If it's love that you need, you can't take it from me, cause I'm the one who's giving it up, and I know it's been hard, but you've been in this far Now I'm the one who's giving it up.
Speaker 2:All right, all right, all right, all right, all right, all right, all right, thank you, thank you. Thank you once again for tuning in to the Straight Love Podcast. I am, of course, your host that boasts the most roast DP, derek Paulson, and with me, always and forever, is the cricket Jimmy J. How are you, brother? I'm doing well, man. How are you Very well, man, very well, and thank you for asking my pleasure, love Very well, man Very well, and thank you for asking my pleasure.
Speaker 2:Love that shirt on you, by the way, man. Thanks, man, I get into the habit, I think, of just complimenting you on your attire every time we start one of these episodes.
Speaker 3:Actually the last few have been that way. So you're a kind gentleman.
Speaker 2:But honestly, man, who doesn't love to see a giant heart on somebody's chest right? Sure, it's a beautiful thing. Yeah, we love Jim's shirt and we also love you for listening. So head on over to Instagram and give us a follow. Do the things and the stuff. Send us a you know candy gram if you want. We're totally down with that. Is that still a thing? The people? You got a lot of candy grams in junior high, didn't you? Jim?
Speaker 3:Did I man? I don't think so. They used to do that yeah.
Speaker 2:You would just all of a sudden. You know you can buy them in advance and yeah that was a junior high thing, for sure, junior high, I think.
Speaker 3:So they're doing around Valentine's day. I was just about to say we're Valentine's still a thing in junior high as well. I don't think more of like you. That was, that's for sure, like an elementary thing, where you like you would make your own little sort of envelope that you'd hang from your desk right, you'd tape on your desk and precisely yeah, and then a kid would come over with the choo-choo.
Speaker 2:Choose me.
Speaker 3:Yeah, the train on the front and, yeah, how mortifying of an endeavor. You know what I mean okay everybody. You're gonna make these envelopes for valentine's. That's right.
Speaker 2:How many you're gonna get is anyone's guess, and you'd always have some kid who's was overflowing and another one was just moth flying out of it. I don't think they can do that these days, absolutely not, I'm sure you couldn't there's people walking around today, for sure traumatized from they're talking about it right now in therapy.
Speaker 2:You can't do that, absolutely not. Yeah, there needs to be equality among the valentines. Everybody gets the same amount, nobody gets more than the other, and everybody can feel good about themselves, even though, at the end of the day, we know yeah, we know, we know, we know who shouldn't, shouldn't have gotten a valentine, for sure we stacy anywho. Um, there's a couple of things I want to talk about today, one of them being, uh, the way that I'm starting to treat my future self, and I wanted to talk about today, one of them being the way that I'm starting to treat my future self, and I wanted to run this concept by you a little bit.
Speaker 2:One of the things that I've started doing is trying to remove friction from how I think things are going to be in the future in order to make life easier for myself, which, in the future, will eventually be the present Awesome, okay. Also trying to surprise myself more. I'll give you an example of this. I just put away a winter jacket the other day, threw 20 bucks in the pocket and you're going to do that?
Speaker 1:No, no.
Speaker 2:Derek, that's really good. That's very funny. January 2026 derrick, he's gonna be one happy camper. Let me tell you when he reaches in for sure. You should put that into a bet I'm not kidding, I don't know, I don't. Well, there's a maybe, there's a joke around that, somehow.
Speaker 3:For sure, I think you could probably be like as quick as that, you just be like, so I'm trying to surprise myself a little bit more, and then you just say what you do and that's it. Yeah, okay, right on Boom, done Write it down 10 seconds Laughter.
Speaker 2:We also wanted to talk about power versus force a little bit today. I also wanted to get your thoughts on whether or not you think that this entire existence of ours is a cosmic mistake.
Speaker 3:No as a cosmic mistake. Uh no, I don't think it's a mistake, but maybe you want to expound on that a little bit more before I answer well, final answer.
Speaker 2:You know what man I'm. I'm more of a. I've been listening to a lot of atheist content online recently, mostly because I like to expose myself to things that I don't agree with. But you know, there's this belief, I guess, uh, among them, that of course, this existence is just this, and then there's nothing afterwards, and this is this and that's basically it, and none of this matters, and this all just kind of happened by happenstance and, um, there's no real meaning to anything. So, if there's no real meaning to anything and this all just happened by accident, like somehow, this amazing existence that we're all finding ourselves in is just a complete and total cosmic error that produced, uh, this unbelievable existence that we kind of find ourselves in yeah, the interesting thing with atheists, um, sort of thinking about this and speaking at the same time.
