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Carlos Granados Podcast
Welcome to the Carlos Granados Podcast. In this podcast, I will discuss my health journey, news, updates, and educational content surrounding my life, and anything and everything that I enjoy. This is my introduction to my new podcast through "Youtube Podcast". I decided to expand my horizons and let you into my life outside my health journey. You can watch clips and full videos in 4k on my YouTube channel "Carlos Granados".
Carlos Granados Podcast
Time Thieves: How Modern Technology Is Stealing Our Most Precious Resource
Carlos and Eric explore the hidden ways technology captures our attention and how we can reclaim our time and mental health in a digital world.
• Eric shares his experience as a dedicated football player who always gave 100% in practice to prepare teammates for game day
• Discussion of Eric's seizure disorder and how it initially prevented him from playing sports until medication helped control it
• The revelation that "Instagram reels" literally reels users in like fish on a hook
• Exploration of career paths, including Eric's journey to becoming a team lead in materials testing for product safety
• Detailed conversation about dopamine detoxes - deliberately abstaining from video games, social media, and other addictive digital stimuli
• How taking breaks from technology can reset sleep patterns, increase productivity, and improve overall mental health
• The concept that modern companies harvest users' time as their primary commodity instead of charging for services
• Comparison between the fleeting satisfaction of digital experiences versus real accomplishment and genuine connections
• Reflections on finding purpose beyond age 30 and Eric's philosophy that "it wouldn't be my burden if it wasn't meant for me to grow to meet the challenge"
Remember, you can always listen to this podcast on all audio platforms or watch it in 4K on YouTube. Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review!
reels you in that's why it's called reels oh, that's no pun no it reels you in.
Speaker 1:Yeah, oh wait, I never thought about that. Yo, eric, yo, oh yeah, reel, cause it reels you in and it's reel.
Speaker 2:Instagram reels and it's re reel like it's reality reality. It's like it's reality Reality. It's just reality TV for modern times.
Speaker 1:I might need to take five right now. After that I didn't think about that. Did you actually like? Is that the point? Does like a regular person thinks about that Instagram reel because it reels you in? Or is that maybe just a coincidence that?
Speaker 2:it might be a coincidence makes sense to me.
Speaker 1:It makes sense to me now too, but I never thought about that tiktok because it's wasting your time.
Speaker 1:Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to my channel and welcome back into another episode of the Carlos Granados podcast, episode 43. Before I start the episode, though, I want to thank you guys for always subscribing, liking my videos, subscribing to the channel, and remember, you can always listen to this podcast and all the audio platforms, and if you want to watch it live, or you want to watch it, um, in 4k, you can watch it on youtube. Of course, it's great quality. And today we have a another very special guest, a former state champ, a former homie, uh, a former football teammate, eric. Welcome to the podcast, brother.
Speaker 2:How you doing man, I'm doing well. Thank you for the invitation. It's nice to be here.
Speaker 1:You know what it was great to connect after over a decade bro. Yeah. It's been a long time. And for the people that don't know you, we played football back in high school and let tell you guys, this man, this man, gave me the hardest time of my life, bro, the hardest time of my life. You know, eric, I've always and I told you last time, uh, we met, I think I I respected you the most and and when we played football, because you were always going all out, bro, it was always a hundred percent.
Speaker 1:I felt like that was me, but you pushed. You pushed that to the max, brother, like when we played dude, you were always going a hundred percent. Bro, is there a reason as to why you used to do that? I think I asked you last time, but it was just it. Was this just like a you? That's just you. You're always going a hundred percent of things, I, I think, I just found out.
Speaker 2:You know, I found out the dynamic with that whole BFA, like the Brookwood football. Right. And then I was just like, if this is my role and if this is my job for this team, to help me get ready for whatever game. That's what I got to do, so in my mind I was thinking about it each day. At practice, I'm giving you guys my all, so on Friday you guys would be ready.
Speaker 1:Dude, that just gave me chills. Yeah, yeah, yeah, that just gave me chills because I thought the same way I was like in practice. I want to make sure that when we were playing the goal team and we were playing the starting offense, I always used to try to bust their ass or make their life difficult because, I'm'm like, if you can handle me here, I think you guys are gonna be all right on like friday uh, you know, friday night right, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, it was never something like I had to prove myself or like I was out to get anybody in particular.
Speaker 1:Um, I was just honestly trying to do my job I love that dude because you but you know what people like you is the reason why I think we ended up winning state back in the day. And, by the way, for for you guys that you know maybe are not related to football or as sports in general, but here in guinette, first of all, in the south, football is huge, but the division we were in, I mean so many athletes, bro, so much competition, dude, it's not easy.
Speaker 2:I was just thinking about all the people that you know signed with colleges and stuff like that dude we played with d1 athletes left and right.
Speaker 1:We played with people who who made it to the nfl um, and there's just so much talent, dude I'll never forget um in practice getting laid out by cameron lynn you know, shout out, cameron, shout out like cameron lynn.
Speaker 2:He laid me out and then was so nice about it. He was smiling when he picked me up and said are you okay? That was the nicest layout I've ever had. You know, I was so scared too I didn't know what I was getting myself into with that drill yeah I was fine with it. He made it.
Speaker 1:He made it okay I used to love the uh, all the drills, man. I used to love hitting, I used to love going at it something about it, man. But now I think about it I'm like was it worth? Was it worth all the pain and and and the injuries that that brought on afterwards?
Speaker 2:No, a hundred percent, because you know, you know, I've recently had a a back injury I, a back injury I had a herniated disc in my lower lower uh s1 l5 area. Oh yeah, no, big, big pain, lots of pain. Do not wish nerve pain on anybody. That's like some of the top tier worst pain.
Speaker 1:Is this like a sharp pain or what would you discuss it's like a lingering.
Speaker 2:It's a sharp pain no position you feel comfortable in. You just feel tormented so what helps? Back then nothing helped, like I had to take like advil anything I could, maybe even reaching into cbd a little bit damn, just to alleviate something right, get some sleep, yeah but um, yeah, no, that that was the worst.
Speaker 2:Um, and then now that I'm seeing like a physical therapist and everything like that, she's telling me, like you know, all these people who are coming to see her are most likely adults trying to get back into sports oh right, they're thinking that they can come and do the same thing right but, they can't, and so their body's not built this, yeah, but it's very frustrating for those same people to see maybe adults in their 30s or you know in life, try and play sports and they're fine.
Speaker 2:They're going out there, but it's because they didn't have that before, they didn't have that athleticism before or playing sports, or whatever.
Speaker 1:I feel like people who got into more athletic things later on in their life are a little bit blessed. You didn't damage your body so much. Yeah, back in when you're playing sports in high school, dude, I felt like a machine. I could go every day, you know, and you just your body recovers. And now though, man, you start feeling pain here and there and things bug you different yeah, there's no va for uh athletes there is it I wish not for us I wish there was man because, yeah, a lot of injuries.
Speaker 1:I felt like I well, I talked to a chiropractor one time and it's funny because he was like you know, have you ever gotten to a car accident and stuff, and I was like, um, yeah, but you know nothing crazy. And he was like have you ever played football? I was like, yeah, actually, yeah, yeah, I definitely got injured playing football. He was like have you ever played football? I was like, yeah, actually, yeah, yeah, I definitely got injured playing football. He was like man, that's just as bad. I said, well, damn.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because it was every day for us, Like every day. You said I go hard every day. I try to. I mean, there's days where I'm probably not going to give it my all. Yeah.
Speaker 1:But that the car accident. But you know what, though? I think I think even that type of um, even though we're reminiscing, thinking about, you know, the old days I think that also carries into like the outside world, you know, not just in in in the football field or just in in um playing at sports in general, I feel like it carries on because that's the type of person you are whenever you get into something, you give it your all and you're always like at it. You know, 100 is it the best all the time maybe, maybe not, but definitely you know and and, but it's just a person.
Speaker 1:I think it's a personality trait, bro, I think, because I've been like that, um, you know, throughout my life, until all my health issues started happening.
Speaker 2:It's just a tenacity thing, it's just a mindset you know it. It's something that you know, coach cruz. Shout out, coach cruz turn out? Uh, you know, are you on the boat? Are you committed to something? Yeah right, and so for me. I was always raised to. You know, put pride in what you do if your name's attached to it, you know, that's a piece of you oh, that's good yeah, that's a piece of you go ahead
Speaker 2:and preach, and then you know, just with your last name, last name alone yeah like you're representing your family. You know all the families around you you know, have a little bit of pride of it that's good man, yeah.
Speaker 1:So right right after, uh, um, high school, what did you get into? How was your process up until you know the man that you became now? What? What was your, your process like from you know, once you were 18?
Speaker 2:yeah, the man that you are now man yeah, so you know, figuring out what you want to do in life was always hard. My family comes from a long lineage of going into the military. My dad was in the Air. Force. Okay, my grandfather on my mom's side was in the Air Force.
Speaker 2:And my grandfather on my dad's side was in the Army. Wow, so unfortunately, because I have a seizure disorder, I was not able to follow that path. I didn't know that I have a seizure disorder. I was not able to follow that path I didn't know that you have a seizure disorder yeah do you take medication for that, or is this?
Speaker 2:actually it's pretty crazy because up until the eighth grade I was actually uh no, I had to take medication. Up until the eighth grade okay and then they tested me using aeg and they said hey, we're gonna start weaning you off. I think we're good. So that's what actually cleared me to play football in that ninth ninth grade.
