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[00:00:05] Welcome to the Man Up, Man Down podcast, presented by Volker Ballueder and David Pawsey.
[00:00:12] We discuss the pressures and challenges faced by men approaching middle age that we're often too embarrassed to speak about with our friends.
[00:00:20] You can find us online at www.manupdown.com.
[00:00:26] Enjoy the show and don't forget to subscribe and leave us a review.
[00:00:32] Welcome to the Man Up, Man Down Christmas Special.
[00:00:41] I'm going to be using all the special effects that we don't normally use because it really wouldn't be appropriate.
[00:00:49] Oh dear, oh dear.
[00:00:52] Volker's shaking his head while his nipples are flashing.
[00:00:56] Yeah, look at it.
[00:00:59] The good thing about video is we can now show off our Christmas jumpers.
[00:01:03] Exactly, exactly.
[00:01:04] I've got one that I'm sure will be very, very dear to your heart.
[00:01:10] Would it be very dear to my heart?
[00:01:12] Yeah.
[00:01:13] Oh, David Hasselhoff.
[00:01:14] Ah, there we go.
[00:01:16] There we go.
[00:01:16] I'm like...
[00:01:18] This one is also very dear to my heart.
[00:01:21] Ah, well, I was going to...
[00:01:24] There we go.
[00:01:29] There we go.
[00:01:33] But, yeah, no, obviously, wasn't it David Hasselhoff that reunified Germany?
[00:01:39] Of course he was, yeah.
[00:01:40] Was it before he was an alcoholic or after?
[00:01:46] He wasn't a major alcoholic, was he?
[00:01:49] Was he not?
[00:01:50] I know, well, he was fond and his daughter posted that video of him.
[00:01:57] He pissed himself at Heathrow.
[00:01:58] Oh, yeah.
[00:01:59] But, yeah, no, that's perfectly normal behaviour.
[00:02:02] That's not alcoholic behaviour.
[00:02:04] That was fine.
[00:02:05] That was...
[00:02:05] But, you know, he cleaned up his act after that, so, you know.
[00:02:08] Did he?
[00:02:09] Did he clean up his act?
[00:02:10] Probably not a job.
[00:02:11] Yeah.
[00:02:12] I was going to try and make a joke about Kit, but I couldn't think of one, so I won't.
[00:02:21] So, Sia, where did you get your jumper from?
[00:02:24] So, actually, I'm not a big Christmas person, as you know, as most people know.
[00:02:29] As we can see.
[00:02:31] Yeah.
[00:02:32] You know, it makes my hair stand up, as you can see, right?
[00:02:36] And I got a Christmas jumper.
[00:02:41] I finally gave in, in 2019, after I left corporate life, to buy myself a Christmas jumper.
[00:02:47] So, I always refused.
[00:02:49] So, in 2019, I bought one, wore it once, and since then, because it has been COVID and I've
[00:02:54] been self-employed, there hasn't been many occasions, but today, to really wear this Christmas
[00:03:00] jumper.
[00:03:00] So, I wore it on a couple of Christmas.
[00:03:02] So, yeah, so, but it's a great jumper.
[00:03:06] Oh, man.
[00:03:06] So, we truly, truly are honored.
[00:03:09] We are honored.
[00:03:12] So, now I'm trying to do what, sorry, you go ahead.
[00:03:15] You continue.
[00:03:16] Yeah, well, no, actually, I, see, this used to be my, my Christmas one.
[00:03:20] Or a Tesco one.
[00:03:22] Yeah, but obviously, they don't, they don't do that brand.
[00:03:26] Can you hear that now?
[00:03:33] Sorry.
[00:03:34] No, no, that, that, we all love that.
[00:03:41] Anyway.
[00:03:42] Yeah, so, so this is actually a brand new purchase, and it is the first wearing of it.
[00:03:48] Is it?
[00:03:49] It looks familiar.
[00:03:50] I'm sure I've seen it.
[00:03:51] Maybe I have one as well.
[00:03:53] No, maybe you've been targeted for the same Facebook ads.
[00:03:58] Yeah.
[00:03:59] But I was, well, I was saying yesterday in the office that, like, when I wear it into the office, because of the age of, like, the majority of the people in there, I reckon there'll be, like, two or three people that get the reference.
[00:04:17] And then, like, no one else will have any idea of, well, actually, they might know who the Hoff is.
[00:04:24] I mean, is the Hoff still alive?
[00:04:26] He must be ancient.
[00:04:27] Yeah, of course he is.
[00:04:28] Of course he is.
[00:04:29] Really?
[00:04:30] He was doing, well, America's Got Talent, I think.
[00:04:34] Really?
[00:04:36] I mean, I know that, you know, obviously I'm the pop cultural aficionado, but I have to say that, yeah, America's Got Talent and Britain's Got Talent.
