You like less, not more. Well, think about it. The first hour of this or less, what do we talk about? It wasn't the 10 things I've done.

It was the one thing I've done. And so people, including myself, get hung up on changing 10 things. I'm like, man, write the 10 things you want to change and then try and find the root of the problem. And it's no different than we rag on the health care system about always just treating symptoms and never getting to the root cause. But we're just as bad at culprits. Get to the root of your problem and look at it for what it is and it'll be uncomfortable because not drinking was uncomfortable for. me but by addressing it it becomes something that starts affecting all of your life so the reason

i think less is more is because it has been exactly what i've done that doesn't mean you can't go and do 10 things maybe that is exactly who you are and godspeed to you just in my world i like less is more i don't want to try and do 50 things because i already am doing 50 things i want to be involved in my kids' life, so I am involved in my kid's life. I want to do a show. I want to do the Cornerstone Forum. I want to do all these things. It takes time. So when I look at the year, I'm like, I've stewed on this for way too long because I want to make sure it is the one thing that is going to propel me to be a better version of myself, which will impact my family and my kids and hopefully my community and my friends and draw me closer in my faith, all these things. I'm

man that is a that is like so what are you going to do you know it's an interesting question so when you talk about a vision board yeah i don't i have i'm thinking i'm probably putting three things on it can you say what there one i can't because i haven't announced it yet i teased it a year ago on the same show and um it is the dominoes have begun to of fall in a good way in a very good way but for the benefit of my marriage probably is the safe way of saying it i can't fully explain it to the audience can i throw one thing out there audience his wife is fully in the no they just yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah sorry sorry yes yeah yeah and so um until it is official which you know sure between here in the cornerstone forum i think in some time frame

it'll be announced i think that is on the vision board and i so that's one that is that is project a is on the on the board so project a is something to do with the podcast it is large it is a very large endeavor and that is so that's going on that's going on um i was i was bugging you about this before. I, uh, me and you started training one-on-one

Jiu-Jitsu. If I go back to the first episode, we're joking about it. You stayed with it. I didn't. And, uh, one of the things I,

I just, I just noticed. I just, at times I'm an angry guy. Mm-hmm. And it doesn't believe, nodding because you are an angry guy, but I know where you're going

because I've suffered from the same thing. And Jiu-s does help. And I don't mean like I, I burst on my family or my friends. It's just at times, I have a lot of pent-up anger. and it used to be i used to play hockey and i used to get hit guys and you know you know

throw a hip check i love to hip check and you know just like that that interaction of bumping into people and them trying to kill you and and you chase nap to you was just a release and you know as you get older you don't have that anymore and honestly i'm not that mad about it it's just like i want to try something and you talk so highly of jiu jutsu and i should give you a compliment because when you first you've been paying me all these compliments when we first started the pot or when i first started the podcast and kem was on it for the first time he had just started we just started jiu jitsu and you just got your blue belt which my hat's off to you shout out to kevin for making that happen but i mean that's been consistency when you talk about consistency you've you've pulled that off

and so i don't i don't know i don't have all my vision board a blue belt i just i just want to start training and i and i'm going to push on us two to make that that happened because we started and then I threw my back out, which everybody knows about, and then that set me back. And I just go, okay, we're going to make sure that happens. And so in 2026, that's going to be on the board. So in a year's time, I just want to have said that I've been doing that consistently. And I think that is very, well, no, that's going to happen.

So that's number two. Can I give you a hint on that? First of all, we should think. the big guy upstairs, God. I thank him regularly for Kevin. One, because a good mentor and somebody that cares, and you're not going to find somebody in Jitsu that cares more about your eye than Kevin, you know,

uh-uh, uh, would be one. Two, I used to kind of mock the belts because I've wrestled and done a lot of Jiu-so. I've done some judo, did some, you know, kickboxing and sat. And I was always like, the mats tell the truth. It doesn't matter what belt you have on. I looked at almost like a like something to brag about

like a gold watch or something and sure who cares if you got a gold watch doesn't mean you're wealthy you know it doesn't and I didn't really care so I didn't set the goal I was like I'll just let the talk and do all the mats

and the guy who's tougher than me beats me up and the guy that I'm tougher then I beat him up and we all are friends and we leave at the end of the day but then I was like no I'm aging and it actually means something to me and I don't know why it's Kevin taught that to me and I think you should

be specific of I won't have this many stripes on my white belt or I want a blue belt or I want a purple belt or whatever your goal is because to be specific because I as soon as I said I want as a goal. Okay. Okay. Well then my question is in my brain can on my board I'm going for this year. Are you saying for the board it has to be for the next five years? I just think if you do it for the year because right now we're just talking for a year but how you don't let out your uh no I know So how quickly can I get a blue belt or a stripe on a belt? Well, for me, it took a long time because I didn't have a Kevin, right? How quickly can I get?