Speaker 1:Oh you wouldn't have been able to play sports no with oh no, is that part of like your physical that they do or test you, or this is just something that your doctor would have been like? No, that's not recommended for you to do that?
Speaker 2:yeah, that was definitely from my doctor okay yeah, they don't. They don't test for that wow, yeah, because like anything like hyperventilating or anything like that could trigger it. You know all that uh change of pace, right, anything that is uh exhausting your body putting stress on your body yeah, could cause this future wow, dude.
Speaker 1:So I don't know that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no so you're saying how that time was very special that brookwood football time yeah it was. It was even so for me because I was able to actually play tackle football.
Speaker 1:How much of a blessing is that you feel you know some people do it and you know they just take it for granted and you're here, like I am so glad.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it was a little frustrating because, like I feel, like uh, you know, I missed out on all the, the coaching and leading up to that, ninth grade high school level of football. So like I no one knew what I could do, and I didn't have any practice before that, so you know I understood like I was starting from ground zero, yeah, but you know, I I liked it yeah did I want like another look potentially, or a little bit more coaching or something like on the extra yeah, that would have helped, but you know I'm I'm fine with how it turned out.
Speaker 1:Honestly got you, but you don't suffer from the seizures anymore no, so I am on medication now so it came back spring break of senior year, so 2012 got you and you've been on medication. Has it the medication gone up in milligrams or has it stayed the same? Stay the same.
Speaker 2:So that's good that you're able to control it with just a certain dosage just had an eeg this past year and they said you know, we didn't see any abnormalities, we might try and take you off. I'm just like, uh, let's, let's not do that, you know, because like, if I, if I do have a seizure, you know, that's, that's wear and tear on my brain, like it's short circuits, that's, you know, memory loss, everything like that that could happen yeah so I don't want that to happen. And then on top of that, you know you can't drive for six months, you know once it happens yeah, it's.
Speaker 2:It's joshua's law in georgia. So if you have a seizure, dang you gotta wait six months without having a family.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, that's wow.
Speaker 2:So imagine getting in a car accident. You know you're out of car while it's getting repaired yeah maybe you get a rental, maybe you don't, so you have to rely on rides from other people somebody else for a whole six months. Yeah, just for that. That like freedom of not taking medication right and I know there's a bunch of people that would like jump on that not having to take medication right but for me it's a sense of security that you know, I know if I take this, this won't happen, right?
Speaker 2:so I'm not gonna. I'm not gonna, not take?
Speaker 1:did they, did the doctors ever? Or did you ever wonder why you have it? Is it, is this, um, something that was passed on from, like family members, or how does, or somebody is just born with certain things like that so I think it's more of something that's I don't.
Speaker 2:I don't think it's genetic okay, no um, I think they did a test initially when I was very young and they found out that I had like an abnormality in one of my ventricles, like an enlarged ventricle.
Speaker 1:And so that's just what causes it? Wow. So what is an EEG, then Is that like a brain thing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, okay, so they hook up electrodes to your head. Oh, like in movies, right? They hook up electrodes to your head and then they have you go through all these different uh stress tests so there's some eegs to where you have to be sleep deprived, okay, and then some that you don't but they definitely want to see you try and sleep in there.
Speaker 2:So that's part of it, because I don't know if you've heard of like uh beta waves or or different types of uh brain wavelengths so I've seen them, like you know on pictures or like you know theta waves. I think it's theta waves, I don't know what that is. Okay, well, well, those are the waves.
Speaker 2:I think that uh occur when you're going into REM sleep oh, yeah, damn yeah, so apparently I guess, like when you enter that state it's, you have a likelihood of having a seizure too. I might be wrong, sorry yeah but um that they have me do breath tests where I'm just sitting there blowing on a piece of tissue like hyperventilating almost okay, that causes one. They do. Strobe me with lights, yeah oh, okay, got you. Yeah, because that's that's, everyone knows about that. Everyone's like, oh, watch out, it can't go to raves, you know right, it's a seizure.
Speaker 1:Oh wait, that's an actual thing. That's an actual thing. Ah yo, I didn't think it was an actual thing. I would actually.
Speaker 2:I, I like, I would like to see in the future, if it's not already a thing to where, like more artists and performers who are around, those come forward and say like, hey, like we suffer from this as well. This is why we wear sunglasses or whatever.
Speaker 1:Oh, that would make sense though.
Speaker 2:Because I remember back in the day, like Rick Ross had a seizure. I don't know if you remember that. Oh, I don't remember that. Yeah, he had a seizure on stage, I think, and I wonder if it was because of the lights.
Speaker 1:Interesting, I don't know, let me hold some on the podcast and we'll ask him yeah, I didn't know that though.
Speaker 2:Um, but yeah, if, if I ever make it big or in in the music side of things or whatever I'm definitely gonna go throw some raves or have a show to where, like there's no photo like strobes or anything like right, so everybody can enjoy, because like I definitely want to go to, like some of those edm concerts, those look cool dude, have you?
Speaker 1:I've seen them all the time. I just don't know if I were able to stand in the crowd for hours and hours and hours and then, like I gotta pee four hours later and then go out and then come back I don't know if I can do that, but I've seen the videos and like the visuals that they have there is just crazy and and I want, I want to experience that but like I can't, I can't, it's fine dang dude.
Speaker 2:I'm sorry to hear that man. I can't.
Speaker 1:It's fine Dang, dude, I'm sorry to hear that man. I didn't know that you were going through all those well, at least that type of health issues, bro, because I have a friend now that suffers from it, but he has to be on medication because I think he tried to get off of it I think it was last year or so and you know he ended up in the hospital for several days, if not, maybe weeks, and it several days, if not maybe weeks, and it affected him. You know so much and I just seen him in the hospital room and just how it affected. You know everything and, dude, it's exhausting, it's hard it's hard yeah, because I remember.
Speaker 2:You know we might be staying on this topic too long, but I remember whenever I did have one. You know you just wake up confused. You talk about feeling like you got in an accident that's exactly what it?
Speaker 2:feels like like you're think about this. All the energy that you had in that moment leading up to a seizure, you just spent it like you used your ult, essentially wow and so your body's on cool down for all you gamers out there. Your whole body's on cool down, and so you're just like where am I, dude? But you want to do something because you just want to pick up where you left off. But your body's just spent.
Speaker 1:Okay, ken, let me see if this is close to where I think would something related feel like. When I go through anxiety or panic attacks, my heart starts raising, it's beating so quickly. I start getting worried. Everything in my body is overworking. My fight or flight response is out of this world and after the episodes I feel this fatigue, brother, it's just so bad. It's relatable, relatable for sure. So I feel like it's probably that, but, like you know, 10 times worse, you know thousand. And the reason I say that's because there's times where I've gotten that um, fatigued after an episode that sometimes I start feeling even like body pains, bro, because I start tensing so much, you know, and just stressing like my body is like stressed dude. That's not good for the heart it is.
Speaker 2:It's crazy to realize like how much like mind over matter and like your brain, like your mental state really just affects everything that's true like, if you, if so, anxiety, for example, you know there's a lot of people that suffer from it you know, know, I have anxiety also. I don't have consistent medication that I'm on but, it's kind of as needed.
Speaker 3:I know that's not how it works, whatever, but like I take it as needed yeah.
Speaker 2:And you know it's. I would like to say that you know you can work through it. There are definitely ways to where you can sit there and if you start to dissociate, I know all these feelings, I know. Yeah. If you start to dissociate, you start feeling like out of place, like imposter syndrome, like it starts feeling like dreamlike. You don't want to be there. Your hands are sweaty, yeah.
Speaker 1:You know, just ground yourself. Yeah, that's what I'm thinking about the future and like the worst things yeah, yeah yeah, just find a way to ground yourself.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and, and that's one of the main things that I do, for anxiety is like you know, I just tell people, so like if I'm having a panic attack, I'll be like hey, carlos, I'm, I'm not feeling that great, I'm a little bit of anxiety right now.
Speaker 1:Doesn't that help right.
Speaker 2:It does help. Yeah, because you know what that's like.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and you know what not to do for me Like you're not going to be, like, oh, like, freak out.
Speaker 2:Like we need to get you out of here. That's not what you need to do. Yeah, that's not what you need to do. I would like to help people find more non-prescription-based ways of coping with their mental stuff. If it starts with the brain, you can fix it mentally, as well, right, I respect that.
Speaker 1:I feel like I have safe spaces when I get into those mindsets. For me it's, like you said, grounding yourself and to me I like like to ground myself. I like to lay down on the floor in my room with dim lights and just start to breathe and just relax and let things calm down and settle. To me that's like my safe space, you know, I always try it outside.
Speaker 1:I never tried it outside for some reason. Maybe. Maybe this is a bad habit, but my room is where I'm more comfortable, like I just feel like there is just. I've been here before. It's gotten better. Let's do it again. You know, outside I feel like when I'm going through a panic or a anxiety attack or anything of that nature, I something about people watching me. You feel like they're watching you. I feel like I'm a burden when, when that's happening. That's why I don't like to do it around people or like man. This is about to happen, so I started getting quiet and for some reason, I feel like I've become a burden to people, but telling them is so much easier because now they know that you have something and they're like okay, he's, he's going through something, I know.