[00:04:47] They're sort of things that have passed me by.
[00:04:51] I mean, he's 72, allegedly.
[00:04:54] All right, well, so he's still alive then.
[00:04:57] Yeah.
[00:04:58] But, yeah, didn't he invent Tesla with his automated car?
[00:05:08] That's better.
[00:05:10] Might need to give that a rest.
[00:05:13] Yeah.
[00:05:14] So, Christmas.
[00:05:15] Are you a Christmas fan?
[00:05:16] I don't know if we ever touched on that.
[00:05:18] We must have talked about that last year, the year before.
[00:05:21] You must have served Christmas.
[00:05:22] Is it the third Christmas?
[00:05:23] Yeah, well, I mean, one of the things I was going to say, actually, on the first Christmas special,
[00:05:30] no, because I think we did a Christmas special, and then we published the live event as the Christmas episode last year.
[00:06:06] Oh, I don't know.
[00:06:10] Yeah.
[00:06:11] Yeah.
[00:06:12] I mean, I have to say, I'm actually feeling, well, so, last year, obviously, we were in New York, which was a fairy tale.
[00:06:26] Fairytale in New York, you know, the Pokes song.
[00:06:30] Oh.
[00:06:31] No, that's lost on Volker.
[00:06:33] Totally lost what you were saying, though.
[00:06:36] But, yeah.
[00:06:36] Anyway.
[00:06:38] You went in New York, yeah.
[00:06:41] But, yeah, this is like the first, well, you know, so, you know, obviously, that was the first Christmas without Dad,
[00:06:46] so it was like, right, I want to do something completely different.
[00:06:51] But, yeah, this year, well, we're going up to Alyssa's brother in Blackpool, which will be an amazing drive,
[00:07:01] which, you know, is always a nightmare journey at the best of times, and we're driving up on Christmas Eve,
[00:07:06] so, really looking forward to that.
[00:07:10] Nice.
[00:07:12] Something that I've got into recently is cold water swimming, so I will be taking my wetsuit,
[00:07:18] and, yeah, looking forward to having a dip, maybe on Christmas Day.
[00:07:23] Do you still have your cold water tub as well?
[00:07:26] Oh, a cold water barrel.
[00:07:28] Barrel.
[00:07:29] Yeah, I haven't, basically, well, so when I broke my ankle,
[00:07:35] I couldn't really get into it, or give it a good clean, so it's basically, it could probably do the clean,
[00:07:44] but, yeah, cold water swimming's probably, well, I'm finding it a little bit more enjoyable
[00:07:51] than how to constantly clean out the barrel, which isn't a euphemism.
[00:07:59] Clean out the barrel.
[00:08:00] Yeah.
[00:08:01] Yeah.
[00:08:02] So, have you got any exciting plans?
[00:08:06] Yeah, we're going away, so, you know, going, for the first time, my wife isn't working over Christmas,
[00:08:12] so we actually go away.
[00:08:14] She's a nurse, not a Christmas elf.
[00:08:16] Not a Christmas elf, no, although you could think, you know, being related to me, she could be an elf.
[00:08:24] So, yeah, so, I'm looking forward to Christmas, actually.
[00:08:28] Although, if I say I don't like Christmas, I find the last few weeks,
[00:08:33] and I know we talked about that briefly when we came on,
[00:08:39] like, this week I've been busy, and we're like three weeks out to Christmas, right?
[00:08:44] Then I'm going to be really busy next week, and then hopefully the last week before Christmas I get really, really quiet,
[00:08:48] so I can get all the shit done I didn't get done all year.
[00:08:53] Because I used to work between Christmas and New Year just to clear out stuff.
[00:08:57] But I had a quiet afternoon one of the weeks, and I already cleared out my cupboards and shit.
[00:09:04] So, I'm on top of that already, but there's so much admin to do.
[00:09:09] Always leave it to the last week before Christmas.
[00:09:12] That's what I always look forward to when it gets quiet and you can get some work done.
[00:09:17] Is that sad?
[00:09:17] It's the most wonderful time of the year for admin.
[00:09:22] Because I can get admin done.
[00:09:23] Is that sad?
[00:09:25] I just, I don't know why that is.
[00:09:27] If that's what makes you happy, Volker, then, you know.
[00:09:29] Yeah.
[00:09:29] I mean, I'm always happy when I work, right?
[00:09:32] So, work has a, it's a big part of my life, because I enjoy it.
[00:09:36] But it's, I don't know where it's coming from, but I'm,
[00:09:38] I guess because Christmas for me has always been associated with,
[00:09:42] you know, obviously church and stuff.
[00:09:44] And I'm just not a big church person.
