Category: the writing life

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Vacations: Problems, Solutions and More Questions to Consider

Is it time for your next vacation? What if you can’t afford a vacation. Pop quiz, hotshot! What do you do? What do you do? (I love me a very dated reference from the movie Speed. Such a dumb, fun movie! Also, it was the last time Jeff Daniels was badass in a physical way.)

Sorry for the delay in releasing this podcast. After updating my software, my computer is screwing up in a huge way! Onward!

On this week’s show, we consider your alternatives to a tropical vacation. Staycations are, of course, an option for many. But maybe you can’t afford that, either. When tax season rolls around, I’m cranky for just that reason: I have to work harder to make sure I can pay the government’s bill on time.

Here’s the vacation information we cover on this show:

  1. Cheaper alternatives (camping, staycations and day trips.)
  2. Enjoying what you’ve got (be a tourist in your own town.)
  3. Don’t vacate and save the stress.
  4. Vacating might mean more work and more stress. Make your work more pleasant instead.
  5. Get a new job, retire into part-time work, seek fulfillment or wait for a universal minimum wage.

Finally I discuss the value of work and The Dirty Jobs conundrum. (Host of Dirty Jobs, Mike Rowe, is the name that escaped me as I was recording this podcast. Sorry to Mike and his fans.) There’s the work we have to do, the work we want to do and the work in between the extremes. It’s a lot to cover in 15 minutes or less!

Catch phrase Contest

This podcast needs a catch phrase. Got a suggestion for the All That Chazz Stress Relief Podcast? Snd your suggestions my way at expartepress@gmail.com. If I choose yours to end the show each week, you’ll get bragging rights, a shout out and I’ll send you a paperback of my time travel novel, Wallflower, or a hard copy of Do the Thing! Your choice!

Want more Reward Choices?

Check out my Patreon page to see all the rewards that sponsorship gets you! Just click the Become a Patron button at AllThatChazz.com and see what you can get for being cool.

Not everybody has the money to give money so please leave a review wherever you picked up this podcast! Cheers!

The Obligatory Disclaimer

I wrote Do the Thing! for anyone interested in better managing their time, pain, stress and energy. I podcast each week for the same reason. However, don’t take medical advice from a podcast. For that, you need in person help from a professional. If you’re in doubt as to whether you require assistance in person, ask your doctor in person. No podcast can replace a proper professional health consultation. So there.

Do the Thing! is Robert’s book about many facets of better life management. It’s packed with tons of helpful ideas and points to ponder on the toilet. Available in ebook and paperback. 

A former journalist, Robert Chazz Chute is a manual therapist with 24 years experience helping people ease stress and rehabilitate pain issues. He’s also the author of many books of fiction. Check out his sci-fi, crime thrillers and apocalyptic epics at AllThatChazz.com.

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Death: How to Deal

Death is a fact of life but we’re generally not very well equipped to deal with it. In fact, most of us ignore it as long as possible. It’s not a satisfactory long-term strategy. Death comes for us all. I got quite a surprise in this regard this week and I want to share how I dealt with it. We’re going on a little field trip and I hope you will find the journey useful.

Stress, Death and Grieving is No Joke

If you’ve lost someone or are dealing with serious physical or emotional issues, a podcast or a book isn’t going to solve the problem. Seek professional help in person and do take care of yourself.

Today’s recommendations

If you missed my blog post about my favorite sleep hack, you’ll find it in the post previous to this one at AllThatChazz.com. If you want a lot more ways to get a better night’s sleep, I share lots more tips in my book, Do the Thing! Find it on Amazon under my author name, Robert Chute or click the link.

The quote I read today was from The Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac. It has a disorienting style that I’m liking more than On the Road. If you read the 50th Anniversary Edition, I recommend you don’t skip the introduction. Very worthwhile.

Looking for fiction to distract yourself from stress?

Check out my suspense, sci-fi and crime thrillers at the links down the right hand side of the page at AllThatChazz.com. As a fiction writer, my pen name is Robert Chazz Chute.