Speaker 1:Knowing the fact that they know makes me feel more comfortable I don't know what.
Speaker 2:So many people that go through this at some point in their life. Somebody's gonna have a panic attack somebody's gonna have some severe anxiety at some point like if, if, if by 30 or 31 you have not experienced that your life's pretty comfortable. I don't, I don't know, that's good that's good.
Speaker 1:That's good, man. Um, you know this topic we could talk about all day, but let's, uh, let's so. So, after high school, what did you end up doing? Did you end up going to college? That's right, yeah um, yeah, no.
Speaker 2:So I think we got off because military yeah, everything like that that was not an option for me, obviously, uh, so you know, uh, I talked to the counselors at school, just like, like everyone else does, to try and find out, like, what you want to do in life. I quickly found out. Like you know, I liked chemistry at the time Still do, but maybe not as in-depth as I would like or what I had hoped, or what my parents hoped so I ended up going to Georgia.
Speaker 2:Gwinnett College Shout out, great college. Grizzly Went there for my core classes, stayed a little bit longer, then transferred to Kennesaw to see what that's like. Get that university vibe Gotcha Away from home. Figure stuff out. That ended up not working out for me too well, because I don't know, there's just a lot of people dude Okay, gotcha, I couldn't focus the right way. The auditorium setting is not for everybody.
Speaker 2:It's not, it's a lot to take in. And I can remember sitting there I was in this biochemistry class and I would sit in there and I'd be listening to the lecture. I'm just like, oh man, this is really cool. I'm just retaining the lecture itself, but the the extra book work that I have to do on the outside. You know I was. I was never, you know, sitting down reading that textbook. Gotcha I I thought it was more. I thought I was learning more from the lecture from this person who knows biochemistry. You know, I think he he was a professor at emery also and he was teaching at kinesol just to pick up some classes. I don't know gotcha, but like that's how I learned is just by listening right so going back and doing that extra work, it was it was.
Speaker 2:It was something that I didn't have enough responsibility at the time and so it just wasn't working right. So after trying so many times of passing that class, I was just like you know, I'm going to waste any more money. I'm going to go back to where I felt comfortable, where I felt like I was learning better. So I actually went back to GDC to finish up my college and graduated from there with a chemistry degree. And that was rough. That was rough. I'm the first person in my family to get a bachelor's degree.
Speaker 1:Yo, congratulations, bro, as it fits, it fits, gotcha yeah no, that's a w wait. We got something for that. Congrats, man. Yeah, that's awesome brother uh.
Speaker 2:So it was, it was fun. Uh got that chemistry degree started applying everywhere. Uh did some blood slinging, you know um just blood slinging I call it blood slinging that's what it felt like that's what it felt like.
Speaker 2:So, uh, when you get your lab or your blood tested and you send it off to the lab for analysis, uh chagas, hiv, whatever they actually go to, like this huge facility, to where your blood is like right next to everybody else's Like I'm talking like vials and vials and vials and vials and vials. Like big walk-in freezers full of millions. Okay. But, uh, I would be working this machine to where you just load up the vials as quickly as you can and just make sure that that machine keeps running.
Speaker 1:Well, what's the purpose of that? Is that a job? It is a job. Oh, I thought you were just doing that on, just because no, no, no, no, that was my first job, oh, okay got you, got you, got you.
Speaker 2:That was my first job. Didn't really involve chemistry at all, um, but it was something out of sounds very sciencey, though no, not really not really you're, you're just, you're just putting tubes in a in a tray and pushing it in and making sure the machine doesn't have any reason to stop working. Gotcha, um, so I? I quickly found out like that was really all that was, and if you want to move up there, it was going to take forever.
Speaker 2:So, and again, it wasn't really involving chemistry, which I just graduated with Right and uh, I was just like, and I was just like no, I need to apply this. I need to do something more. Gotcha, and so after that I went to do some R&D work for food and beverage. Research and development, yep Research and development for the food and beverage industry, and that was really fun. That was fun. I like that a lot. Okay, cool.
Speaker 2:It felt nice to be a part of something from the ground up and you can go into the store and just see like oh yep, that was you. I helped work on that. But, yeah, after that I started well, I was actually hoping to get this job out of college, but I then went to apply technical services up in Marietta, and so we do materials testing there. Right, so that is like my group. We do weather testing, environmental testing, Like my group we do weather testing, environmental testing.
Speaker 2:So what I do is we subject materials and stuff like that to sun thermal shock. You know, whatever outside your material is going to go through, like automotively.
Speaker 1:Any type of material, any type, any type, any type, anything.
Speaker 2:You'd be surprised, like we've tested shoes before, like to see how quickly they fade, so like I guess the main application for this for a lot of times is like depending on, like the lifespan of a product okay, you know how does it hold up? What can we guarantee? What can we not guarantee?
Speaker 1:oh, this is where the guarantees come in, like we guarantee that it will last as long, and it's because people like you test things, so it's accelerated weathering sometimes. Gotcha.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, this is the sort of qualification that a lot of things need to pass in order to be sold with that specification or like.
Speaker 1:IP rating, gotcha IP testing Okay.
Speaker 2:You know about IP Like water resistance or, uh, ingress. You do, we do that we do that, dang bro.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, that's actually pretty cool. It's pretty cool. I actually like think that that's so cool. Yeah, so how did? Okay, and I don't want to get too science here but how? Does it work when it comes to, for example, how do you you said it's um like, almost like expedited weather testing, because you can't accelerate it so you can't just hold, like for example, a shoe outside and see how worse it gets in the sun for you know, 200 days, I'm assuming you like modify the lighting or like you?
Speaker 1:yeah, so they have these light. You know what I'm coming from? Right? No?
Speaker 2:no, yeah, they have multiple ways of actually accelerating the solar testing right okay, um there's. There's multiple different instruments um using uv lamps, xenon lamps or stuff like that I think some, some companies actually have like this radar dish looking thing to where, like they have some sort of magnifying glass and that they condense the sun, all that good stuff right. So the accelerated weathering part comes from years and years of years of research to where they came up with the, the idea of if you get this much irradiance or sunlight okay and then at this wavelength it translates it's simulating gotcha X amount of days oh, that's interesting, that's
Speaker 1:really science hero and do you feel like this is where you find yourself more comfortable? Or yeah, no, yeah, sure you like, I'm definitely like.
Speaker 2:So in the beginning, definitely working, there was a huge load off my, my, uh, my back. In what sense? Well, that's, that's weird.
Speaker 3:No, no, no, no, no, no, no diddy you like that one?
Speaker 2:yeah, that's good uh, the burden was lifted. Let's let say that Gotcha, is that cool, yeah, okay. All right the burden was lifted. Okay now Yo, yo, we just went. The pressure was relieved.
Speaker 1:There wasn't any more pressure, we just went south so fast?
Speaker 2:All right, get your head out of the gutter, oh man. The pressure was relieved. Because, like back in R&D right, so they want you to get results. Okay.
Speaker 2:But it's a process because it's just you, maybe your team right, okay. The whole scientific process and that takes time. So if something doesn't work out the way that you planned on it to, you have to go back to the drawing board, rework some things, try it again. Right, whole process. With what I do right now, I test people's product okay see if it holds up to a certain specification. If it doesn't, I'm done oh, wow your stuff failed, not my fault.
Speaker 2:This is why, or where it failed. I can't tell you why and they gotta go back.
Speaker 1:They gotta go back to their drawing board.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I get to see if their samples or whatever holds up and then that's it. And there's been times where I feel like I can say this there's been times where I feel very validated by what I've done because it's held up production, it's stopped uh companies from moving forward with a certain product because it hasn't passed it yet, right, it hasn't been put on the shelves because it hasn't met the requirements right.
Speaker 2:So you, you probably will never see that side of it. I see that side of it and I'm a little bit proud when that happens, but it gets a little monotonous sometimes.
Speaker 1:I won't, I'm not gonna lie but I feel like that's good to have, at least, though, like that pride in what you do you know, especially.
Speaker 2:I feel like it's important because a lot of us don't see what it takes for certain products to come to the market like the amount of things they have to go through you would be surprised about, like the smallest things around here, about how much time and effort it takes for it to get put out on the shelves. Wow, or not even on the shelves, but just like a giveaway item, dang Like. Even giveaways are probably worse because they have to meet certain requirements.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I didn't know that man, I didn't know it was that complicated. I thought just kind of build things and it's not harmful. Maybe could be, but you kind of warning label and you know yeah
Speaker 2:I I figured a lot of it too, because it could be because of lawsuits oh yeah if not everything more than more than likely is probably because there's some like lawsuit that could potentially happen if it doesn't meet these requirements yeah, and that's interesting man.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think warning labels are important too to have and all that and like that. That's cool dude I feel like that cool that is something that I, a lot of people like, would not get to know somebody like you, because you just, yeah, it's rare, it's not it's rare
Speaker 2:a job that you know you would look for or you would necessarily know about yeah um, not very advertised, I guess what would your title be then?
Speaker 1:if I see, if you don't mind me asking so my current title is like a team lead. Oh, so you lead the a team, yeah wow, I just literally just rephrase that different way. That's what I do you're right but like um, okay, so you're leading them, but what about the people that are under you? Are they like scientists or what are like special specialists?