[00:09:49] So, yeah, there's no association for me for that.
[00:09:52] So, for me, the association is about quiet time.
[00:09:56] And, of course, I mean, when the kids were younger, it was, you know,
[00:09:58] all about them having Christmas.
[00:10:01] But now they're teenagers.
[00:10:02] They, I don't want to say they don't care about Christmas,
[00:10:04] but, you know, it's good food, you know, everyone is get together,
[00:10:07] families together.
[00:10:08] So, that's all nice.
[00:10:10] You know, so I like that.
[00:10:12] But the whole, you know, tree, you know,
[00:10:16] the decorations everywhere, it's just not, you know, look at me.
[00:10:21] It's just not me.
[00:10:23] It's just not me.
[00:10:24] So, I'm a Grinch.
[00:10:25] I think I said that on the first year as well.
[00:10:28] I'm just a bit of a Grinch.
[00:10:29] But I do like the quiet time.
[00:10:31] And that's, you know, something to be set for, to...
[00:10:34] Because everyone is off at the same time.
[00:10:36] It's like France in August, right?
[00:10:38] It's like for Christmas.
[00:10:39] It's like France in August.
[00:10:40] Like, you don't miss out on anything.
[00:10:42] You can do whatever you want.
[00:10:43] You have quiet time.
[00:10:44] You can relax.
[00:10:46] And hopefully you don't have a cold.
[00:10:47] I just got through three colds, I think, in the last four weeks.
[00:10:50] So, I should be all right.
[00:10:52] And just not having to worry for a few days.
[00:10:56] Yeah.
[00:10:57] Yeah, no, I think that's the bit.
[00:11:00] And I remember, you know, sort of when you were younger, it was like, great.
[00:11:04] It's like two weeks in the pub with your mates.
[00:11:07] But, yeah, I think, you know, there's sort of so much to be said about having time off
[00:11:16] but not really doing anything.
[00:11:18] You know, and I think...
[00:11:20] So, when you go, you know, the thing is, you know, we talk about alcohol a lot on this podcast.
[00:11:24] But, you know, it can be easy to sort of go on holiday and then just drink.
[00:11:29] And then you come back exhausted.
[00:11:30] And, well, obviously, over Christmas, you end up drinking more than normal.
[00:11:35] But, yeah, you know, I think there's a lot to be said for sort of having time off
[00:11:40] but not sort of thinking, all right, well, we've got to, you know, make the most of this time off.
[00:11:46] You know, it is just everyone sort of being chilled and relaxed.
[00:11:51] And this year, the nice thing this year is, I find, the 20th is a Friday
[00:11:56] which means no one's going to work the following week.
[00:11:59] And then the following week, people might come back on the 3rd, which is a Friday.
[00:12:04] Yeah.
[00:12:04] So, basically, we've got two weeks off, right?
[00:12:07] So, which is nice.
[00:12:09] And I think most people will take those two weeks off.
[00:12:12] Yeah.
[00:12:13] So, you really get two weeks without missing anything.
[00:12:16] And that's...
[00:12:17] It's a lot to be said for us over that.
[00:12:19] So, bless the French for having that idea in the summer.
[00:12:22] I think we should all do that in the summer.
[00:12:25] Months in August.
[00:12:26] Well, you know, and again...
[00:12:28] Sort of...
[00:12:29] Months in August.
[00:12:30] You know, I think...
[00:12:31] With lockdown, everyone sort of talked about...
[00:12:35] Oh, you know...
[00:12:37] Oh, it just shows, like, actually, it can be good to sort of just switch off for a while.
[00:12:42] But, you know, and then it was almost like, oh, everyone's going to take that forward.
[00:12:45] But I don't think we really did, did we?
[00:12:49] I didn't.
[00:12:50] I just started paddling harder during lockdown.
[00:12:52] Do you know next year, same as 2020, we're starting the year with Wednesday, Thursday, Friday?
[00:12:59] Oh, really?
[00:12:59] You must have seen then that WTF.
[00:13:04] What the fuck?
[00:13:05] Right.
[00:13:06] So, there's already rumours it's going to be a shit year.
[00:13:09] It's five years since lockdown.
[00:13:12] Five years since lockdown.
[00:13:14] Think about it.
[00:13:15] Oh, it's...
[00:13:16] Yeah, it's mad that in some ways that it was so long ago.
[00:13:20] Yeah.
[00:13:21] But, sort of, going back to what you were saying about Christmas and about church, that reminded me of, well, one of my sort of Christmas misadventures when I was 16.
[00:13:39] And we went up to my aunt and uncles and my cousins for Christmas.
[00:13:44] And me and my cousin, like, we're only a few months apart.
[00:13:47] And, you know, growing up, we, you know, sort of grew up more like brothers than cousins.