Hey, I still need a catch-phrase for this podcast! 

Please send me your suggestions to expartepress@gmail.com. If I use yours, I’ll send you a free paperback copy of Do the Thing!

Want more rewards?

Click the Become a Patron button at AllThatChazz.com and you’ll find your rewards for sponsorship on my Patreon page. Special thanks to RF Kacy for contributing to this podcast. You can sponsor the podcast, too, and get stuff! Check out the reward levels and find your comfort zone to help with bandwidth costs. 

Not everybody has the money to contribute money or buy a book so please leave a happy review wherever you pick up this podcast. Thanks!

~ Robert Chute is a former journalist and has been a massage therapist for 24 years. He works with clientele in need of stress and pain management and injury rehabilitation. For more on his practice in London, Ontario, go to MassageTherapyScience.com.

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The Big Calorie Lie and a Powerful Visualization

Visualization Makes a Better Day

A good diet is not as simple as calories in/calories out. The kind of calories (and the hormones released are variables, too.) On today’s show, I talk briefly about the big lies nutrition labels tell us. Then, to ease your stress, we dig into a powerful visualization designed to make your life easier.

Start with the key: a deep breath brings and an easy visualization slows your nervy nervous system and brings your mind back to the present moment.

On Sponsor, Patrons, Rewards and Advertising

This show is brought to you by my book, Do the Thing! I don’t cover everything in the book on the podcast. This is more of a complement to that. For a ton of ideas to improve your life and achieve a higher degree of productivity and success, go pick up Do the Thing!, available on Amazon in ebook or paperback.

Would you like to advertise your product or service on the show, get a poster or your name in my next book? Patreon rewards are for you! Find out more on my new Patreon page.

Your support helps cover bandwidth costs. I really need this podcast to pay for itself so if you’d like to support the show and earn rewards for your patronage, check out the treasures by clicking here or hit the orange Patreon button on the Home page at AllthatChazz.com. Thank you so much!

Extra special thanks to my first patron, RF Kacy!

Not everybody has the money to give money. If that’s you, no worries. Please support the podcast by giving it a happy review on iTunes, subscribe, tweet it and tell your friends! Sharing is caring. Cheers!

The disclaimer I stole from Tim Ferriss’s blog (because he’s so good):

“The material on this blog is for informational purposes only. As each individual situation is unique, you should use proper discretion, in consultation with a health care practitioner, before undertaking the protocols, diet, exercises, techniques, training methods, or otherwise described herein. The author and publisher expressly disclaim responsibility for any adverse effects that may result from the use or application of the information contained herein.”

Robert Chute is a massage therapist with 24 years experience who works in stress, pain management and injury rehabilitation. A former journalist, Robert is also the author of many books, ranging from non-fiction to science fiction, horror, fantasy and crime thrillers. If you’re interested in his fiction, you’ll find his books under his pen name, Robert Chazz Chute.

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Workout: Fast and Efficient

I looked it up. As a noun or adjective, “workout” is one word. Still looks wrong to me but never mind…on today’s show:

I’ll update you on my progress with The Wild Diet and share my experiments (and my alterations) to the One-Minute Workout (from last week’s podcast). We’ll get right down to the keys I use to get exercise done quickly so I can get on with my day. Of course, before embarking on any exercise program, consult your doctor to make sure you’re up to it.

If you’re new to the gym or haven’t been there for a while, hire a personal trainer. They aren’t just there to yell and count to four. They can help you design your program to your individual needs, familiarize you with equipment and help you engage the work for optimal results.

 At this link to Tim Ferriss’s blog, check out the possible benefits of using heat to increase athletic performance and aid recovery in which he delves deep into saunas and such with research from Dr. Rhonda Patrick.

I’m also going to reiterate Tim Ferriss’s disclaimer here: “The material on this blog is for informational purposes only. As each individual situation is unique, you should use proper discretion, in consultation with a health care practitioner, before undertaking the protocols, diet, exercises, techniques, training methods, or otherwise described herein. The author and publisher expressly disclaim responsibility for any adverse effects that may result from the use or application of the information contained herein.”