What are the stages up to a blue belt? Because blue belts? White belt with four stripes and it goes blue belt, four stripes. So is the first step a white belt? Yeah, yeah. One straight. You get one stripe on your first promotion. You walk in, you join your way.

All right, fine. One stripe. I think that's setting the bar extremely low, but you know exactly what my first part is. So it's like I actually don't know how quickly I can get there And I don't know if I can actually get there before I enact part one Kevin care so deeply about both of us I would have a conversation to say Kevin here's who I am Here's what I'm planning on do here's what can I go

What's a realistic? I just talked to Kevin today because I don't want to say something He's my mentor said Kevin what's a realistic because I'm I'm not 19 And I have a lot of responsibilities in judjitia you have the athletes I can't do this for five hours a day I wish I could Sure said am I being too aggressive by saying I want a couple stripes by the end of the year on my blue belt. Purple belt. That's my next goal, obviously.

He said, nope, I think that's very realistic. You know, as long as you train and do the right things. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So I think you should talk to Kevin, but then I think you should say your number of stripes. Yeah, well, I said one stripe and tell Kevin. I think you're low. But, yeah, but yeah, but until Kevin tells me, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Okay, so we're doing a juditsu's on your board. And then the third thing is for the audience. Okay. Because you keep, I don't, know if ken's right on this can just you know he's singing you know ken's got this way you know you're so interesting and i got i don't know about that but i do understand what you're saying when you're like i've watched you as a friend find god stop drinking really focus on being around my family and and and and things like that and he's you know so how can you help the audience

And so on my board, I don't know, I've got to think about what the actual image is. But what I would really like to do is I would like to be the, what's the word I'm looking for? Who's accountability? If you're interested in just one thing for the year of 2025, 2026, sorry. and you need somebody just to make sure that you're accountable. You know, we got our Thursday men's group, and one of the guys is getting up at 5 a.m. And all he does is just send a thumbs up.

I'm up at 5, right? He doesn't care if anybody sees it. It's just something for him that he's like, I'm up, and I get to send this. I would just say, if you're interested, send me a text. Because I don't know how it all plays out, but I look at it and I go, So if somebody doesn't have anyone to hold them accountable, well, I'll hold you accountable, right? How does that play out? If there's only one person, it's pretty simple.

Text me once a month. Tell me what you're doing and what you're going to do for 2026 and I'll just make sure I stay in contact with you. Now, if it goes to a crazy number, that doesn't have to be that much. Trying to keep track of 20 people would be difficult. We'll figure out a way. But I think, you know, like I talk about the community that's listening to this, and they're wonderful people. And lots of them already got their crap together.

They're probably just waiting for me to get my crap together. Every human has their own crap sandwich. Sure. Everybody's got something. But if somebody is interested in what we're talking about and just wants to be a part of it in a small way and have some accountability, I'll be the accountability part. And I think that's an easy thing to put on the board. And then you're going to say, but you need a number. And I'm going to be like, I don't know, 10 people.

How's that? So what kind of spurred this? Shown, tell me if I'm on their track, is that by God's blessing, our choice, our drive, I don't know what the book club came together. And if all the other members of the book club, they can share their own success stories. But what we had was some people that we actually said,

hey, my goal is this. Yes. Came out of your mouth and entered somebody else's ears. So then it was, there's an accountability to it. And something else that I think was a big variable in it. We can disagree with parts of it, but we all read Jordan Peterson's 12 Rules of Life. We did. And it was written in a way of like, you know, just make your better.

Actually, what we first did is we watched the Kathy Newman, Jordan Peterson interview. Right. Because that gave you a level of understanding Jordan Peterson and how brilliant but eloquent he can be in his arguments. And that spurred on, like, if you can watch half an hour of him and be like enthralled, go read 12. it kind of helped set the table a bit for be accountable do something big with your life yeah you know i agree um and so so then we we read that book and and and then we pick some hard things to wrestle with i won't share because some of them are quite deep and quite personal but your listeners i was telling sean earlier that sean you have a big audience now and they're people

that value you because you are authentic and you're real and you wrestle with things you and you share your thoughts and opinions. And out there's guaranteed there's somebody out there that's drinking too much or has a marriage on the rocks or, you know, the porn addiction. I don't know. Like, we've all had our stumbles

because congratulations, it's called humanity. And then I was thinking, Sean, imagine if you kind of leverage that and challenge people to read 12 Roots for Life and pick something, one thing that when you have to come back next year, you send a text to Sean and say, this year I will quit doing X. You know, it's harder of having Ken as a friend, folks, is I go, yeah, and then you're like, nope, you got to dial it in.