[00:13:52] And basically, like, we'd obviously both just started getting into having a bit of a drink at that age.
[00:13:59] And I remember, like, my mum and my auntie and, well, you know, all the adults went to a party.
[00:14:06] And me and my two cousins and my sister went to the pub.
[00:14:09] And me and my cousin just got absolutely smashed.
[00:14:12] And then we went along to Midnight Mass.
[00:14:14] And I threw up in the church.
[00:14:17] Oh, no, in the church.
[00:14:18] Yeah.
[00:14:20] Yeah.
[00:14:21] I mean, I just sort of remember, like, me and my cousin were just sort of, like, shouting out these carols.
[00:14:27] And all these people are turning around looking at us.
[00:14:30] And then I sort of got to that moment.
[00:14:33] I'm like, oh, the vicar seems to be, like, moving, even though he's standing in the pulpit.
[00:14:38] And I was like, oh, I don't feel well.
[00:14:40] And I sort of got up.
[00:14:41] And out of the corner of my eye, I could see my mum get out of, like, the pew behind me.
[00:14:46] And I was just getting out.
[00:14:48] And I was like, ooh.
[00:14:48] And I'd literally just sort of almost got to the door.
[00:14:52] And, oh, out it came.
[00:14:54] And, yeah.
[00:14:57] I could say something really inappropriate about church, but I won't.
[00:15:02] Well, go on.
[00:15:03] We can always cut it out.
[00:15:05] Yeah, I think we need to cut it out.
[00:15:07] I mean, they have these bowls in the entrance, don't they?
[00:15:10] Yeah, the font, the baptism font.
[00:15:12] You wouldn't be the first to make that comment.
[00:15:16] That highly inappropriate comment.
[00:15:18] I think it's inappropriate, right?
[00:15:19] I mean, in my fraternity house, we at least had what we called a pope, right?
[00:15:22] We had two handles and a big old ceramic bowl where you can just spew into, right?
[00:15:27] And you could hold yourself onto the handles.
[00:15:30] So we did that properly.
[00:15:32] We called it the pope because, you know, you were bending over.
[00:15:34] Yeah.
[00:15:38] I'm glad you clarified that.
[00:15:43] Yeah.
[00:15:43] I mean, it's just...
[00:15:44] Bending over in the Catholic Church.
[00:15:47] Yeah.
[00:15:47] You know, I don't know.
[00:15:49] I mean, let's not digress into talk about church because, yeah, I'm just, you know,
[00:15:55] I actually think, actually, we can digress a little bit into that direction because I had
[00:15:59] a few conversations recently that, and I don't know if we talked about it, but companies or
[00:16:05] companies, countries who have a common belief, so believe in something bigger, like a god,
[00:16:12] usually do better in terms of community and everything else.
[00:16:15] And I read, you know, a friend of mine, I discussed this, and I'm sure I've read an article or listened
[00:16:20] to a podcast or something.
[00:16:22] And I can totally see that.
[00:16:24] You know, if you look at America, right?
[00:16:26] I mean, it's a very God's own country, right?
[00:16:29] And they believe in a higher being.
[00:16:32] Whilst in Germany it's falling apart, in the UK, I believe it's gone.
[00:16:37] And it's not good for society.
[00:16:39] I honestly don't think it's good for society.
[00:16:41] So, in that sense, I actually think church or an institution like church is actually a good institution.
[00:16:47] It's just I don't believe in it, and, you know, I don't have a religious belief.
[00:16:53] If I ever have to put a religion down on the sheet, I would say Buddhism, but I see Buddhism
[00:16:57] more as a philosophy and way of living rather than, you know, a religion.
[00:17:01] That's why I still drink, for instance, and eat meat.
[00:17:05] All right, but yeah.
[00:17:06] Sorry.
[00:17:07] It's the sun here, which is so nice.
[00:17:09] Winter sun.
[00:17:11] Yeah.
[00:17:11] No, I always have to.
[00:17:14] Well, because we always obviously film at the same time, but it's always as the sun's
[00:17:19] going past.
[00:17:23] So, what have your personal highlights, or what have been your highlights of the year,
[00:17:29] both personally and for the podcast?
[00:17:32] Oh, dear.
[00:17:33] You asked me a question.
[00:17:34] I didn't prepare any of that.
[00:17:36] So, personal highlight.
[00:17:39] That's pretty standard, isn't it?
[00:17:41] Yeah.
[00:17:41] Is it?
[00:17:42] I don't know.
[00:17:42] My personal highlight, it's a point out in my newsletter, which comes out in the week
[00:17:47] after next.
[00:17:49] Oh, e.g.
[00:17:51] The day before this podcast goes live.
[00:17:53] So, if you read my newsletter, you already know my answer.