Speaker 2:so we got technicians, we we have engineers also oh, okay, but specifically for that yeah so I I lead the team in in the weathering subgroup. So we we deal with all the solar um, the, the thermal, the actual, like adhesion, like the code adhesion yeah and then what I do, what I focus on a lot of, is a fluid contamination. So what? Does that?
Speaker 2:mean. So if they have a coating or whatever on their product, they need to know if it withstands against whatever environment is going to be placed so let's say a hard hat a hard hat. Okay, uh, we might do impact testing on it to make sure that it withstands it actually stands what they claim, or we might do solar testing to see how long it takes before it's phased, because it has to be high vis, right?
Speaker 1:okay, there you go and and I'm assuming you have to know that too because if the weather damage it, then it's a highlight. If something lands on it, then it can like break and yeah, lawsuit, lawsuit. Okay, eric man.
Speaker 2:Oh, I'm in the mix now bro, yeah, yeah, no, this is this is good everybody knows.
Speaker 1:Now, everybody knows what you do. That's awesome, man. I feel like that's a job with a purpose, if I'm being honest. Yeah, that's what, that's what it sounds like. So then, at the moment and this is where you're at, your current job.
Speaker 2:This is where I'm here okay, that's pretty cool man.
Speaker 1:So is there now that last time we talked, and we talked about a lot of different things and we're gonna get into it. But, like you said you're, are you also taking part of a band? Do you still play uh music?
Speaker 2:no, no that that ship has sailed yep okay, I was. So what were? You what you used to do in in that, so I was playing guitar in that band. Um, did you learn how to read the chords in the in the?
Speaker 1:guitar or you just learn how to play it no.
Speaker 2:So I knew how to read music for piano and I'm jealous, dude.
Speaker 1:I suck so bad, it's so hard. Dude, you can always learn.
Speaker 2:It's never too late.
Speaker 1:I'm learning my professor gets mad because I'm slow and I'm like listen, bro, I gotta your professor. Where are you going to?
Speaker 1:school for piano so, uh, lawrenceville, swanee school of music okay, yeah, so I'm learning there. I'm go like every Tuesday for 30 minutes so we practice a certain. You know I'm going off a book, practice what's in the book. Then he gives me like some type of like homework or to learn. I practice that and I come back and he sees if I'm playing it. Well, there's times where I spend like three weeks on a one page stupid.
Speaker 2:But because it's getting harder, you know sure, yeah, but so it's like reading while keeping your hands up to yes it's a lot. Yeah, it's not easy now, you see like. Why, like pianists, that can like read music and play?
Speaker 1:so impressive they're smart, they're so impressive yeah, I mean, maybe I'm not smart, it's a different. No, no, you can.
Speaker 2:You can learn it's, it's a muscle. You know your brain's not a muscle, but like you can.
Speaker 1:You can train it I've always told people that I wish I would have spent, uh, practicing the piano when I was younger. Um, a little bit, a little bit just at least, because I feel like it would have done me so much better. All that time that I spent playing, you know, sports. I wish I would have maybe played some instrument growing up, but I never did.
Speaker 2:It was all sports and sometimes video I think it's important to have a mixture. I think it's uh, there's gonna be so much fact checking going on from this podcast, but I, I think there's like, I think, pythagoras. I think he came up with the idea to where, like, you have to have a certain combination of, like athletics, uh, like physical exercise and stuff like that, arts and then like, also like, uh learning, like reading and like for what, though, is it like?
Speaker 1:that's just like healthy yeah, to be healthy well, I think you know what, though, me learning the piano lately has made me feel like something about it has made me feel good you know, just, it's a different level of, uh, stimulating your brain. I think yes, dude when I accomplish like a certain, like part of a song, and I'm like you feel satisfied.
Speaker 2:So good, dude, I'm like I did it and it sounds good like it's that there's that gratification like right there, it's aural and it's also like visual and you can feel it.
Speaker 1:Okay, we'll keep going. So. So you used to play the guitar yeah, used to play the guitar.
Speaker 2:That was like one of the good things that came out of going to kensal. Uh, I met some good guys up there and we, we uh started playing a band, did a lot of local shows at first. Uh really came out of nowhere and uh, we I think the last big show that we played was like a blue ridge I'm sure a lot of people know about blue ridge, all the horror stories and stuff like that, but um that was georgia no no I forget where it was Actually.
Speaker 2:I think it's Virginia, but like there's a look it up dude like Blue Ridge festival, rock festival.
Speaker 1:Oh, you play there, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, oh, I gotta go look it up. I never heard of it. It was really cool to play there. I'm sorry for all the fans that did not get a good experience from that. I appreciate everyone that came out, though. That was really dope.
Speaker 1:You know, Jared plays still. I don't know if you keep up with. Jared he came on the podcast and we talked about his whole situation and you know he invited me to go to one of his he plays at like restaurants sometimes or like what's that place called a cafe or something. But I've been wanting to go watch him. Dude, just surprise him, you know, be like yo.
Speaker 2:I'm like it's super important to support, like local music I think.
Speaker 1:Dude, we should go there, we should go one day, and just you know, Because I've caught up with him.
Speaker 2:I think he played at our friend Jemai's wedding.
Speaker 1:Oh, I didn't know that he played that.
Speaker 2:He was drumming for them for their like wedding, like wedding band or whatever. He loves music too. He loves music. I was like, wow, dude, that's like impressive. I will say, going back to what I was doing, like playing metal is like it's crazy, like it's.
Speaker 1:It's just like a different level of like interactions so when you say metal, can you give me like a? Name wait can you give me like a name of like a song that we can like relate to what metal is, or because so so like rock, I think, acdc, you know, I think I don't know if queen falls into that, but yeah, it does that classic rock type of classic that's. That's what I grew up so what about metal?
Speaker 2:what does that like trigger for me?
Speaker 1:metal, it's like harder. It's like, yeah, the the shit that pops right here when you listen to it, you know, and like the, any bands uh metal bands, it's so okay, wait, wait, no, no, no, wait. Let me think. Um, I I you know how I got some. Okay, because I used to play wwe friday. What is it? Smackdown versus raw.
Speaker 1:Um, there used to be some is green day. Consider metal. No, okay, wait, no, no, no, we're gonna get there. We're gonna get there. Um, what about the? What about the guys that are? If I hear a song, dude, um, give me a second. I've seen so many movies okay can you give me like famous songs and I and I'll agree or not, to see if I actually know songs or bands okay, give me bands, okay, okay, uh, mumford and sons okay imagine dragons imagine dragons wait.
Speaker 1:Imagine dragons like the metal or no, so that's metal no, that's a wall nation that's not there is a metal version of that, though.
Speaker 2:You should check that out you should check that out.
Speaker 1:Wow, I'm just learning here. Yeah, wait, okay. So I imagine okay slipknot who? That you don't know who slipknot give me, give me a song, give me something holy you ever play guitar hero or anything? I play guitar here. Oh, bon jovi before. No dude that's classic rock wait, that's uh, okay, what about?
Speaker 2:uh, I'm also not gatekeeping metal, by the way, I'm not. I'm not gonna do that this is I also don't like those people.
Speaker 1:Wait, wait, wait, uh, okay, no, um, I'll play rock band. Um, uh, what about uh?
Speaker 2:okay so here, jimmy eat world. No that's, that's like what that's rock.
Speaker 1:That was fast, that was hard, that was like you know. No, I know, that's not, that's not metal no, it's not.
Speaker 2:We're gonna give you one more give me one more do you know corn? No dude corn. Yeah, yeah, you know. Wait, do you know? I do not who's corn? Corn, yeah, corn with a k that's a band.
Speaker 1:Oh, k, that's a band. Yeah, a metal band, a metal band. Yo, okay, hmm, no, no, no, you gotta give me something harder. You can't just. There has to be more than that. What about the songs? Have you seen? Never back, never back down before never back down. There's some like rock songs like the movie.
Speaker 2:No, I don't remember that there's some rock songs on there, okay so the thing is like metal false pretense no I don't know the song no, no, I'll just say this Metal always evolves, right. It always gets heavier and heavier and heavier and heavier, right. So back in the day, I would say that maybe the older generation back when the Beatles were around, would consider Beatles metal Metallica.
Speaker 2:Yeah, back in the day that's not one time they were metal and I would say, like they're thrash metal now. Okay, trash, thrash, thrash. What does that mean? It's just a song, okay, go ahead. So, like, it always gets heavier and heavier and heavier and there's always sub genres and sub genres and people like to put things in boxes and stuff like that but like at the end of the day, if it, it's heavy, and if it's loud, it's metal.
Speaker 1:Heavy loud. What we did Are these the?
Speaker 2:ones that scream and like that's.
Speaker 1:That's a good indication that it probably is metal, oh, and you used to play the guitar on that. Yeah, electric guitar or something. Yeah, acoustics, though, assuming, yeah, yeah, acoustic is dope, though what would? What would the? Requirements be to start a band when you have a band. How many people do? You at least need, because I know that at least. Yeah, so you need the singer, the lead vocalist, sure um, depends if they can multitask, that's for sure.
Speaker 2:Okay, let's say they don't.
Speaker 1:Let's say they don't okay, let's say they don't Okay. So, guitar guitarist is that what you're saying? Mm-hmm. Then you have a drummer. Yeah, you probably have two guitars right, because you have a bass. You don't have to, you don't have to, you don't have to. So then what would you need?