In my book, Do the Thing!, I talked about using cues to get remedial exercise done stealthily. (Remedial exercise is mostly basic physio principles from the 1940s and yoga techniques used to recover from injury, increase flexibility and optimize function and range of motion.) For more on the use of cues, do read Do The Thing! by Robert Chute on Amazon. It’s the last book on stress, pain, time and energy management you’ll ever need. (Says so on the cover.)

Key takeaways from today’s show:

  1. Consistency is more important than enthusiasm.
  2. Quality is more important than quantity.
  3. Muscles need recovery time.
  4. The workout is its own reward but you won’t feel that at first so find another reward, too.

Key points I use for my weight training (some of which may be relevant to you):

  1. Lift heavy. Less than eight reps is too heavy. More than twelve is too light.)
  2. Grip the weight hard.
  3. Use compound exercises for maximum efficiency.
  4. Don’t go to failure. Stay in control of the weight.
  5. Don’t hold your breath.
  6. Tighten your core.
  7. Explosive push, slow negative.

Key points for my cardio (adapted from the principles of High-Intensity Interval Training):

  1. Warm up for your workout.
  2. Monitor your breathing. If you can’t talk, back off.
  3. Go 30 secs hard, 30 secs active recovery for 30 secs.
  4. When that’s too much, 20 secs hard, 40 secs active recovery.
  5. When I’m done, I get out.

Finally, reward yourself for the effort, but not with food. A few of my favorite rewards: hot shower and shave using tea tree oil, firing up the wood stove and (since I’m suffering Canada’s Arctic air) throw your clothes in the dryer before you put them on!

Catch-phrase Contest

Want to get a free book from me? This podcast needs a catch-phrase. Email me at expartepress@gmail.com. If I choose yours, I’ll send you a book, easy-peasy!

Speaking of books:

This show is brought to you by my book, Do the Thing! I don’t cover everything in the book on the podcast. This is more of a complement to that. For a ton of ideas to improve your life and achieve a higher degree of productivity and success, go pick up Do the Thing!, available on Amazon in ebook or paperback.

Would you like to advertise your product or service on the show, get a poster or your name in my next book? Patreon rewards are for you! Find out more on my new Patreon page.

Your support helps cover bandwidth costs. I really need this podcast to pay for itself so if you’d like to support the show and earn rewards for your patronage, check out the treasures by clicking here or hit the orange Patreon button on the Home page at AllthatChazz.com. Thank you so much!

Extra special thanks to my first patron, RF Kacy!

Not everybody has the money to give money. If that’s you, no worries. Please support the podcast by giving it a happy review on iTunes, subscribe, tweet it and tell your friends! Sharing is caring. Cheers!

Robert Chute is a massage therapist with 24 years experience who works in stress, pain management and injury rehabilitation. A former journalist, Robert is also the author of many books, ranging from non-fiction to science fiction, horror, fantasy and crime thrillers. If you’re interested in his fiction, you’ll find his books under his pen name, Robert Chazz Chute.

Music credit: Today, it’s me.

Don’t miss the blooper at the end.

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Arguing with People Who Are Wrong

On today’s podcast:

1. Your micro-biome and cravings.

2. The most effective exercise doesn’t take long at all.

3. When does arguing help? Is it worth it? It turns out the answer is 4% of the time (at best!)

On this episode of the All That Chazz Stress Relief Podcast, I rant a little and I expect some arguing. Yes, there will be some listeners who will object to what I have to say on principle. But what if your principles are killing you? I had a negative experience this week that reminded me why I work the way I do. I’m arguing that we should argue the right way, but also with the right people. Bubbles and echo chambers are frequently derided on social media but they are valuable if your priority is your health.

There are times to take a stand, surely. However, a lot of arguing is drama which produces heat, not light. 

Wild Diet Update

I’m down 6.9 pounds after three weeks. I think I overdid the nuts, dairy and coconut oil so I’m cutting back a bit on the secondaries and amping up the vegetables to boost my weight loss. I’m very happy with this nutrition template. I’m eating better and enjoying more interesting foods. I did have my first cheat meal Sunday night and discovered that eating the way I used to isn’t as alluring as I’d thought.