You got to dial it in. So, be specific. Sure. Well, let's be specific. If you 10 people, you're setting your goals 10, whatever. 10. They send you a message that says, I'm going to read, I'm going to read Jordan Peterson's 12 rules to life. And we will touch base once a month to make sure you're on track.

And just like you and I had to eat our own, we didn't do our vision board. In the year's time, you got to either say, did you do it or did you not do it? Well, I tell you what, what we'll do next year if people text us. Oh, yeah. Is we won't use last names unless they want that. But if you don't make it, you're getting talked about on here. And if you do make it, you're getting talked about it. Celebrate the victories.

Yeah. Let's do it. You can do it. Okay. Now, you've focused on me and my three. You were just as bad because you didn't do it. So what is on your vision board, Kenny? Sean's year in review, but I thank you for the blessing because it made me accountable,

and it lets me help speak my vision to reality. Now I have to do my vision board, which means in a year's time, if it worked like the last vision board, these are things that will happen. So thank you to you, Sean, for the opportunity. So here's what I'm putting on my board unless I change. But when we set our date tonight, that's what's going to go on there. One, I want this to be the best year of marriage of all of my years of marriage. That is my goal for this year.

We want to say that was the best year. Actually, I want my wife to say that. One, two, I'm for sure taking my two middle boys. I'm considering taking my third. We're going to Paraguay. I want to see Paraguay. We've got some things to do there. By the time we do this in one year's time,

our feet will have been in Paraguay. We'll spend some time in Paraguay. Possibly the whole family, but it's kind of hard to get everybody there all at once. Sure. So for sure, me boys, but I'd love to be able to take my wife and my three sons that are at home to Paraguay. A third one, this gets into personal ones.

I'm just going to speak it, but I can't air things that are going on. But I want our family to be united. We've got some things going on, and so I'm just going to say that. Next would be, as you know, we've started a fight club in Britannia. And God's bless us with people like Kevin and Devin Burgess. And it's been going really well, and we do boxing and jiu-jitsu in our local community. And it's time to ramp it up. And we've had some really cool people step up to say that we're willing to support it financially because we need a ring.

We can only train boxing athletes with a real ring. We can only host real fights with a real ring. And so we've had some people step up. Are you okay if I say a few of them? Oh, yeah, Gary. Like we decided to ask people about five or six days ago. I think maybe nine requests went out, seven of them all came back as yes. says we're in.

Krista McGowan, RectackTech Power Products, Caleb Taze, you know, all the same names, right? I've ever heard of us or forget any. Oh, Jonas Hagle, the Fountain Family. Am I missing others? I'm sorry if I'm missing some of this. There's too many, but do I, am I okay to say the last one? Sure. You?

Sean brought tears to my eyes. You know, I was talking to me. He's like, whoa, whoa, whoa, you're what? I'm like, well, we're trying to create a place to where we're not just. just a fight club, but we're actually the Britannia boxing and BJJ club, because God's brought some pretty cool things in being Kevin and Devin and athletes and bats and people that want to do this. And Sean and I've talked a lot about this, is focus on your faith, your family, and your community. And it kind of came to me that, well, what's a good way to make our community strong?

Get physically strong. Spend time together. Have a cup of coffee together. You know, become friends together. And encourage your youth to go do challenging. things and and your old people. We've had people as old as 75 come down to the club. We've had people as young as my son at four. And it's flourishing. So my vision board is that club is booming for 2026. That's that's going to be a huge year for us in large part. Thanks to our

coaches and you Sean and all of our donors. So thank you for that. Sean can't believe you did that. But I got to stop talking order. I'm going to get another tier. So that's on my vision board. Another one is I've been putting this off for a while because COVID, made me lose a lot of faith in a lot of things but it's time i have to find a home church so that'll be done our family will have a home church by next year um uh um i will have two stripes on my blue bell and my last one would be um i want to continue to stay in shape because in jujitsu to make the journey you will have injuries and i've had injuries and i will continue to eat healthy strength train maintain good health

so I can stay on this journey for my family for my community for my God, for my wife not just for judici but for all the above those are the things going on my vision board if anything changes