Speaker 2:I feel like you could be metal with just a drummer and a vocalist honestly Nah, but it a little. Seth with a six actually performed a show to where their guitars weren't registering on the mix, so the the audience couldn't hear their guitars they didn't know that, but their vocalist and seth on the drums, seth, shutter, shout out uh, I've heard of that name before.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he was in your grade. He definitely remembers you too, but he's also in a metal band, very much so heavier than what I played, but like when they performed you could only hear the vocals. You're still hung up. Yeah, seth who shutter?
Speaker 1:I don't remember, but good for him shout out shout out seth.
Speaker 2:So so he's. He's been in multiple bands, but in that show you could only hear the vocalist doing his screams and vocals and you could only hear him. And it was metal dude. How about that? It was metal but, traditionally yeah, guitar, bassist, drummer, vocal what does jared play? Drums, I think no, no.
Speaker 1:Like what kind of band is he on? Like a regular band? No, what to me does?
Speaker 2:he does, he write stuff too I don't know, dude, I dude.
Speaker 1:I just know he's in the mix. He's in the mix, though he's too talented.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, he probably writes this stuff. I would say he's just like rock. He was playing with Southern rock, probably.
Speaker 1:Okay, yeah, we know what. I want to go watch him. Dude, we should make a goal to go support his ass. Yeah, because I've gotta. But I want to take. I told them I was gonna take him like a little like sign. You know I'll be like yo go jared yeah well, I take him like a thong or something, throw it at him, but not obviously, you know, just buy one. No, it could be yours, I mean, if he likes it.
Speaker 2:No, he probably liked it no I'm, I'm, I'm glad for that, that stage of my life, because it yeah it definitely. You know, I'm not gonna be like one of those people that says, oh, like I was in a band once, like and try and like, use that as like my personality or anything like that. But like, I'm very much happy that I got to experience all that stuff that's cool man, I feel like that.
Speaker 2:That's awesome and I was I was not the best guitarist like I just want to put that out there. I was. I was good enough to play what I did and then I think I reached my cap and then, when that happened, like I, I didn't want to step down.
Speaker 1:My band knows that, but I acknowledge that I was not ready to progress and so you stepped down because you had a certain threshold, like that you could, oh yeah oh yeah, like self-awareness man.
Speaker 2:Yeah no, it's hard being self-aware um and and acting on it, I think I think you can acknowledge stuff and like kind of push it away right and, and I tried to do that initially, um, but life just got intense and I couldn't put forward enough practice and and I will say, like a lot of the bandmates that I had or that I was with, like yeah they.
Speaker 2:They knew a lot before we started playing too, so I was like learning as I was playing in shows. So it was gratifying for me, just like how, when you get a song right, same stuff, but I'm just like performing it live, that's so dope, though, man.
Speaker 1:It's dope, but it's also very scary.
Speaker 2:Granted like they don't know how the song goes and so like, if you play it, cool, no one will know You'll be all right. But if you mess up pretty bad, everyone's going to know. But it was very fun. It was very fun. I'm very glad for that. And I was able to do it with having teachers, and everyone in my band and everyone around and all of our fans was aware of that, and so they were always very, very comforting or making sure I was okay, right.
Speaker 1:You know, did the light affect you. Or did you wear glasses or something.
Speaker 2:So I did wear glasses sometimes. There was a music video that we made for those of you that are curious. Uh, we made a music video called drop dead is it on youtube. It's on youtube. We gotta drop the link. Drop dead, uh, by headhunter. Um, during that music video there were like strobing lights that we had to do and uh, I just had to like work through it.
Speaker 1:My eyes might have been closed, but like we had to do it in like segments, so like we we'd shoot one take, take a break, shoot another take, take a break and yeah, but it was cool, it was fine you know what I just thought about, how, when I go into a room full of lights, my I started getting sleepy, but I think it's because of the sometimes the type of light or the reflection. Now I can only imagine what you may experience. If I don't have a problem with that and I have regular eyesight, or at least it doesn't affect me in any way. I can only imagine what you may feel like.
Speaker 2:And a lot of people don't know, but some of the lights that they use in stores or whatever, they're actually strobing really fast that they use in like uh stores or whatever they're actually strobing really fast. So if you, if you take your phone out and maybe take a video of some of these light bulbs, you can probably capture it strobing wait, I see that on my dashboard and cars.
Speaker 1:You know what I mean.
Speaker 2:They're not just there like oh, so you know those like photos, sensitive warnings on video games and stuff like that. It's not always due to like the flashing, like if you're playing a shooter. It's not always due to that, it's just like the screen time dude, that's an interesting one.
Speaker 1:talking about video games, you know that's a good uh next session we can get into, because you told me last time we spoke, bro bro, that you know video games is a way where you kind of get away from things in life, not because you just want to get away from things, but it's a way to relieve yourself and kind of de-stress yourself. Would you like to get more into that? Like, because the reason I'm getting into that it's not just just about the video game part but it's also because of, like, mental health and I I am big on mental health. You know awareness in general last month with was um, you know men's mental health awareness and you know there is people that suffer very often from mental health and uh, just for them to hear your experience on what you go through or how that has affected you and you know maybe what helps you Do you have that regarding just video games or just in general just in general.
Speaker 1:And then you know, I guess one of the ways you get away from things like that is, you know, playing video games and getting into into the mix, you know so.
Speaker 2:So gaming in general. I've always liked playing video games uh gang bro yeah yeah, yeah, me too. So my parents didn't really give me online access until, like, I was in high school or whatever, so I was like stuck playing campaigns on repeat yeah, which is fun I like it yeah it's fine but it's not the same as you start getting into other because, when you start to play other people as competitive, it's you versus them, right?
Speaker 1:so uh, yeah no, it's a the same when you start getting into other people, because when you start to play other people as competitive. It's you versus them, right.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, no, it's a good outlet, for sure, but I do think that it can go a little too far sometimes, because you know you could be stuck on a game. You know I'm 31 now. Playing a game for four hours at 31 is not the same as playing a game for four hours at 15.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know I remember that so you know it's not to not to make anyone feel bad or anything like that, but, like you know, we're so much more capable at 31 or as you get older to do more things with your time, and you know it's fine to want a game as an outlet or de-stress. That's okay, but it's so important like back talking back about that pythagoras type thing you know find your balance that's something that's something I'm struggling with too.
Speaker 2:I'm not I'm not saying like I'm the best you know, I found the perfect mix. No, sometimes like I'll get really hooked into it. I want to be competitive, even though like I'm not going to go pro. Like why? Am I putting all this effort into something that you know it doesn't really matter? Right.
Speaker 2:And so I think last time we talked also, it was more so talking about time, yeah Right, and I think I've seen a lot of celebrities talking about this as well. Celebrities talking about this as well. Uh, I think the most recent one I saw was, like bo burnham talking about this to where that is what is being harvested now or what is being sought after. Uh, back in the day you know it was land right. Well, we have all of the land that we know right now right uh, and then it was what.
Speaker 2:What came after land?
Speaker 1:I don't know what are people trying to colonize. After land, they started trying to go back to wars and making buildings and all that Right, so it was like the consumer products.
Speaker 2:They were trying to force you to sell stuff or force you to buy things right. Well, you know, most people have everything that they need, and not to mention like a lot of people can't afford that much, right. Yeah.
Speaker 2:So how are you going to reach more people? You're going to try and take their time away, and so you think about all these things that are free. Social networking is free right. Tiktok A lot of the video games free to play yeah, especially the Battle Royale. Yeah, they're making money off of microtransactions, for sure. Yeah, but like their real revenue is taking people's time away from other things. Right.
Speaker 2:So I wouldn't be surprised, honestly, if, on the back end, all these things that are harvesting our time, yeah, they're working with someone else. Be that deeper as like darker. Yeah. As you want to think it, but I wouldn't be surprised if they're in cahoots with each other.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and that's good. That's a good point, bro, because there they are. Sometimes, where I even, like you said, I've gotten into, there's some things that take your time away. You're just like where'd it go? I think one of the biggest ones now is tiktok, definitely tiktok, the doom scrolling. Dude the scrolling and the fact that people actually work just to what is that retain your attention. Because, they make videos with a catch at the beginning and then you're caught, you're caught and then you're just waiting for that to happen?
Speaker 2:Have you seen those reels to where, like they, they try and capture your attention in the beginning and then there is no, there's nothing it's just it leads to nothing that's it.
Speaker 1:There's no conclusion and you know it's like five minutes long. It's algorithm, you know, because the more you watch it that means that if you're watching it they're putting out to more people because obviously might be a good video and that's how they catch.
Speaker 2:There's an ad, yeah if there's an ad in a video that you spent five minutes watching oh, I, I look for that.
Speaker 1:I look for that now, but see how bad it's gotten. I look for ads and I'm like, if this video has to do something with ads, screw it up I just it's not because I don't want to support, it's just because sometimes the video has like nothing to it. It's just about it all comes down to the ad and I'm like what? What dude?
Speaker 2:pay-per-click is crazy pay-per-click I just watched crazy right now why did I just watch, man?
Speaker 1:hey, but for you guys watching on youtube, um, don't skip that you know I mean, just make sure you support your boy, because I'm a real one. I'm not here trying to, trying to finesse you. We're not doing anything evil, we promise, promise.