Speaker 3:Um, I would be really interested to know, see the thing is. I think this applies in in applies in the non-atheist aspect as well. But I'll go first where I was going with this in my head, because if an atheist really believes that there's no meaning to anything and there's nothing further or greater, then one would presume or prognosticate that they must just have the most carefree existences in the world. Do you know what I mean? I would hope so, because you'd be like I'm living in the now, 100%, but I don't think that's the case.
Speaker 2:Well, it certainly doesn't sound like it. I haven't encountered a lot of joyous, I would say, in the Sun line. They all seem pretty pompous.
Speaker 3:Which kind of, is what is very contradictory to me. But then again, what I was also thinking is that it would that I could also say the same thing about non-atheists. So those I agree, yes, that that's fair those whom have a belief in something greater and bigger, and you'd kind of say, well, like I got nothing to worry about anyways, because this is all just temporary and transient. What I am truly is a soul, so I could fully live in the now, currently, which I think everybody, no matter what your belief system is, is somewhat of a of a challenge and a struggle, like it's not, you know, it's not particular to to one sort of side or the other side of that line, it's kind of just part of the human condition.
Speaker 2:Okay, so what are your thoughts then?
Speaker 3:I don't think it's a mistake. I think it is.
Speaker 2:Then do you believe in a creator? Yeah, you believe in a creator, yeah, so do you think, then, the creator of this particular existence that we're in? Like, what would be the what would be a creator's reasoning for the animal kingdom, for instance, when they're because, you know, we talk about, we're all of god's creatures, right? Yeah? Well, the animal kingdom the last time I checked is pretty ruthless, right, like? I mean, certainly can be. Yeah, I don't even know how conscious these beings are of, well, I mean, how could they be when it comes to like, like, what kind of an existence they necessarily have? Like a lot of them are just trying to survive each and every of an existence they necessarily have. Like, a lot of them are just trying to survive each and every day. They don't really have to have the cognizant, the cognizant ability to be able to ponder their own existence, right, like? Why am I here? They're just thinking how can I?
Speaker 1:survive another day right I just don't understand.
Speaker 2:If I'm a creator, what the yeah? Why would I want something to exist alongside these human beings that are supposed to be created in? In the image of. In the image of correct. Yes, thank you.
Speaker 3:Context maybe, Contrast maybe, but why make it so ruthless then? But the thing is, it's not all that way. You know what I mean. A lot of it is man I mean yeah, a lot of it is, but it's also there's uh, there's a systematic coherence to it as well.
Speaker 3:The whole ecosystem yes, yeah, yeah, exactly like even that, taking a step back, I think it's difficult to even assign any sort of validation on it of it being a mistake. Right, like too many things just work way too much in concert. That's what I think, and the only thing that really upsets the balance is probably the off the mark decisions that humans make. What is it? What was it called? Called? There's a documentary that was on netflix for a while. It may not be there.
Speaker 3:I watched this many, many years ago. It was about. It was one of these, like you know, natural regenerative, regenerative farms where they they it was. It was not monocrop agriculture anymore, but they'd gone to this the variety of growing different things in the land and rotating things. And first they had to actually rejuvenate the soil because the soil had just been decimated from all its minerals. So they did that naturally and it took them quite some time.
Speaker 3:And then they started planting certain things, and so they would have challenges with uh, you know, say, some kind of particular bug would get introduced to their crops and the bug would eat the thing. So then they would research on what is the natural predator of this bug. So they would introduce a particular bird or a rodent into that ecosystem and then something would happen from that. So they would introduce another animal into it, or they would introduce another tree that would bring in a different kind of bird or things like that, and eventually it took them time, but they quote-unquote, sort of orchestrated like a symbiotic ecosystem whereby everything that was there was natural and everything took care of itself. Oh wow, and it enabled them to grow the crops that they grow. Huh, grow the fruits and the vegetables, etc.
Speaker 2:That they were growing so you're saying, then, the creator, this mastermind, so to speak, it's, it's. There's a method to the madness in it and, to a certain degree, yeah, I think so.