Sample menu: bone broth, green smoothie, lamb, peppers and spinach and water, water, water and coffee.

On the Wild Diet (by Abel James) I tried hard-boiled quail eggs. Cute, but not worth all the peeling.

On today’s podcast, I reference another podcast, Serious Inquiries Only. Here are three episodes that relate to arguing, changing minds (and not changing minds):

A. The host talks to Dr. Robert Price, a Trump supporter and attempts a meeting of the minds. It does not go well.

I suggest you also check out these two episodes regarding arguments that spring from different worlds:

SIO20: Can We Change Minds? and  SIO21: Be Reasonable, with Michael Marshall.

I also discuss HIIT, High-Intensity Interval Training. For more on this topic, check out this short Quirks and Quarks podcast: One Minute of Exercise a Day Can Keep You Healthy.

Arguing for a Catch-phrase Contest:

I’m looking for a catch phrase to end the podcast. Give me a good one I can use and I’ll send you a book of your choice. Email me at expartepress@gmail.com.

This show is brought to you by my book, Do the Thing! I don’t cover everything in the book on the podcast. This is more of a complement to that. For a ton of ideas to improve your life and achieve a higher degree of productivity and success, go pick up Do the Thing!, available on Amazon in ebook or paperback.

Would you like to advertise your product or service on the show, get a poster or your name in my next book?

Patreon rewards are for you! Find out more on my new Patreon page.

Your support helps cover bandwidth costs. I really need this podcast to pay for itself so if you’d like to support the show and earn rewards for your patronage, check out the treasures by clicking here or hit the orange Patreon button on the Home page at AllthatChazz.com. Thank you so much!

Special thanks to my first patron, RF Kacy! Cheers to you for getting the Patreon ball rolling, sir!

Not everybody has the money to give money. If that’s you, no worries. Please support the podcast by giving it a happy review on iTunes, subscribe, tweet it and tell your friends! Sharing is caring. Cheers!

*Please note that if you have a health condition or concern, please consult a health care professional before proceeding with any changes to your health maintenance regimen. Don’t take medical advice from a podcast! See your doctor in person for a proper consultation. 

Robert Chute is a massage therapist with 24 years experience who works in stress, pain management and injury rehabilitation. A former journalist, Robert is also the author of many books, ranging from non-fiction to science fiction, horror, fantasy and crime thrillers. If you’re interested in his fiction, you’ll find his books under his pen name, Robert Chazz Chute.

Music credit: 

Floating Cities Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

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Less Stress Around Food: Do the Incremental Thing

Today on the All That Chazz Stress Relief Podcast:

  1. I update listeners on my tasty success and my bad beef heart recipe on The Wild Diet by Abel James. (The bad beef heart wasn’t Abel’s fault.)
  2. I give a tip on how I beat a mad craving for something I shouldn’t eat.
  3. I talk about the social value of food and the implications of making interactions more social and less food-centric.

(Seeing this on AllThatChazz.com and can’t see the audio player? Click the Read More button and you will.)

The Catch-phrase Contest:

I’m looking for a catch phrase to end the podcast. Give me a good one I can use and I’ll send you a book of your choice. Email me at expartepress@gmail.com.

This show is brought to you by my book, Do the Thing! I don’t cover everything in the book on the podcast. This is more of a complement to that. For a ton of ideas to improve your life and achieve a higher degree of productivity and success, go pick up Do the Thing!, available on Amazon in ebook or paperback.

Would you like to advertise your product or service on the show, get a poster or your name in my next book?

Patreon rewards are for you!

Find out more on my new Patreon page.

Your support helps cover bandwidth costs. I really need this podcast to pay for itself so if you’d like to support the show and earn rewards for your patronage, check out the treasures by clicking here or hit the orange Patreon button on the Home page at AllthatChazz.com. Thank you so much!