Speaker 2:We're just trying to get the gears turning, trying to have some intelligent conversation right now 100%, 100%, and I think that's honestly why I like your show so much is because we're having conversation that I feel like a lot of people don't really want to waste their time and have.
Speaker 1:They don't. Can I be honest right now, eric, to you? This is why my channel doesn't grow as fast as other people's, because I don't do things for likes. I don't do things for money. There is no incentive behind what I do, except for the fact that if it helps somebody in their life and it can change their mindset for the better, then to me that is my formal payment, that is my reward, and I've always said this from the beginning, bro.
Speaker 1:The reason I started making health videos and I don't want to gas myself up, but this is real honesty when I was making the health videos, I went to YouTube and I was like how come nobody gives any more updates? Where are the people that had all these surgeries or these testings and and and examinations? Like where they at now? So my goal was, you know, I'm gonna start making videos and when I start making videos, I'm gonna start giving updates and I'm gonna be real about what's happening, because that matters more than me trying to sell you and all those things you know. And now that I partnered recently with epic water filters, the only reason I consider even partnering with them is because there is a purpose behind that. Sure, there's not just here. Let me make some money.
Speaker 1:You know, thank god, that I have a great, fulfilling job and I make really good money where I don't even have the need to try to do that. You know what I'm saying. But if it comes with it, then you know god bless. But I've never tried to do any of that for the people, and this is my podcast and things that we have. I want to have real conversations with you. I want to get to know you better. I want the people that listen to you get something from you, because your experience and your story is going to help somebody else when they're listening to you, and that's worth more than anything because they can carry that forever. Bro, how many times you listen to a podcast and you don't remember what? What happened? You know the next day, or right?
Speaker 2:yeah but conversations like this is what carries on for a very long time in people's heads and I think that's that's the problem too is like when you're, when you're going through your reels or whatever, like that, you might find a reel that you really resonate with, right, so you save it or you pebble.
Speaker 3:We call it pebbling when you send it to your friends or whatever. Yeah, and show them that you're you know paying attention, you're trying to keep that connection um, but you know, that's as far as it goes.
Speaker 2:Yeah, like, how often do you remember something that wasn't a real not? Very often, especially the one of them, it's so saturated it's impossible, so you get that, that that drip of like false education, like, oh, I'm learning something, this isn't a waste of time. I'm learning something, but you're not, you're not really retaining it hopefully you save it, and then you know the most you can do is like save all your videos, go back and re-watch them, maybe collect them, write them down so you can take it and maybe log all the exercise videos that you saw right, because there's so many, so many, there's so many but.
Speaker 1:But this is the thing the reason there's so many is because people are trying to. I think they're trying to do it for wrong reasons.
Speaker 1:They're not just trying to do it to actually help you, but they're doing it just for them and instead of giving back and what we do here in the podcast, all of this, yeah, we have a great conversation, but for the people watching and listening, bro, I think that's the real part about. To me that matters. You know what I'm saying and not everybody has that. You know there's a lot of greed in the world. There's a and I get people trying to get their money and do you got to do what you have to do, but this is a reason why it's just going so bad. You know, everybody wants to be a content creator until they have to spend the time to be a content creator until they have to spend the energy to be a content creator, then it's not easy, you know.
Speaker 1:And the reason I even continue what I have now in my podcast. I'm pretty sure a lot of people thought, oh, there's another guy creating a podcast or like a YouTube channel, doing whatever. And I'm like no, because what drives me is not the money, it's because I have a passion, I like it, I enjoy it.
Speaker 2:You're kind of like untainted, honestly, like the, the intentions behind what you're trying to do is genuine and it's hard to. It's hard to kind of see with whatever content creator you, you follow or whatever, if their intentions are genuine. Because, yeah, they are making money and a lot of them, this is their main source of income.
Speaker 1:A lot of them they're making the most money they've ever seen in their life, and that's the reason why they have to push, push, push that time retention that we were just referring to it goes full circle.
Speaker 2:They have to Think about the platform and why they're not regulating them. They're doing the legwork for all these social networking platforms. That's how they make their money too.
Speaker 1:That's how they make their money too. Yeah, I mean even companies and products that, like we were just talking about, they benefit.
Speaker 2:so much of that, bro. Can you imagine if there wasn't any rules or laws to say, like you couldn't put any like uh, graphic content on facebook? Oh, that would be wild, can? You imagine how much time and retention would be further sucked from everybody no, I'm not saying like everyone's
Speaker 1:worse. I'm not saying like it gets worse, though it's a, it's a, it's a black hole. It just sucks you in no diddy. Yeah sorry, I knew I was gonna catch you up guard from murdering to like wait wait, I knew I was gonna catch you.
Speaker 2:That's what I said. I'm trying to be professional. I'm sorry, bro.
Speaker 1:No, I apologize bro, this is, this is the clown side of me, man, but I had to catch you off guard. I just, I was like, as soon as you said, god, I was not ready for that. No, this is the good bro, this is a good time. But yeah, keep going. But yeah, it is.
Speaker 2:Now I want to say it sucks you in, but I don't know.
Speaker 1:You can't say anything anymore because everything is going to be yeah, no, but it does. What's another word for reels you in?
Speaker 2:That's why it's called reels.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's no pun, no, it reels you in. Yeah, oh wait, I never thought about that. Yo eric that, yo oh yeah real, because it reels you in and it's real instagram reels and it's real, like it's reality, reality, it's just.
Speaker 2:It's just reality tv for modern times.
Speaker 1:I might need to take five right now, after that? Yeah, I didn't think about that, did you actually like? Is that the point? Does that like a regular people like person thinks about that instagram real because it reels you in? Or is that maybe just a coincidence?
Speaker 2:It might be a coincidence. It makes sense to me.
Speaker 1:It makes sense to me now too, but I never thought about that.
Speaker 2:TikTok because it's wasting your time, oh shit.
Speaker 1:Mm-hmm, Yo yo, this is deep yeah.
Speaker 2:The symbols are right in front of your face.
Speaker 1:I'm not going to go into conspiracy theories either.
Speaker 2:But I'm not going to go into conspiracy theories either.
Speaker 1:But I'm down for conspiracy theories, bro. I love conspiracy theories.
Speaker 2:A Chinese company called TikTok. For Americans.
Speaker 1:Did you hear they were trying to make an American-based TikTok?
Speaker 2:Apparently, that's what it's trying to do?
Speaker 1:I don't know. They're trying to make it apparently just for America. I don't know, bro. I mean technology has is pros and definitely it's cons 100. So you know it'd be like that sometimes. But to get back into the topic of really you ain't no, you're right, dude, that time, that's time spent, bro, I think that's why I have a love-hate relationship with the gaming, like I.
Speaker 2:You know, I took a half day off just to spend it with my wife and we had lunch and we do this thing. Now to where we have. You know how you have quarterly meetings at work or whatever right to kind of discuss like where you stand and like where your objectives and goals are. We start doing that for our home, our life.
Speaker 2:Making sure that we stay on topic okay, making sure that we stay on focus and our objectives are being met quarterly. Yeah, three years, five years, ten years, right, because I don't know if this is for you or not, but you know, for whatever reason, I didn't think I was going to live this long, so I never imagined myself living beyond 30. Like I don't even know what that's like. May. I ask why no no, no, I beyond 30 like I don't even know what that's like because, like back, I asked why?
Speaker 2:no, no, I don't know, I don't know you, just I I felt like I was this might be like imposter syndrome or something like that, but like I felt like I was going to be called for, something that was going to I was going to need to give my life for or I just felt like I was going to go down some like hazardous line of work, like I was going to. I wanted to be a police officer at one point.
Speaker 2:But like I, know, myself, you know me also. I gave it 100. Yeah, you would so my fight or flight is going to leave me to fight, and if it means protecting somebody, I'd probably do that, yeah so that that's why I didn't really, I didn't really think about my life past 30.
Speaker 2:wow, man, that's, that's wild dude I don't, I don't really know who talks about that yeah like I didn't come from, like a family to where you know we we have like that, dynasty wealth or anything like that right, or or generational, generational wealth, yeah and, uh, you know, my, my dad was military, like like I said before, um, so we knew that, but we we didn't really have a map, cause, like you, you give your whole life to the military and then after that you got to figure it out. Right.
Speaker 2:Well, I was around my dad when he was trying to figure it out. So at this point in my life, like ever since I didn't join school, like advice is weird gotcha like, who's gonna? Who's gonna tell me, like, where to go, to guide you yeah, so I kind of have to figure that out for myself so at this moment you feel like at least you're getting better at that after you.
Speaker 1:You know, thank god, you've made it. You know, past 30, you're now 31. What does the future feel like for you? Or do you feel like there's still ways that you have to find yourself in and things you have to do or accomplish? How are you managing now?
Speaker 2:I'm just going to be ready for whatever happens, right. Okay. So I'm not going to let some sort of objective get in the way of me living my life I'm going to think I think we talked about this last time as well get in the way of, like me, living my life. I'm going to think I think we talked about this last time as well. Uh, but I, I think God doesn't give you any sort of obstacles that you can't handle.
Speaker 2:Amen, so I'm, I'm meeting everything with the mindset that, yes, this is hard, but I can overcome it. And it wouldn't be, it wouldn't be my burden if it wasn't meant for me to grow to meet the challenge right?
