Basecamp for Men E307: Navigating Loneliness

E307: Navigating Loneliness with Special Guest Cindi McMenamin

 

E307 Introduction

I have been wanting to do an episode on loneliness for about a year now. Thankfully, I found just the right guest to help us navigate this important topic.

Loneliness is something that we all experience or will experience at some point in our lives but it has become a worldwide epidemic in 1st world countries where technology is most advanced. Isn’t that fascinating? Our convenient and favorite tech devices are at the center of this.

In May 2023, the US Surgeon General declared loneliness to be an epidemic, one that affects 1 out of 2 American adults. (wow)

“Loneliness has a way of creeping up on us unnoticed through a series of subconscious and tech-enabled habits that lead us to one day look around and think: where have all my friends gone? Why am I suddenly more of a loner than I ever set out to be? How did this happen?”

How many of you can relate to this? I know I can. Our phones (the adult version of the binkie) are our constant companions and, at first thought, they seem to provide us friendship, connection, and support. But is that REALLY true? How many people today (regardless of age, gender, or political orientation) are more comfortable swiping and commenting than they are striking up a conversation with someone or joining a group with the thought of making some new friends?

True friendship doesn‘t come from your interactions with your smart phone. They never have and I don’t think they ever will.

As we get older, loneliness can strike any of us but I think that men are a bit more vulnerable. Why? Well, so many men had important friendships at work and when they stopped working…..well it just became easier to live isolated than get our of their comfort zone and make new friends. Women of a certain age tend to do better at this they more naturally build community and are often involved in a whole slew of activities, no matter their age. God bless women.

And for men, I think there is a bit of shame involved in feeling lonely. As in you don’t want people to know because, as men, the last thing we want is people feeling sorry for us. But loneliness is nothing to be ashamed of. It is just the Soul‘s desire for meaningful human connection. Something we all crave and need. Human connection and friendships are like the sun. You don‘t need the sun all day every day but we all need SOME or we just don’t thrive.

I‘m starting to rant and my guest today is so insightful on this topic that I want to get to this interview. It’s so good to be back talking with you Basecampers. Let‘s get a word from our sponsor and then onward and upward. Enjoy the episode!

Cindi McMenamin Bio

Cindi McMenamin is an award-winning writer, national speaker ,and certified writing coach who has ministered to women for nearly 40 years. She is the author of 19 books including The New Loneliness, a book we’ll talk about today. Here is my interview with Cindi McMenamin

E307 Final Thoughts

I hope you enjoyed that conversation as much as I did. You can find Cindi at StrengthfortheSoul.com. Thank you Basecampers and we’ll see you around the fire next week.

 

 

Basecamp for Men E306: Letting Go of Armor

E306: Letting Go of Armor with Special Guest Ryan Windsor

 

E306 Introduction

Hello Basecampers, I hope you are all doing well. Getting back into the swing of things at the start of Season #8. Like I mentioned before, I am likely to keep this coming out every Tuesday as opposed to every other week (which is something I have thought about). However,  I can see making more shorter-format Firestarter episodes with just yours truly as I unpack what is sure to be an epic year (no matter how you see things).

What is the edge for you this year Basecamper? Is it better self-care? More courage? A clearer vision of the next chapter in your Hero‘s Journey? What inner work are you committed to doing? Maybe it’s a better connection to God, Christ, or the Divine (however you conceive the Divine)? Maybe it’s carrying yourself with greater dignity and self-respect? Or maybe finding new levels and pockets of humility in yourself, recognizing that we are all deep inside of a mystery and none of us truly have all the answers.

My guest and I go into some of these today along with some other juicy topics. Before we get to the interview, I wanted to share a couple of quotes that I think are relevant.

“Anyone who isn’t embarrassed of who they were last year probably isn’t learning enough. “

Alain de Botton, British philosopher

“It does not matter how long you are spending on the earth, how much money you have gathered or how much attention you have received. It is the amount of positive vibration you have radiated in life that matters.”

Amit Ray

Now onto our sponsor and our guest. Enjoy the episode.

Ryan Windsor Bio 

My guest today is Ryan Windsor. Ryan is a father, an Integral Coach who works with men one-on-one and in groups, speaking on topics like anger, masculinity, communication, and intimacy. Here is my interview with Ryan Windsor.

E306 Final Thoughts

Well, I hope you enjoyed that conversation as much as I did with Ryan Windsor. We’ve got an interview with author Cindi McMenamin coming up next along with another solo Firestarter for you. Thank you Basecampers and we’ll see you around the fire next week.

 

Basecamp for Men E305: The Power and Promise of Decentralization

E305: The Power and Promise of Decentralization

 

E305 Introduction

 

Hello Basecampers, I hope you are all doing well and I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year season. I have come off my sabbatical creatively recharged and elevated and ready to dialogue with all of you about all the crazy shit that is going down! I hope that in speaking with you, we can all make more sense of it all.