Speaker 3:I think there's um an orchestration of it all and I think the which is a great word for it, by the way, jim well, yeah, sort of, yeah, using it, I guess, thanks in like the analogy that you know you've got the conductor and yeah, everything's kind of working in harmony there and in that we kind of get in the way of it. And I mean it even I can't recall anything off the top of my head, but I know I've heard for sure more than once um, these astrophysicists or cosmologists or whatever the right category of educated people are, where they speak about all the exact components that needed to be in alignment and perfectly, you know, in the spots that they are at the time, that they are for the planet of Earth and our solar system to exist, and essentially coming to the conclusion that there's for the planet of earth and in our solar system to exist, and essentially coming to the conclusion that there's. It would just be impossible for this to have been a fluke.
Speaker 2:I mean, I have to believe that, man. I have to believe that it's just. It's so impossible to think that this could just somehow be Right.
Speaker 3:It's just so outrageous, yeah, and, I think, a disconnect from that belief. I don't know if they've really necessarily proven it, but the belief of it is the power of it, which I think funnels down into the power of your own existence. If that kind of makes any semblance of sense, I think what it is is. It acts, however small, to close the gap that we kind of inherently feel as humans from, as your question started off, to be a creator or the creator what the creator is.
Speaker 2:Yeah, what do you think of the concept that we were, all you know, a part of this oneness, xanadu, and then figured hey know what, in order to kind of like it was almost a choice for us to come here? Yeah, instead of a mistake where we got separated, we wanted to in order to almost slow things down a bit, man, you know, oh, interesting. Imagine being in this perpetual state of bliss and enlightenment, yeah, and then thinking, well, maybe I want this to stop for a little bit so that I can really take a chance to slow down. And that's why we're here and we're just taking a long time to get back, because there's a lot that we need to kind of maybe experience on the way. I don't know.
Speaker 3:It's an interesting concept the obviously massive challenges with understanding what quote unquote existence looks like outside of this human plane. Yes, this 3D world.
Speaker 2:We don't know. We don't know, like, how are we supposed?
Speaker 3:to yeah, exactly, or we do know and we just forgotten, so we can't.
Speaker 2:Like we don't know, like how are we supposed to know? Yeah, exactly. Or we do know and we've just forgotten, so we can't.
Speaker 3:Like we have our definition of eternity Right. That only as far as I know, until further notice.
Speaker 2:That only applies to here, but we also have our own idea of what that is without like. When you say eternity, you just think okay, foreverness.
Speaker 1:Mm-hmm.
Speaker 2:It's fine that we can throw around those words, man, yeah, but we, we can't grasp that Correct.
Speaker 3:Until you, until you experience foreverness. You don't know what foreverness is Precisely? Man, and this is the whole. This is what spins your brain into a spaghetti dinner.
Speaker 2:But I also think that that's brain food, man to think that way like you can't tell me that you're not that that things aren't snapping up there when you start to throw around these kinds of yeah, I think it is.
Speaker 3:I think it invites a greater awareness, it invites a greater consciousness into your brain, like it says yes, you know the infinite I don't know why I'm looking around when I'm doing this but the infinite source, whatever you want to call it I think it says oh, okay, well, this person here, they're trying to tune their radio into this, so let's turn it up for them a little bit. It's like going to the gym and lifting up some weights and your muscles are like oh, we're getting tuned into this. You know, they're not going to get tuned into this while you're sitting on the sofa. You got to lift those mental weights too, and I I think that's going back to what you said about the power versus force thing and you read that book. I did not read that book.
Speaker 2:A while ago. Yeah Great book.
Speaker 3:I would like to read that book, but I was thinking about power and just from the perspective of what really is power, and it made me think of that book. Even the title says so much that I think probably a lot of our existence is based on force and not power. Explain the difference To me. Ah shit, I don't know.
Speaker 1:I just know the difference.
Speaker 3:Like I can feel in myself. I'm interested in power. I'm not interested in force, okay, and I'm interested in power. I'm not interested in force, okay, and I'm interested in power. Because power feels like strength and when it, when the definition to me of strength is getting back to that oneness that you're speaking of, is getting back to realizing, acknowledging, experiencing what that is. Because power is not changing something, it's connecting with something. Force is changing something and not connecting with something, right yeah I don't know what's your take.
Speaker 2:No, I think that that's good man and I think that power also can influence too. Right, instead of like forcing somebody to do something, it's more like with power. It's been a while since I've read that book. There was a lot. You know, what's interesting, man, is when you think back about the books that you've read, while you've read them from beginning to end.