Speaker 1:no, that's good, bro, that was really good. Repeat that one more time I don't think I can, it wouldn't be the burden.
Speaker 2:So you yeah that now it's good we gotta go ahead and rewind that that was good, just do the do the stamp, do the see yeah, that, no, that's good and I respect that dude.
Speaker 1:I appreciate you sharing that, um, because that is real and this is why I love what I do and what we do, because people can relate to that bro, and that's that's deep man. That goes deeper than oh, wow, that goes deeper than, like, what you hear on social media. Don't do that face right now, don't? I thought you were gonna make another joke.
Speaker 2:No, don't do that face right now. We're not gonna. Were going to make another joke. Don't do that face right now.
Speaker 1:We're not going to make another joke right now. We're serious, we're locked in, lock in, lock in, lock in Eric. But I agree and I respect the fact that you're sharing that with us, because I don't think it's easy and not a lot of people, like you said, do what you do and are able to share those experiences bro those experiences, bro, because vulnerability is not, you know, the easiest um.
Speaker 2:I mean, it's easy for those who are comfortable with themselves.
Speaker 1:That's your boy. I, just I. I'm being truthful.
Speaker 2:I'm cool with sharing a lot of stuff, maybe way too much, I I think I think for me, like I kind of like have to mask a lot, like I have to like I don't socially I'm not at the same aptitude as other people, so like I'm always masking, I'm always have to put on this like act so imposter syndrome is weird for me, or is real for me. Um, so yeah, like I definitely understand that yo.
Speaker 1:That now is making me think a lot, because I wonder how many people actually like deal with that same thing. A lot, you know, and every day, and having those same sentiments, bro. But I hope, man, that um you continue to try and find your purpose, um in life if you haven't yet, or at least the reasons to live you know, and not have those negative mind, mind, mind, um that negative mindset or you know, because I think I can relate to it in another different way because of what I've gone through with my health.
Speaker 1:But other than other than that, I'm like. It's hard sometimes. It's a day-to-day thing, bro. You know, especially nowadays, with all the crap that you see is just in the things that you're exposed through social media. Your mind can go to places sometimes.
Speaker 2:I could take you crazy places. I've had to take dopamine detoxes. You know what that is.
Speaker 1:Dopamine detoxes.
Speaker 2:You ever heard about that so?
Speaker 1:things that make your brain create dopamine. You've got to take breaks from those.
Speaker 2:Yep, so I've gone. I forget how long I've actually gone, for I think it was like maybe a max of like two or three months to where? Like I just, quit I quit gaming. I quit all my social networks. I quit anything that created dopamine. Take that where you want to um oh, you went there.
Speaker 1:Yeah well, was this before you're married? Because it's not what what okay, never go ahead okay, safely right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I don't know anyway.
Speaker 3:Anyway, any anything, no, diddy, anything, anything, anything that created, uh, any sort of dopamine drip.
Speaker 2:Like I, I purged it so lots of good words except yeah except for I think I would allow myself to watch a tv show or a movie with my wife during dinner, because we're eating, we're enjoying each other's company we'll just watch that, but then after that we'll go find something else to do chores around the house yeah I'm a homeowner, there's always something to do. I promise you, there's always something to do.
Speaker 2:Um, just working on yourself musical like I, ever since I didn't talk about this, but ever since I left or stopped playing in that band I just stopped playing guitar period, period wow you don't miss it?
Speaker 2:yeah, I do, but at the same time, like it's kind of just like almost. I don't want to say traumatic, it's not that significant, but like it's just something like I'd rather do something else gotcha it's almost like a adhd adhd thing to where, like, you fixated on that and now your time, like just ready to move on something else yeah, but um yeah I respect that dude um it helped out a lot like reground yourself. What is it?
Speaker 1:what did you call it?
Speaker 2:dopamine dopamine detox yeah, and like for those of you that have like insomnia or whatever, or are struggling to find time for exercise or healthy habits, that that is a perfect time, because you give yourself time right and I will. I will tell you what man like. It was not hard for me to get back on a sleep schedule because once I, when I was doing that dopamine detox, I was legitimately tired at like an early time, like nine, nine, 30.
Speaker 1:That might not be early, but for me is it possible, because your brain is more relaxed and, like you're, you're doing more.
Speaker 2:you're more active, ex, more relaxed and, like you're, you're doing more active, exhausted oh, from doing all the extra, doing all the extra stuff, right, hmm. And then you wake up early ish, and you're like ready to continue, like you're able to get stuff done in the morning, maybe even before you go to work, right, make yourself breakfast. And then it just like trickles down healthy habits, and you start to realize like, oh like, why was I afraid of giving this up? Is it because it was just comfortable, like gaming, like, is it?
Speaker 2:just comfortable to game. You don't have to worry about anything. You're leveling up. That's cool.
Speaker 1:Right yeah.
Speaker 2:It's that, that that sense of leveling up, yeah, that high, but like level yourself up you know.
Speaker 1:Oh, you sure you don't want to be a content creator? No, I don't know.
Speaker 2:You got the spit, no, you got the game Because you asked me to repeat something. It's just. You got to rewatch it.
Speaker 1:Sometimes. No, it's funny, dude, because that's really interesting. Man, Yo, I need to. That's a good phrase. You should try it. Well, I let me tell you how far I've gone when it comes to that. I have fasted before, right, and when I've fasted, I've given up things that to me, would be a sacrifice.
Speaker 2:Is it for Lent?
Speaker 1:At the beginning of the year, our church always do some fastings, whether it's a whole month to the beginning of January, january, right, well, like three weeks or so, sure, and in the past I've given up. You know things that I, I felt like this could be a challenge. So, like you said, video games going, you know a week, two weeks without playing video games to make sure that I, I can just go without. You know, um, as a man, masturbation, you all that stuff. That's also hard because once you're doing it, especially spiritually, you start getting attacked even more. Right, getting off the phone, right, not social media, for about two, three weeks. That's because sometimes you just, I know I catch myself and recently it's been even worse Just looking at my phone and picking it up and message or what's on. You know, just, bro, I think I might need a little bit, some of that love.
Speaker 2:Did you know your second thing, the masturbation. Yeah, did you know that and there's a lot of hate for this topic and it's really weird, but I think they said that that is more addictive than heroin Either the masturbation part or the pornography part, but they're kind of right I mean they go hand
Speaker 1:in hand, yeah no pun lol, hand in hand both hands, all right anyways both hands no, but I mean, hey, it'd be like that. Sometimes I see what you're saying, though. Yeah, you know, I I can see it, because I heard one time that sugar is more addictive than cocaine. So how I started? There's a research on that and I'm can imagine something that you actually feel when you know you ejaculate or you finish that high is crazy bro.
Speaker 2:Also, that's free, just like we've been talking about yo. That's a good point why would they give that away free, if it's that addictive? They don't give away heroin for free I mean they might have those like drug claims right, like to help people get off of it I don't know, I never, I don't know.
Speaker 1:That's a segue, that's another, that's another topic.
Speaker 2:They give away that, that pornography, for free. Why?
Speaker 1:would they do? That, aside from the pay-per-clicks Right, but I mean, even then, though, I think there's enough free shit that you can just those websites are visited more than Anything else Gambling sites, social media, anything else. For free.
Speaker 2:What kind of sinister stuff is that?
Speaker 1:And this is where technology and internet is good but also bad. And then just think about, like when ai starts to get more integrated.
Speaker 2:They're gonna be tailored like you think ads and algorithms are tailored. Think about when ai gets tailored to like what you're addicted to oh yeah, I feel like that's a, that's another great that is like you're gonna get in the mix, bro.
Speaker 1:I'm gonna be abducted here soon well, let me know how it goes if you come back. Come back to the podcast and share what happens. You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that would be fire yeah I was gonna mention, I think, one of the reasons as to why the p word is not just addictive, but I feel like there's a false sense of connecting with people. In this sense, if you're a man connecting with women and having intimacy that you don't need to go out to find in real life, so it's easy access for you to do that, instead of going out to actually meet with friends, go on dates, go with family, you just feel like there's this comfort zone that you may be in and I've heard that before and I'm like that makes sense as to why some men do it because of this lack of intimacy. But you feel it through, you know, I mean, you have whole. You find different sections of what you like on those sites, right, you find, um, what you like, what you don't like. You filter everything out and it's just tailor made to you and you make that and I feel like having that constantly, your brain starts rewiring like yo. This is why it's not good.
Speaker 2:This is it's not.
Speaker 1:It's not for the false sense of intimacy.
Speaker 2:It's not good I think it's more than that, though, too I think like it's, it's one, it's it's taking away your time, like you said. Like there, I'm I'm sure, I'm 100 sure, that there's people that prioritize that over making something on time, or prioritize that to the point to where they can't be intimate with their partner anymore. I think like Terry Crews talked about that. I think he was a bit advocate for that kind of stuff and I think it's just one of those time things again.
Speaker 1:Man, I swallowed some water and it didn't go down. Okay, here we go, my bad we're back. Okay, here we go. Okay, my bad. We're back. Yeah, no, it's because sometimes when I have trouble swallowing water, I don't know if it's the air that I swallow when I swallow water, but sometimes it just goes down slow, slow, slow slow.
Speaker 2:It freaks you out.
Speaker 1:Well, yeah, sometimes because it feels like you get stuck, that's one of the worst feelings ever, bro. Feeling get stuck, yeah, that's one of the worst feelings ever, bro.