[00:17:56] I think it was a rebrand.
[00:17:57] So, it was a rebrand and the refocus of Baluda Partners to Obnatos and refocus on more coaching.
[00:18:05] And that's what I'm looking forward to for next year.
[00:18:07] So, I'm really excited about that because it's something I wanted to do for a long, long
[00:18:12] time to focus more on coaching and leadership development.
[00:18:16] So, that's, you know, again, it's work related, but it's a personal highlight because I'm, you
[00:18:21] know, I stepped out of my comfort zone and decided that's what I'm going to put my focus
[00:18:25] on.
[00:18:26] Hello, folks.
[00:18:30] It's Volker here.
[00:18:31] I hope you enjoy this week's episode.
[00:18:33] As you know, I coach executives, whether that is for leadership skills or sales leadership
[00:18:39] skills or working as a therapist too.
[00:18:43] There are a few ways I can help you to get unstuck, improve your work-life balance or become
[00:18:48] a better version of yourself.
[00:18:50] So, you will be more productive and have more time for your family.
[00:18:54] Whatever it is, you can join my client list of people from General Electric, Pepsi, DHL,
[00:19:01] Boots and many others.
[00:19:03] Book a free exploratory call via my website www.opnat.us.
[00:19:10] That's O-B-N-A-T dot U-S.
[00:19:14] Now back to the show.
[00:19:16] In terms of podcasts, it's a bit more difficult.
[00:19:22] I need to get the episodes up.
[00:19:25] I want to be honest because, as you know, we have recorded a few...
[00:19:29] I mean, we pretty much already recorded all the hundred.
[00:19:35] Definitely is a live event.
[00:19:37] I think that was a really good live event.
[00:19:41] Scrolling through our episodes here, I think Ian and Mark and Rose, I think they're all really
[00:19:53] good episodes in itself and then obviously the live event.
[00:19:56] I mean, yeah, Ian's most recent one when he came in and talked about his prostate cancer.
[00:20:05] Yeah, that was...
[00:20:07] I mean, I think that's something that, you know, well, A, shows how strong he is, but I think
[00:20:14] it will give strength to a lot of people that, you know, sadly are... have been facing him.
[00:20:20] And I was going to say funnily enough, because that's certainly... it's certainly not a funny
[00:20:25] thing.
[00:20:26] But my wife sort of said the other day, oh, you know, have you got any episodes on prostate
[00:20:30] cancer?
[00:20:31] And again, you know, it's like...
[00:20:33] Oh, you know, it sort of highlights, you know, the work that we're doing.
[00:20:39] Um, the... you know, yeah, it's like, oh, well, actually, yeah, we've got this guy talking
[00:20:46] about it and this guy and, you know, this expert.
[00:20:49] And, yeah, it's just great to sort of be in a position now where, you know, people do
[00:20:56] sort of have a men's health question.
[00:21:00] And, you know, we can signpost them there.
[00:21:02] I mean, there's obviously a lot of areas we haven't covered.
[00:21:04] So, yeah, obviously, if you have any suggestions or any experts that you could point away.
[00:21:11] I mean, I think gambling is something that I've been saying that I'd like to sort of do
[00:21:18] something on, because it's not... well, gambling addiction.
[00:21:20] I mean, it's not... it's not really... I've, you know, I've put a couple of bets on the Grand
[00:21:27] National and I've been to a couple of Stag Do's where, you know, we've been at the races and
[00:21:31] I've put bets on, but I've never... it's never really been something that has attracted me.
[00:21:37] I think mainly because when I've tried it, I've just lost my money.
[00:21:41] So I've never got the, uh, that adrenaline rush that people get addicted to.
[00:21:46] But, I mean, there was a guy that I used to work with, like, years ago.
[00:21:51] And, uh, he'd... he used to give me a lift home from work.
[00:21:55] And, and he'd, he'd be like, oh, you know, I'm just going to go and pick up my winnings.
[00:22:01] And we'd go in there and he'd put, put another bet straight down.
[00:22:04] I'm like, you've won.
[00:22:06] You know, why, why are you doing it again?
[00:22:08] And also, like, sometimes we'd have to sort of walk past where his wife would be parked.
[00:22:14] And, and in light, and he'd be like, oh, oh, lose there.
[00:22:18] If she says anything about us coming back this way, can, you know, just say that we had to give Majid's car a push?
[00:22:24] Yeah.
[00:22:24] And, um, and I was like, oh, okay, this is obviously a problem here.
[00:22:31] You know, because he's having to sort of hide it from his wife.
[00:22:34] Um, but yeah, you know, I, it was just the fact that he, he'd won, but then he put it straight down.
[00:22:39] And I was like, where's, you know, where's the, but anyway, yeah.