I will update but that's what's going on the vision board and we've spoken to reality and we better not eat it two years in a row I chuckled because I started this off you might be the other person that wants to do 15 things

I'm less is more Kenny is the opposite of me when you rattle that off but it's funny because underneath the three things a lot of what you said i'm like oh yeah i already had that in my vision of that one specific thing but i chuckle about it because you know if you're like well you're on one thing that's not enough then you had kenny and kenny just rattled off a ton and uh i have no doubt you can accomplish all that going back just for one second on the fight club and you know you're you're acting like i did say something when you're looking for people to step behind it I just want to draw people's attention

to you have no idea what kind words the odd it can be one dollar bill I don't have a million dollar bill but it can be a hundred dollar bill it doesn't matter it doesn't matter if there's a lot of money or or a small amount of money those things really impact people and you have no idea so when you say, I can't believe you did that, I chuckle at you because who helped me build the first studio? Who was my first guest? Who is a part of the book club when I sent out the message on the phone that nobody's ever heard except for you and Brian and Harley and Dust? You guys are the only ones I ever heard it when I had this idea and you could have shot it down and been like that's a stupid thing to do. And instead, you all said you should chase that. That's a great

idea. I mean, it shouldn't shock you. You get what you give. And to me, I see the way you're doing this, this Britannia fight club. And I don't, I don't fully, it's not that I don't fully get it. I kind of get it, but I'm like, I just, I, it isn't, I don't want to go start a fight club. Do I want to be a part of fight club? Sure. I actually am excited for your first event. I'm like, I want to be there for that day. I'm posting fights. I want to come see that. But I mean, I just, it surprises you.

And I guess for me, it doesn't surprise me at all because I see you doing something. I'm like, oh, that's what you need. I don't know how the heck I can do that. But I'm going to find a way because when I needed anything, you were the guy that said, oh, built the studio in my bloody office and then spent way too many nights constructing it with me. And then, you know, being the first guest, although I know you're. You were still a little bit annoyed for that getting released. I was just way too excited.

I'm like, it's just, it's all sitting there, Ken. It's like, now you have an opportunity of starting something. And I don't know where your goal for that is. I don't know if it's, you know, fighting in the UFC someday and having somebody from Britannia Fight Club. I don't know if that's the goal. If it is. Healthy community is the end goal. Right.

I look at it and I go, I just want to support it because you've supported me all along the way. And I mean, for everyone listening, it's like. Like, you don't know if it's just a kind word someday when somebody comes to you in a vulnerable state and you don't realize how vulnerable they really are and you just offer them a kind word and how important that can be because you just, you have no idea what they're going through. None of us do. And you've been there pretty much every step of the way. And so like, well, not every step of the way because obviously we didn't know each other for a long time. But since the book club's been formed, there's been four guys who when I'm having my low days

and all of you know them, it's like, you just prop me back up. So you have an idea, it's like, yeah, I want to support it. I'm like, I don't fully get it. But man, I want to see it thrive and you thrive with it and everybody that comes to be a part of it. And if all of a sudden in Britannia, there's a fight club with a brand new whatever and a ring and stuff going on, don't you think the community's going to be like, that'd be pretty freaking cool? Yeah, I want to support that. It's a no-brainer.

Now, the difficulty is like, how am I going to, figure out how to support that. But those are little details. And so you pray about it, and there will be a way. And I know there will be. And so you just, it's a no-brainer. I just wanted to say that on there because it's funny to me that you can't see it. And for once, I can see it.

I know you've told the story a few times, Sean, was it proper ever that gave you the $50? It was Clay Smiley, gave me $50. And he laughed at me. And I didn't understand the laugh. Now I get to laugh. But at the time. it was just like somebody just believes a little bit

and it was $50. No, I think about it. He's like, he needs 50. I remember him opening his wallet and being like, here's 50 bucks. Me being right on. Out the door I went and he just gave me a little bit of a spark

or a little bit of a jump to continue on. What was that pay it forward? You know, like it's something for us to think about, Sean, is how many times we miss an opportunity. Even if it's just like a, paying for somebody's meal or patting them on the back because they did

something or giving them a hug I don't know is you know we put this together it took a lot of work to do it and there's been days where I'm like you know what if I just go to another gym pay my hundred bucks month you know I just go train but there's these things that come along