Speaker 2:Feeling like something gets stuck in your throat and then you're like how does it? How will it go down, dude? I've struggled with that so much, but we're professionals. Still don't worry. You guys know that, that there was something there it was. You didn't do it. Now it's me derailing. You started this you started this.
Speaker 1:I love that, bro. You know what that means that you're comfortable, comfortable. Yeah. You're comfortable now, but no, keep going. Keep making your point, or did you finish? No pun.
Speaker 2:No, I'm good at this. Yeah, you're right, you're good. Where's your kids? Where's your kids? No, no. I don't mean to hit somewhere sensitive, I'm just saying you're making dad jokes all over, um, but yeah, no, I think, uh, I think it's crazy that something like that addictive is free and there's nothing else like that and that's true, but the fact that you're right, some men might prioritize that it's women. Now too, we can't, we can't just people.
Speaker 1:Let's go with people, let's go. People will prioritize that over making time for families or priorities. Jobs, I mean how many lives are affected by that. You know what I mean, how many. Or even when you go to the job or your family, how many you might be even thinking about that coming back like, oh damn, I gotta go back. You know, I gotta do what I gotta do yeah, no, that I know.
Speaker 2:The pnc is not that great. You can look that up what's the c?
Speaker 1:clarity oh, oh p, I got the post. Not okay, got you. I was like p and pc. What do we?
Speaker 2:p and c post on clarity.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, we just we teaching our fellow something, or if y'all know about you're learning today. You're gonna learn today I think you're right, though, man, and that's a serious topic though, and I feel like I think it's low-key sterilizing all of us.
Speaker 2:Can I say that?
Speaker 1:like, like normalizing it. What do you mean? Sterilizing what does?
Speaker 2:sterilizing mean like what if it's just so addicted to where men become sterile? Like, because I think that reduces your sperm count after a time. Yeah, I mean after you keep beating it up, or yeah, yeah, we have to, so it's like so many times like you're either sterilizing yourself because you're like you're not able to become intimate with your partner anymore or like you're decreasing your chances of being fertile.
Speaker 1:Gotcha through all you I mean the, the amount of times you, yeah, yeah I gotta see like what?
Speaker 2:what is the purpose of it being free if it's that addictive? What are they monetizing? There has to be like multiple different things.
Speaker 1:You know, and I think it's because it's one of the for me in real, is one of the best forms of pleasure that a human being can get oh would you.
Speaker 2:Would you say that over learning a song though? Oh fuck, but this is why you imagine like but this is that. This is why it's about reconfiguring, yeah. It's about the dopamine detox, yeah. Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. Why just as high?
Speaker 1:yeah, because it, because you can, I feel you on that, you feel better after learning how to play a song correctly.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you feel, you don't feel wasting that 10 minutes, that collection however long it takes someone yeah, to reach that point well, thank you for letting us know yeah, listen, hey, you guys, hey, listen listen hey bro. No, this is uh no, we're not gonna go. We're not. That's as far as we're gonna go so she said all right, but that's as far as we're gonna go.
Speaker 1:So she said all right, but that's as far as. But I get you. No, I think. I think you're right, because that feeling that high is just as good.
Speaker 2:Like you know, it's in it's just accessible, it's just more accessible, it is though, but nowadays it's definitely so much.
Speaker 1:Everybody has a phone yeah, you know what?
Speaker 2:everyone has a phone and they can learn how to play a piano.
Speaker 1:This is gonna this is gonna sound bad. This is gonna sound bad and you good bro, you know, I'm not chilling.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you just rolled your eyes. I mean, that's no. No, I'm looking up, I'm ready, I'm ready myself for the oh, for what I'm about to the bullshit, no, no he's like carlos, I see it coming. No pun, no, all right, all right I'm gonna lose so many viewers right now. No, we're not they're gonna. They'll trust me they're gonna edit this okay oh, we're gonna take it out, but all right.
Speaker 1:Hold up eric. Now I'm not okay. When I was a kid and this is where the axis conversation comes out when I was a kid, there was actually the way, and this is bad, because sexual things started being introduced, at least in third world countries. I feel like it's just more out there. You know, people are just. I don't know if they're more comfortable, I don't know what it is, but maybe we're just more desensitized. I don't know what they're more comfortable, I don't know what it is, but maybe we're just more desensitized.
Speaker 1:I don't know what it is, bro, but we used to have cards, you know, just regular playing cards, and they used to be like naked photos of women. But the cards were still a jack, a queen, a king and all that stuff, but they were naked photos of women and that is the way we would access pornography. Do you feel that that was your gateway? Well, that was just an access. But do you see the difference of what we have now, where you can just have your phone back? Then you, you, as a kid, you couldn't buy that. You know, you had to go through a lot of different hurdles to even try to see that. Not saying that's a good thing. Okay, but is the difference that that that it is? Now you know and you used to see the same pictures. Now, yeah, the things that it is now you know, and you used to see the same pictures Now. Yeah, the things that you can see, it's just like.
Speaker 2:Everything. Significantly different. Exactly. And it's actually I don't know if you know this Okay, let's learn, let's learn.
Speaker 1:I like this.
Speaker 2:I don't know how someone would find this out, but they, georgia, actually put a law to where you have to create an account if you want to access any of those websites. Now like they haven't they have to have some sort of age verification? So it's just not free like there's.
Speaker 2:I'm sure there's websites where you can find it accessible but georgia is one of the states that made it like illegal to where you can have it that accessible for minors, oh dang. So I don't know what kind of minors don't know how to create an email account, but um, they at least made it more difficult like I was just referring to.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's another hurdle you have to go through to take.
Speaker 2:So that's you know, that's good, I guess nah yeah, unless they're trying to track the accounts now so it's more specific, which I? That's what I feel like, but I feel like it's still bad.
Speaker 1:It's more specific, which that's what I feel like, but I feel like it's still bad it's still bad.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I feel like the brains of okay before we go into a close. But the thing that you were mentioning earlier, right, how you may struggle with your wife because in your mind you're seeing women who are probably not the ones you're gonna marry. The type of body, um, how, either sexy they are, uh, how big their boobs are, you know they're fake, you know, or like the, their booty or whatever, or the amount of things that you, you have false expectations and when you go into a marriage, because that's why your brain is used to seeing it, how do you feel about that?
Speaker 2:so I was raised catholic okay so I didn't have sex until I was married congratulations man, you know, I will say, I will say until I found her and knew and that that was gonna be your wife.
Speaker 1:Yeah, wait, but still. Wow, dude are you for real.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and that was like. That was like wait, that was like that was like 21. Don't applause for that?
Speaker 1:No, no, no. We have to. That's that's that that? Because it is no, that's not it.
Speaker 2:That's good too.
Speaker 1:I had to mix it up with you.
Speaker 4:Congratulations man no seriously and I mean that not in a funny way or anything like that that is admirable, especially nowadays well, it was easy.
Speaker 2:Being socially awkward it was, it was an easy objective. I'm not trying to downplay, it is hard, it is hard, it is hard, um, but, uh, no, thank you, congratulations, bro, that. But to go back on to that, um, yeah, no it doesn't. It doesn't strain our relationship in that way, at least for me and my wife. Um, that's just our dynamic and how it works, but I I do think that it definitely plays a role for others.
Speaker 2:Like you, you have your expectations of what this ideal person is right and then you take the blinders off, you take the headset off, whatever, and and this is your real life, yeah, and I think that can be applied to not just you know the p word, but to social media, to everything that we talked about today like everything dopamine drip wise that can be applied to that like take off the blinders. Realize that this is your life. You can make these choices, you can become a better person and it actually matter, and you can do these things yourself.
Speaker 1:That's good. You know what. We're going to end it right there with that. That was a beautiful message, man. Thank you. Thank you, and I want to thank you for coming on here and just sharing your experiences.
Speaker 1:You know your journey um helping me learn more about you, bro, is it's good to connect? I know it's been a while. I mean I haven't seen a lot of you know people and in such a long time that obviously you see from high school that and you can see them through social media. Obviously it's not the same, but the fact that you know we're able to connect and just you know you come into my podcast.
Speaker 2:I appreciate you, bro because, I admire the vulnerability um of you sharing and I'm sure you help somebody else you know, out in in that's listening or watching, so yeah, I actually like reconnecting with people after some time because you get to see really how they've grown how they knew who they actually became yeah, uh, but listen everyone.
Speaker 1:Um, I hope that you guys enjoy the conversation. I know you know we had serious conversation, but we also got to have fun. You know, in in our own little way, but I appreciate you guys watching. Uh, appreciate you guys if you have been subscribed to the channel on youtube, remember you can watch this video in 4k quality, uh, and if you're listening to this on the audio platforms, you don't forget to go over there and leave a little review for your boy in the podcast and you can listen to this podcast and all the audio platforms Spotify, apple Podcasts and Amazon Music.
Speaker 1:So this is another great episode and I hope that it just helps you guys in any way. And thank you guys for the love man, thank you guys for always paying attention to your boy and more content. Of course it's going to be uploaded, god willing. So thank you guys for the love man, thank you guys for always paying attention to your boy and more content. Of course it's going to be uploaded, god willing. So thank you guys for the love. I'll see you guys on the next episode of the Carlos Granados podcast. Peace and love. Familia Later. Peace.