[00:22:44] You know, and, and sort of, it's sort of something that I've heard, you know, a lot.
[00:22:50] Well, yeah, it, you know, it ruins people's lives.
[00:22:53] Um, so yeah, you know, and I think that's sort of something that, so, you know, well, if anyone has, I know Paul Merson, the, you know, the, the football commentator and ex-Arsenal player.
[00:23:04] Um, he's, he's spoken about it a lot.
[00:23:07] Um, if there's anyone listening that happens to have a connection with him, please put us in touch.
[00:23:12] But yeah, if there's anyone else that has expertise in that area.
[00:23:16] But, um, yeah, sorry, gone on a bit of a ramble there.
[00:23:19] Yeah, I, I bet it's going to be a really good episode.
[00:23:23] Just need to find someone to talk to.
[00:23:26] Oh, I get what you did.
[00:23:28] That's it.
[00:23:29] Wait a minute.
[00:23:29] So do it again.
[00:23:30] Do it again.
[00:23:31] Okay.
[00:23:31] I bet it's going to be a really good episode.
[00:23:37] Yeah, there we go.
[00:23:39] There we go.
[00:23:41] I, I play the lottery every, you know, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday.
[00:23:46] I do it on direct debit.
[00:23:48] It's about 40 quid a month.
[00:23:50] And I see it as a pure charity donation.
[00:23:53] But it allows me four times a week to dream about winning big money.
[00:23:59] Yeah.
[00:23:59] I haven't.
[00:24:00] I probably never will.
[00:24:01] But then I'm going to die one day and go like, you know, I gave lots of money to charity in the hope that I one day will win a lot of money.
[00:24:10] Yeah.
[00:24:10] So I'm not a big gambling man.
[00:24:12] I put money on football or Grand National.
[00:24:15] And then I forget I have money in the account.
[00:24:17] And so I'm not, not too bothered.
[00:24:20] Other episodes.
[00:24:22] So I made a list now what you were rambling there.
[00:24:25] Well, you know, there we go.
[00:24:26] That's what a good partnership is all about.
[00:24:28] I know.
[00:24:29] So Bernie was a really good episode.
[00:24:32] That was in February, I think.
[00:24:34] We had Anita on.
[00:24:36] Anita Malster on Vilifying Man.
[00:24:37] And, you know, she's coming back.
[00:24:40] We recorded the number two already.
[00:24:43] It's coming early next year.
[00:24:46] Tyler.
[00:24:47] Tyler's episode was really good.
[00:24:49] And I loved, to be honest, I loved the day out with Tyler.
[00:24:52] And I feel like I should go down to Worthing again and do a sauna.
[00:24:57] Yeah.
[00:24:57] Yeah.
[00:24:58] It's a good thing to do on a Friday night.
[00:25:00] But it's 45 minutes for me.
[00:25:02] So it's not feasible.
[00:25:05] So maybe I need to find a local sauna club.
[00:25:08] Yeah.
[00:25:08] I mean, well, come on.
[00:25:09] Talk.
[00:25:09] You know, people won't know what we're talking about.
[00:25:12] You know, come on.
[00:25:13] Oh, yeah.
[00:25:14] So Tyler does organized runs and swims and saunas on a Friday night.
[00:25:21] And I think it's, you know, he does a lot of other things, by the way.
[00:25:24] So check out his website.
[00:25:26] Check out his wife.
[00:25:28] Wife.
[00:25:29] Did you just say check out his wife?
[00:25:32] No.
[00:25:32] I said website.
[00:25:36] Sorry.
[00:25:36] I'm so full of Christmas cheer.
[00:25:39] Yeah.
[00:25:39] So website.
[00:25:42] Website of Tyler.
[00:25:43] Check it out because he does, you know, he does really healthy lunch.
[00:25:46] His wife is helping out as well.
[00:25:48] Yeah.
[00:25:48] Maybe I was thinking of his wife.
[00:25:49] I haven't met his wife yet.
[00:25:50] So I don't know.
[00:25:52] But he does some nice cookies afterwards.
[00:25:55] And, you know, six sweaty men in a sauna.
[00:25:59] And it's just such a wind down after a week.
[00:26:02] And then going in the cold water.
[00:26:03] Oh, actually, it was really warm when we went.
[00:26:05] So I love that.
[00:26:06] I love what he does.
[00:26:07] And how he turns his life around from, you know, wanting to kill himself.
[00:26:11] And he talks about it in our episode very openly.
[00:26:15] So I don't suppose you got down there.
[00:26:18] What episode it was?
[00:26:21] It was in Tyler Slate.
[00:26:23] In February, March.
[00:26:24] I don't know.
[00:26:25] I need to look up the number.
[00:26:26] Okay.