it's like what was I thinking like you put out the call to the community and they just answer in spades and then you go you have a tear in your eye close your door and you're like you know just to just to give people a little bit of an I you know as we sit here you've been up almost 24 hours and I'm like you sure you still want to do it I wouldn't miss it and I'm like and this guy folks still wonders why he

tells me the idea and I'm like I want to be a part of that I can't believe you're doing that I'm like you're sitting here you've been up 24 hours it's a bloody snowstorm outside which is kind of funny when we rolled into this place it was it was pretty cool but like I mean yeah you get what you give and uh I think that's as much advice for me as any else as like trying to make sure that I never forget something like that because you know it's easy to forget that or or to just overlook you know Claire somewhere out there probably still listening you know and she's like you know and you're you're big and powerful or big and famous forget us and I'm like forget you how could I

possibly ever forget people like you yeah you're the people that that I dearly admire for sticking with me when the world said this guy's lost his bloody mind and that's happened multiple times and now it just don't even bother me I'm like oh whatever they you know like I know who I am

I'm not that worried about it regardless I'm forgetting to people is Sheena Smith she brought synovas in who's also helping and on the Hillmond Hall board right they've given us a home we rent it but it's not a lot.

So we actually have a home thanks to the Hillmond Hall and to the kids and the adults and the old people and the young people that come. And yeah, so thank you to all those people. I look forward to seeing where that goes. Oh, it's going to be cool. This year's going to be a good year. Like, yeah, you know, when you can kind of like,

like I can kind of see where you're going, but I'm like, I actually can't. It's not my vision, right? It's yours and others. You'll understand it more as you get deeper into Jiu-Jitsu. And you see what pressure in a martial art does to your mind. And then you start to think, what could this do for my community? What could this do for the youth?

What could this do for that athlete that can't afford hockey? You know, like what? It gives you avenues. It gives you strength. And there's a respect that comes when you, when you box somebody or you fight somebody, you wrestle somebody. When it's done out of love and care, you're trying to take each other out. and there's just you can't repeat that in the other way we've done some jutsu when we first started

do you know a little about what i'm talking about well yes i've been choked up by can a couple times um when we have to have you you you you the date the date okay um so if you're listening to this on december 31st you you you should if you're serious about it text me your name and take some time and think on finishing jordan peterson's 12 rules to life what date will you finish it by and you know send it to you by what day yeah but what day are we have in our vision board i'm going to do mine fairly quickly because i know what it's like if you're like oh two months from now you know it's just you get busy you forget i'm going to do mine by january first if you'd like me to delay that by no no no no no no i'm going i'm going to be in

Minnesota. So I'm like, but the funny thing is, is if there's ever a time to do it, it's probably when I'm sitting there. So I tell you what, January 1st. Do you do it up? No, January 1st, you. No, screw you. January 1st. January 1st. When do you want, people can read the book, but when do you want them to email their text? December 31st. If they're listening to us and they're still listening, they're like, pick something. Just pick one. And Sean, what are we going to call the victory day where we say, okay, everybody that did it. What are you going to call that. I don't know. What do you want to call that? I don't even know that was a thing. Well, a year from now, we're going to be sitting here and there's going to be some cool stories

come in. It's probably hard to keep a dry eye. It'll be a special day. And we're going to have a scotch. Nope, folks. We're going to be having a coffee with some creamer. Okay, let's let somebody out there will have a cool. What's that name of that day that we get to call it the day of the day of champions or the day of the victor or the day of the i don't know pick something cool i can't do i'm too tired you can't say i haven't slept for a while um yeah yeah i'm sure it'll come yeah god bless you shawney is there any is there is there anything else before we end the year in review that you want to make sure we highlight okay this is your year in review i think you for letting me share it i'm just going to go over my notes shone um there's one but i don't think it needs to come up

What is the one? Now you can't say that because now I'm going to think about it. I think it's going backwards. I'll throw it out to you. And if you want to answer, I said, but I kind of feel like it's going backwards. I think we've covered ground.

The one thing I'd written down for you was, what's a very optimistic thing that you see occurring and having a reasonable probability of occurring in 2026? What's a very pessimistic thing? But I think we've kind of hashed a lot of these out. Yeah, I think we have. I tell you what,

the teaser I'm going to lead people with because I literally can't announce either is I think there's going to be, in my opinion, an A-list guest at the Cornerstone Forum. That is what I believe will happen. And there is big things coming for the podcast as a whole. It is a large idea. that is going to push me to my breaking point probably, and I love doing this to myself.

It's cool. But when it does get announced, I think some people are going to be like, that's amazing and some other people are going to be like, what the heck is this guy doing? Everybody's going to think you're amazing. Not you're amazing, but. No, the idea.