Not everybody has the money to give money. If that’s you, no worries. Please support the podcast by giving it a happy review on iTunes, subscribe, tweet it and tell your friends! Sharing is caring. Cheers!

Curious about isolation tanks, the dreamscape and warfare with a terrifying race of invading aliens? Check out this week’s featured book, Dream’s Dark Flight.

It’s part of the Dimension War Series, but can be read as a stand alone book. It’s full of kick ass characters, twists and surprises. Try it out here.

*Please note that if you have a health condition or concern, please consult a health care professional before proceeding with any changes to your health maintenance regimen. Don’t take medical advice from a podcast! See your doctor in person for a proper consultation. 

Robert Chute is a massage therapist with 24 years experience who works in stress, pain management and injury rehabilitation. A former journalist, Robert is also the author of many books, ranging from non-fiction to science fiction, horror, fantasy and crime thrillers. If you’re interested in his fiction, you’ll find his books under his pen name, Robert Chazz Chute.

Music credit: 

Floating Cities Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

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Food Management: Do the Less Normal Thing

New to the show? This one may change your life.

At the beginning of the year, my friend and I were desperate to lose weight. We were eating better but our work didn’t show on the scale. Now it does! New Plan A: If you’re looking for a diet that isn’t a fad, is sustainable and has worked for many people (compete with delicious recipes and real food, I’ll share my experience so far with The Wild Diet. I’m happy and getting slimmer. Thanks to my new nutrition plan, I’m ditching Plan B. My friend and I were just going to hang out with Sumo wrestlers to feel better about our size. Sumo, no more!

Today’s topics:

  1. You know all those things we take for granted? The hopeless wage slavery? Homelessness? High heels? You’re soaking in stress and whatever nasty fluid they use to wash our brains. Time to step back and challenge that.
  2.  Today’s hearty and filling podcast recommendation: The Fat-burning Man with Abel James (winning diet advisor on the show, My Diet is Better than Yours.)  I knew my relationship with food was changing (and quickly) when I started turning into a food snob. After just a few days on the Wild Diet, I started sneering at groceries. You might like Abel James but I bet you’ll love his nutrition plan. Food doesn’t have to be the enemy/seductress/self-medication/secret lover anymore!
  3. Water: do you drink it? Back to basics: drink water because it’s the better choice than all that other crap.

Beyond food, what about your other life management headaches?

This show is brought to you by my book, Do the Thing! I don’t cover everything in the book on the podcast. This is more of a complement to that. For a ton of ideas to improve your life and achieve a higher degree of productivity and success, go pick up Do the Thing!, available on Amazon in ebook or paperback.

Would you like to advertise your product or service on the show, get a poster or your name in my next book?

Patreon rewards are for you!

Find out more on my new Patreon page.

Your support helps cover bandwidth costs. I really need this podcast to pay for itself so if you’d like to support the show and earn rewards for your patronage, check out the treasures by clicking here or hit the orange Patreon button on the Home page at AllthatChazz.com. Thank you so much!

Not everybody has the money to give money. If that’s you, no worries. Please support the podcast by giving it a happy review on iTunes, subscribe, tweet it and tell your friends! Sharing is caring. Cheers!

This week’s featured book will be a fine distraction from all that stress you don’t want to think about: Brooklyn in the Mean Time.

This week’s featured book is Brooklyn in the Mean Time. It’s about my criminal history in ’90s New York. Expect action, fight scenes, a sexy little person, a giant and heartbreaking brilliance amid killer family shenanigans. Plus a jewel heist! Enjoy!

*Please note that if you have a health condition or concern, please consult a health care professional before proceeding with any changes to your health maintenance regimen. Don’t take medical advice from a podcast! See your doctor in person for a proper consultation. 

Robert Chute is a massage therapist with 24 years experience who works in stress, pain management and injury rehabilitation. A former journalist, Robert is also the author of many books, ranging from non-fiction to science fiction, horror, fantasy and crime thrillers. If you’re interested in his fiction, you’ll find his books under his pen name, Robert Chazz Chute.

Music credit: 

Floating Cities Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/