Today is a bit unusual in that I am starting the season off with a Firestarter, which is just a name for my short-format, solo episodes without a guest. Next week we will be our first interview of the season.

2026 is bound to be epic. The level of corruption and graft and sheer fuckery is beyond all comprehension. It is SO OBVIOUS that even traditional liberals are starting to acknowledge, wake up, and comment on it. Gasp! Could this be the year? Wink wink.

What are we going to focus on here at Basecamp this season? Well, we will be keeping close eye on the American Republic and the moves of President Trump, for sure. We will also be looking at the growing Decentralization revolution, something we will touch on today. I will also be doing some good episodes on health, a topic that I have a lifelong interest in. And yes, the esoteric (particularly the ET conversation, will also get some airtime. C’mon man! I can’t resist. (What can I say, God wants me to talk to you about this).

Also, I may do more short format episodes this year. I’m feeling it. What that will look like are episodes that I write and deliver solo in the 5-12 minute range typically. Part of this is I have a bit more time to write and the other part is I’m tired of the constant wrangling for guests. It gets a bit old Basecampers. So I am sticking with my once a week format with episodes coming out every Tuesday but more of these are going to be of the Firestarter variety. Sound good?

I have a few memes to share with you and then a piece I wrote about Decentralization vs. Centralization that I wanted to kick the season off with. I am thrilled to be back. I hope you are feeling good and maybe we can share some things here that bring a sense of light and hope into the narrative. For the lighter qualities seem to have a power in these times, do they not? Thank you Basecampers and enjoy the rest of the episode.

Basecamp for Men E304: Season 7 Finale- The Fallen Goddess

E304: Season 7 Finale- The Fallen Goddess

 

E304 Introduction

Well, we have come to the end of Season #7. I hope you enjoyed these conversations as much as I did. I picked out a Basecamp Classic to finish with and it is one of my better ones, imho.

For those that don’t know, and many of you don’t, I have officially retired from my steady eddy job behind the bar at the WAC. What a run that was and I want to thank everyone that crossed my path there. The regulars who became my friends, the staff and team members who have been my work family.

I will miss so many things about being there but mainly I will miss all the familiar and kind faces that made up my life for the past 17 years. When people ask me what will I do next, my honest answer is I’m not sure. I will be writing more (for sure), continuing to invest and manage my money, traveling and spending more quality time with my wife, my son, and my friends and family.

I think for the next 4-6 months, I am just going to chill out and pray and reflect on what will the next chapters of my Hero’s Journey.

One thing on the horizon will be season #8 for Basecamp for Men. We will be taking the Holiday season off (as usual) to creatively and spiritually recharge for a new season starting on January 20th. If you go to I-Tunes or Spotify and follow the show, you won‘t miss a thing as you will be notified when we are rolling again.

Today’s Basecamp Classic is one I did a long time ago but it is one of my all-time favorite episodes. Just me, a mic, and a myth that packs a wallop, no matter what your religious leanings are. Thank you for listening Basecampers and we’ll see you around the fire in Season 8.

Basecamp for Men E303: Keeping Optimism Alive

E303: Keeping Optimism Alive w Special Guest Lisa Rezac

 

E303 Introduction 

Hello Basecampers, I hope you are all doing well. We are winding down Season #7 and I hope you have enjoyed the conversations and content. Just like in seasons past, we will be taking a Holiday sabbatical from Basecamp. Tuesday Nov 18th will be the season finale and it looks to be a Basecamp Classic as I don‘t have a guest for next week. I will be sure to pick out a good one to finish on.

We will return with fresh episodes and energy on Tues Jan 20th.

Today’s episode is really about optimism. It is something I think about quite often. I have referred to it as an American superpower and I truly believe that it is. And you can see the devastating impact this war on humanity and America has had by the lack of optimism we see in so many of our people (and especially) our young people.

It seems that part of the Globalist agenda is to demoralize us to the point that we lose hope that our shared future could once again be good and uplifting and beautiful.

If you are a naturally optimistic person, like I am and my guest today, this may be the most important timeline for you and this superpower of yours.

There are mythological powers that come with optimism and carrying the Light. And these powers are surrendered by you if you give up hope thinking that we are all alone or that we can’t win against this entrenched darkness. Hang in there Basecampers for we believe that we have powerful allies ready to assist humanity in these important next chapters. Enjoy the episode.

Lisa Rezac Bio

Today’s guest is Lisa Rezac, my wife of nearly 30 years. Lisa is a wife and mother, the King County GOP Vice Chairwoman and a fundraising auctioneer extraordinaire. Here is my interview with Lisa Rezac.

E303 Final Thoughts

I hope you enjoyed that conversation from Casa Rezac. To have Lisa come in and fundraise for you, go find her at www.lisarezac.com or just email her at lisa@lisarezac.com Thank you Basecampers and we’ll see you around the fire next week.