If I can't go to you further because we're going to give hints. Show him, one more thing is, even if you're on your own and you'd like to come to the Cornerstone forum, I know what it's like. I probably wouldn't go unless at a friend or a family, but last year we had a table where we said, sat with people that we know. It was myself, Angela, Lee, Allen. And who did we sit down with? The guy that came by himself, he was originally from Mexico when he was living in California or

something. Yeah. There was an older couple that sat with us. You sit down and this guy comes up by himself. Within 30 seconds, we all knew his name. He was our buddy. He spent the day with us. We had breakfast with him in the morning. Come by yourself. You, that is the one place. I know I've been a place where you come by yourself and it's kind of hard to get to know anybody. You're awkward. This is not the place. You're going to sit down. Every table is going to shake your hands. you're going to find who you are and you're going to even if you're all in your own come you will not feel alone you will not feel like your you're you know sore a thumb sticking out you're just come yeah you'll love it well and buy a ticket today

buy a ticket quick well I mean at the end of the day there will still be tickets there tomorrow yeah but once you're guessing you're your I see that being a sellout well if it's confirmed once again I'm going to keep saying that because I should use the kenning when it's confirmed because we'll put that thought, yes, when it's confirmed. It will be confirmed. Yeah, yeah, I think the cornerstone this year is going to be on a different level than it has been previously. And that's saying something because I think this year's one was something to behold and be a part of. And I'm looking forward to the third iteration of it.

And I'm excited to announce some things when they, finally, when we can finally drop it. I hinted it on last year's one, and I thought I'd be able to talk about it by now. But there are dominoes slowly starting to fall and probably fast. And, you know, probably a couple months is going to go by and we're going to get to announce it. And I'm, it's probably the largest idea I've ever undertaken. And I am extremely excited. And I look forward to sharing that with everyone.

And I appreciate Kenny, once again, you doing this with me. and I look forward to a year's time and seeing if we've completed what we've put on a vision board. You look forward to a year's time when we've completed. Thank you, when we've completed, yes. Well, Merry Christmas to your listener, Sean. Merry Christmas to you. Happy New Year to everybody.

Thanks for being a good friend. If you are going and having a good time on New Year's Eve, just make sure you do it safe. I know that's the old, I sound like an old man, but, you know, it's a happy time. Do it responsibly. There's, you know, I remember me and Kobe Mann talking about this when we did the math on a DUI and what you lose because of that.

Or if you go fight it and you pay the lawyer bill to get out of it, how many ubers or cabs we could take? And when we did the math, we're like, what the heck? Why would you drink and drive? And I'm no saint. But like, the. truth the matter is go have a good time enjoy family friends enjoy uh new year's eve enjoy the christmas season just be responsible think think about the consequences of of not doing that

because it happens every christmas every single christmas season new year's eve somebody's getting busted and the ramifications of that if you're listening to this podcast are like man you can't that's a big old hole that's not the way to start the year out start the year out start the year out by, you know, if you're going to have some fun, making a responsible decision and set it at the start of the night so you know what you're doing. And just make sure you don't put yourself in a bind. And yeah, but regardless, happy, happy New Year, everyone. I appreciate you hopping in for, you know, a new or another year in review and look forward to 2026. I think there's big things. I know there's big things on the horizon.

Sean to go back I'm just envisioning that person who's thinking about sending something in would you want to make a commitment that if it's personal that you would keep it private oh 100% do you what I mean like so if it's saying I want my marriage to be repaired

when it comes time to have the victors day you'd just say Ken made his goal he's asked to keep it private that if you want to keep it private it's between you and Sean I hope people know this by now but I'm not going to go on air your dirty laundry on air but yeah to me I think what Ken's getting at is

if it's personal that's probably good that's you know you just get to say at the end of the year I did it. Ken's vision board starts out with I want the best year of marriage in my life

and I want my wife to say it not me, my wife to say it I look forward to seeing what Kenny is going to have to do to make that happen right but in fairness it took something like being sober for my wife to say we like

sober shan the kids and i like sober shan and she didn't say it as an endearing thing but it came off as endearing i'm like oh man that is huh didn't see that coming and so to to have a year like that to put pressure on you yeah you're gonna have to do some things because uh i don't think you're uh you know a bad man but to to to really push it that hard and to have another person say it look forward seeing what uh kenny comes up with in 2026 well let's go Right on, Shoney. All right. Thanks again.

Folks, that'll do it for today.