[00:26:26] Sorry.
[00:26:27] And then last but not least, another episode.
[00:26:29] Maybe a bit more cheerful.
[00:26:31] Because I'm a big fan of all the episodes he has done with Tim Ferriss.
[00:26:35] Was, of course, Jerry.
[00:26:36] Right?
[00:26:37] Mm-hmm.
[00:26:38] Jerry Colonna.
[00:26:39] Is it Colonna?
[00:26:39] Yeah.
[00:26:41] I was...
[00:26:41] I, funnily enough, I was talking about that episode yesterday in the gym.
[00:26:46] I bumped into someone I know.
[00:26:47] And, yeah, we, you know, we were just sort of talking about, you know, wanting to provide
[00:26:55] a better life for your kids.
[00:26:57] Or, you know, a better life than you had.
[00:27:00] And, you know, I don't, sorry, I mean, but, you know, you kind of, yeah, you want to make
[00:27:05] a, well, give them more treats or whatever than you had.
[00:27:11] But you want to teach them self-sufficiency, you know.
[00:27:15] And, you know, and that was sort of something that, yeah, Jerry talked about quite powerfully,
[00:27:21] you know, about, yeah, yeah.
[00:27:24] Yeah, so, you know, it's, and again, it's great when, you know, you have an episode and,
[00:27:31] yeah, you know, you've got that in the locker for conversation almost.
[00:27:36] Yeah.
[00:27:36] I mean, obviously, I reference the podcast quite a lot, particularly with middle-aged men.
[00:27:43] And, yeah, we've done some serious topics.
[00:27:46] And I know we had a discussion not too long ago in terms of where we want to put focus,
[00:27:52] you know, next year and so on.
[00:27:55] Um, but spoiler alert, you know, we, we're going to continue as we were until episode 100
[00:28:00] next summer, which I'm looking really forward to.
[00:28:03] That makes it almost 200 recorded episodes for me on podcasting, which seems a lot over the
[00:28:10] years.
[00:28:11] I'm looking forward to seeing you on podcasting.
[00:28:13] I started my first podcast in 2018.
[00:28:22] Maybe I should do a little dance.
[00:28:24] That's what elves do, don't they?
[00:28:26] Um, and, uh, it's just, I think, and, and, you know, the book is coming.
[00:28:32] We're working on a book.
[00:28:33] Um, one of our guests thought we already published it.
[00:28:37] We're not that quick, but we hope to publish it next year.
[00:28:39] Yeah, I saw that.
[00:28:40] Yeah.
[00:28:41] Bless, bless you, Roderick, if you're listening.
[00:28:43] You know, calling you out here.
[00:28:45] Um, no, he was the first to contribute to our book, which, which is, you know, gratefully
[00:28:50] received.
[00:28:51] He's contributed before I have.
[00:28:53] I know.
[00:28:53] Um, so it's, it's, it's, it's all happening, hopefully next year, that book.
[00:28:59] And, um, yeah, I think I'm looking forward to next year.
[00:29:02] I'm very positive.
[00:29:04] Anyway, I, I should, I should return the favor and ask you the question.
[00:29:07] What, what your highlights were personally as well as, um, you know, podcasting.
[00:29:12] Yeah, well, I mean.
[00:29:13] The solo episodes with me.
[00:29:16] Exactly.
[00:29:16] Yeah.
[00:29:17] Um, I mean, yeah.
[00:29:19] Yeah, weirdly, I'd say my biggest highlight was the first swim I had after, uh, you know,
[00:29:28] breaking my ankle, you know, like the first bit of, and, oh man, you know, I was on my
[00:29:33] crutches, like sort of slipping around the side of the pool, but I was just so determined
[00:29:38] to get in.
[00:29:41] And yeah, just sort of after like several weeks of, of literally not really being able to move
[00:29:47] that much and then just having half an hour of kind of feeling normal again.
[00:29:53] Um, yeah, that's a feeling that I'm going to remember.
[00:29:57] Well, yeah.
[00:29:58] And, you know, well, for, for, for a very long time and, and, you know, and I think,
[00:30:03] yeah, the fact that, yeah, I got, well, as cheesy as it sounds like I faced, you know,
[00:30:12] the biggest, probably when I thought last year was the worst year I could possibly have.
[00:30:16] And the challenges I faced last year, this year I thought, ah, you know, everything's
[00:30:21] going to turn a corner and it was even worse and, you know, got through it and, you know,
[00:30:27] I'm, I'm a lot stronger.
[00:30:28] So, um, podcast wise, I mean, yeah, there's a lot, a lot to choose from, but, you know,
[00:30:37] I'm not just going to give a little bit of a teaser, but I think last, last week was
[00:30:41] a new high.