Speaker 2:There are pieces from a lot of those books that'll stick with you, where you can kind of go back into your memory bank and be like, oh, I remember that piece of knowledge, I remember whatever else, like it's all in there because you've read it, but for the most part, like you can't read, you can't remember every word and remember every page either, right, no, but there was, um, yeah, there was a lot in that book regarding how you can disempower someone, um, just by the words that you use, and that kind of thing. Like if someone's insulting you and then all of a sudden, you agree with that person or you even take it a step further and they're like you know what? You're an asshole. And it's like, oh, you ain't seen nothing yet. I mean, I'm an even bigger asshole than you could ever imagine. And then there's kind of like oh yeah. Well now I'm not really sure how to insult you here, because you've disempowered me.
Speaker 3:by all of a sudden, you've deflated it, yeah.
Speaker 2:But then I wonder about that, and it's just like aren't I putting myself down, though, by agreeing with you about these awful things that you're saying?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I mean, if you're truly agreeing with it, you certainly are. But there's also, you know, it makes me think of an example. It's sort of a bit related, but choosing not to engage in an argument because really ultimately the outcome doesn't matter If you win that argument, probably in a lot of instances, I can't think of readily an example, but it just doesn't matter, right? So the power lies in. Can you detach from that? The power lies?
Speaker 1:in. Can you detach from that the power?
Speaker 3:lies in. Can you be above that? The power lies in um. Can you not subject yourself to a negative experience because you've engaged in our argument?
Speaker 2:and it's that's such a different shift in perspective too, man, because a lot of people would think that in order to be powerful, you need to be right, so you need to force that person to see your right point of view, and all that kind of thing, when really that's not. That's that's misguided, when you think about it in the way that you just described and have I done that?
Speaker 3:of course I have, of course I all have of course I've tried to win an argument. Of course I've tried to force someone to see my way in perspective because it's my way in perspective and so therefore it's right according to me. Have I done this in the last week?
Speaker 2:probably yes you know what I mean. Why do you think that's important to us, man? Do you think that's more of a control thing?
Speaker 3:like I want to control how you see this oh, I think it's just for the sole reason that we are confusing force with power, power with force. Okay, like one is actual strength and the other is futile. I think that's exactly what it is. I think that's exactly a big part of what everyday living is. You know, subconsciously and consciously, we, we strive to attain power, but we're not actually doing that. We're forcing our way into things in hopes of feeling that power, but it's not. And the more that you don't through the practices of which you think you are, the more you just keep doing it. I'll take more of that, I'll take more of this. I'll, you know, be bigger than that person over there in any way, shape or form, but that's not what it is.
Speaker 2:I agree, man. Well, we all know that you all have the power to choose which podcasts you listen to. Yeah, and the fact that you continue to, you know, choose to listen to this one, I mean, it just shows how powerful you really are. Man, we got some powerful listeners out there, jim, I can feel it through the airwaves. Yeah, that's power. That's power, all right, man. Well, this is a powerful episode, my friend, and you're looking pretty powerful yourself. You've been at the gym recently, yeah, yeah, haven't you?
Speaker 3:I don't think Taking some creatine, aren't you? I'm not A little TRT, maybe, no, is it?
Speaker 2:all right, do you?
Speaker 1:take any of that stuff.
Speaker 2:TRT Wouldn't even know how to get my hands on some, but if you have, some fibroids every single day.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, okay, did you notice? How long have you been taking it? This is totally enough.
Speaker 2:The air conversation but whatever, honestly man, consistently, every single day since January 1st, oh did you notice a difference. Have you noticed a difference? Probably my like. Over time it probably took about a month and a half at least to notice a real difference at the gym, but now I do.
Speaker 3:Yeah, okay, interesting and also apparently it helps uh cognitive focus and function for anyone else interested in that so I think that's like almost an actual scientifically proven thing I think it's it's.
Speaker 2:It's one of the supplements that I think has been studied the most.
Speaker 3:Yeah, apparently resounding. Yeah.
Speaker 2:People are saying it, it's, it's, has overwhelming amount of benefits, also super affordable.
Speaker 3:So yeah, like good for everybody. Apparently Correct. Anyways, don't take supplement advice from this podcast.
Speaker 2:Do your own research this would be a good time to bring up our latest podcast sponsor.
Speaker 3:I'm not falling for that one again.
Speaker 2:All right, all right. Thank you all for listening. We love you, love you buddy, love you man. Okay, take care. Bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye. Is it in the air or high? Feel it if the time is right. Oh no, go away, baby. Leave it right, leave it right.