[00:30:43] Um, and, you know, I think, um, sort of, uh, you know, spoiler alert in terms of six degrees
[00:30:51] of separation.
[00:30:53] Um, you know, we spoke to someone that worked with mother Teresa last week.
[00:30:57] So I think that, that basically places us a step closer to sainthood and, uh, ah, you
[00:31:04] know, we don't need to go to church.
[00:31:06] We just need a 45 minute interview with someone that's extremely well connected and, you know,
[00:31:11] we jumped, jumped the queue.
[00:31:13] But yeah, I mean, so basically like last, last week's episode was incredible.
[00:31:17] Um, you know, and I'm, I'm making light of it, but our guest was a really funny, engaging
[00:31:23] guy, but just had the most incredible story to tell.
[00:31:27] And most importantly, how, you know, that's kind of driven him and fueled his, you know,
[00:31:35] desire to do good.
[00:31:37] Um, so yeah, that, that sort of one that, well, yeah, really, I, you know, yeah, gave me
[00:31:45] a proper buzz and not really excited about that being published.
[00:31:49] Every now and then, I think we get someone on the podcast like Kenny last week.
[00:31:53] And I think these are people that, you know, they're doing so much good and no one has
[00:31:58] heard about them.
[00:31:59] And it's such a shame.
[00:32:00] And, you know, the more we can talk about these individuals that if I say giving their
[00:32:05] heart, their soul, their whole life to help others, I think it's just, it's just fantastic.
[00:32:10] And, um, yeah.
[00:32:12] Well, and I think, again, you've hit the nail on the head though, that, that what, that's
[00:32:18] what makes them so extraordinary, well, not extraordinary, but that's what makes them such
[00:32:24] good people is that they're, you know, they're not doing it for the recognition.
[00:32:28] You know, they're doing it because, well, they're driven to do it and, you know, and they see
[00:32:33] the need for it.
[00:32:34] Um, and, you know, it's, yeah.
[00:32:39] You know, it's, well, and, and the reason they come on to talk about it is not so they
[00:32:44] talk about themselves, but to share the message.
[00:32:47] And, yeah, it's, um, well, you know, and I think at this time of year when, you know,
[00:32:55] and it's something I've talked about before, but, you know, when you get so much negativity
[00:33:00] in the news and, yeah, you know, it's, yeah, it's good to know that there are people out
[00:33:09] there doing their all to, to make society a better place.
[00:33:15] Yep.
[00:33:17] Nicely said.
[00:33:18] Should, should we leave it on that note?
[00:33:20] I wonder.
[00:33:21] Given.
[00:33:21] I think, yeah.
[00:33:23] We, we, we're a few minutes in already.
[00:33:36] Although.
[00:33:36] I thought that was going to be, oh, Gummibaum, oh, oh, oh, no, no, no, I don't do the, um,
[00:33:42] Oh, Christmas tree again.
[00:33:44] Tannenbaum.
[00:33:47] Oh, Weihnachtsbaum.
[00:33:49] But it's, the song is, oh, Tannenbaum, oh, um.
[00:33:52] Oh, that's right, yeah.
[00:33:53] You know, thingy tree, needle tree.
[00:33:55] Um, however, my, my most favorite music actually for Christmas, if you believe it or not, and
[00:34:00] that's something I do like about Christmas and my family hates about Christmas.
[00:34:05] It's the Weihnachtsoratorium by Bach, which I'm sure you have listened to.
[00:34:11] Maybe you haven't.
[00:34:13] Anyway, the Weihnachtsoratorium by Bach, a few hours of classical music, having that on
[00:34:17] my sonos in the living room on Christmas day, sitting by the fire, drinking whiskey, is
[00:34:25] heaven for me.
[00:34:27] That's heaven for me.
[00:34:29] That's a nice piece of music.
[00:34:31] Anyway, on that note, I wish you all a Merry Christmas.
[00:34:34] Thanks for your support.
[00:34:36] A good start into the new year, and we, um, see you again soon.
[00:34:40] Hear you again soon.
[00:34:42] Yeah, um, well, you know, thanks for all your support as always, and, uh, yeah, have a great
[00:34:48] Christmas, um, and all the best for 2025.
[00:34:52] And, uh, don't, uh, don't, don't put too much pressure to achieve all your new year's resolutions
[00:34:57] by the end of January.
[00:34:59] It's, you know, it's about the long distance, not the sprint.
[00:35:04] Nicely said.
[00:35:10] Thanks for listening to this week's episode.
[00:35:12] Feel free to reach out to Volker or David via our website, www.manupdown.com, or podcast
[00:35:19] at manupdown.com, with any feedback or to let us know what topics you'd like us to cover
[00:35:24] in the future.
[00:35:25] Hear you again soon.