Inner-Strength Check

This is an interview to be treasured, for sure! Jeff and I caught up earlier this morning for a wonderful discussion around the bands' eminent tour of Australia in September this year.

Full of gratitude and passion for a return to such an opportunity, Jeff walks us through the experience of reforming, the incredible amounts of associated stoke and much more. For full details on this insanely energetic (and, as per the interview, immensely motivated) bands' can't-miss tour of Australia, you can find ticket links, tour dates, further statements from the artist, relevant letlive. links and more, over at: //https://www.innerstrengthcheckpodcast.com/blog/podcast-ep-37-interview-with-jeff-sahyoun-of-letlive-ahead-of-2025-australian-tour//. Peace, Love and Soulful Hardcore - Brady.

Hey, that rhymed!

A two-fold episode, really - first part is a bit of an update from Yours Truly with regards to my situation, and some thoughts around the barriers that podcasting/content-creation-as-hustle-culture (as well as mental illness) can impose on prospective podcasters, creatives etc.

The second part is a little more optimistic, where I outlay a fair amount of the specific music and hobby-related content that I will be both consuming and potentially reviewing/discussing on ISC this year. For instance, solo tabletop RPG's, a post-campaign review/discussion, potential interviewees, specific gigs, etc.

Overall, I'm aiming to make this space a bit more focused on how we can squeeze a little more empowerment and fun from our otherwise bleak capitalist dystopia, rather than just another exhaust-vent barrage of preaching to the choir. (Although, expect some of that too!). Sure, there will be plenty to say on the current discourse, but for my own health and your sanity, dear listener/reader/consoom-er, let's focus on how we can have fun and engage in creative things in this overwhelming era.

Am also keen to potentially chat with or even have episodes/content led by:

Musicians/music industry professionals, health professionals, community development workers, hobbyists (anything! go nuts!), tabletop fans, gamers, geeks, lived experience peers, fellow differently-brained neurodivergents, game designers, content creators, etc.

Links:

Web: innerstrengthcheck.com

Twitch: @innerstrengthcheck

Youtube: @innerstrengthcheck

Facebook: /innerstrengthcheck

Thanks.

Do good, be kind, stay safe, well and hydrated.

--

BLOG LINK:

https://www.innerstrengthcheckpodcast.com/blog/isc-podcast-ep-05-isc-trajectory-for-2023-27122022

--

BLOG LINK: https://www.innerstrengthcheckpodcast.com/blog/isc-podcast-ep-04-the-great-sigh-of-resignation.

--

In this episode, I speak a bit to my own struggles in post-pandemic life, but moreso really drill down into a lot of unspoken/downplayed concerns that are coming up for a lot of people. Good people, who are languishing and struggling overall in the post-lockdown period, and feeling unnecessarily guilty for doing so.

--

Particularly, we look to critique the almost-inexplicably-stupid regression back to hustle-culture in a time of ongoing ambiguity and collective exhaustion. A culture fed unrelenting standards imposed by some strange continued need to propogate the pre-pandemic model of life under neoliberal austerity. Plot twist - that isn't working, and I'm fed up.

--

It's a bit rambling and tangential, but that's on-brand.

Hopefully you enjoy the show, and I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2023.

Brady.

-

I'd like to acknowledge the leadership, sovereignty and strength of the Wadawurrung people of the Kulin Nation, traditional stewards and rightful owners of the land upon which this recording took place. I'd also like to pay equal respects to the People of the Gumbaynggir Nation, upon whose lands I was born and raised, and all sovereign First Nations.

Support your local National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation.

Close the Gap.

-

Intro audio courtesy of Minus Life, from Brisbane.

Bandcamp:

https://minuslife.bandcamp.com/music

Background ambience courtesy of Audiomirage.

https://freesound.org/people/audiomirage/

Rights of ownership are solely those of the artists, and not my own.

-

[Did You Know?]

As as Australian mental health consumer, you have the right to search for and find a Medicare-rebated psychologist as part of any Mental Health Care Plan completed under the care of your GP. The APS (Australian Psychological Society) has a Find A Psychologist search engine that includes gender, suburb, treating issues, method of delivery, specific quals etc.

Link:

https://psychology.org.au/find-a-psychologist

Likewise, did you know you can search for a local/telehealth-providing psychiatrist using a similar search engine offered by the FRANZGP?

Link:

https://www.yourhealthinmind.org

Finally - if you're struggling with your finances, an unsafe living situation, rent, bills, support or just want a place to connect with people, I can't recommend AskIzzy enough as a great portal for self-Googling to your local appropriate service:

AskIzzy.com.au

More resources to be added to the website - stay tuned!

Twitch: @innerstrengthcheck

Youtube: @innerstrengthcheck

Web: innerstrengthcheck.com

-

M/UTH//R:>> INITIALISING DATA DOWNLINK - CONFIRMED. ___<<>> SECURITY CHECK - CLEARANCE REQUIREMENTS.... METW-Y Employee-Partner (Xenobiology)// --→ CONTENTS <---[PART 1: AUTHOR-DERIVED ANALYSIS ON PROGRESS OF ‘INNERSTRENGTHCHECK.COM’ PROJECT - Warning, data relevance queried][PART 2: ---DATA CORRUPTED]/// CAUSAL ORIGIN - ‘ENGINEER’ CHARACTERISTICS | USE OF CHEMICAL AGENT AO \\\SPECIMEN ANALYSIS - Physiological Comparisons of Progenitor Species------+++WARNING: DATA CORRUPTED+++ // PAr3T 4.P)94 // DEFENSIVE/CONTAINMENT PROCEDURE - DEACON PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS // CLASSIFIED INCIDENT REPORTS OF ENCOUNTERS WITH SPECIMENS - EREBOS - PROMETHEUS - LV-223 !!!!! NETWORK INTRUSION DETECTED. RECOMMEDED TO PERUSE AUDIO DATA IMMEDIATELY. ------WWW.INNERSTRENGTHCHECK.COM - WRITTEN BACKUP:----https://innerstrengthcheck.com/2024/10/05/ep-27-contd-dissecting-the-perfect-organism-part-2-proto-xenomorphs/
---->>REFERENCEShttps://www.bbc.com/ | LICENCE: CREATIVE COMMONS> ----INNERSTRENGTHCHECK.COM⁠⁠<>INNERSTRENGTHCHECK.COM<< USER ABLE TO ACCESS BY SEARCHING PROJECT TITLE IN RELEVANT SEARCH FIELD <_______----++++CRITICAL DATA BREACH - PRINT-LOG CEASED++++ REFER TO RECORDING. REFER TO RECORDING. REFER TO RECORDING. REFER TO RECORDING. REFER TO RECORDING. REFER TO RECORDING. REFER TO RECORDING. REFER TO RECORDING. ----

Congratulations to Dan Machuca for being our very first video/podcast interview guest within the realm of all things tabletop, hobbies, gaming and mental health! Dan and I met through the medium of tabletop roleplaying games, like the big nerds are are, a few years back. From there we've been professionally networked as part of the Game Therapy Australia movement, spearheaded by Game Therapist Michael Thorburn (also a fellow nerd - Hi Michael!). Dan brings plenty of insight, thought and fun to the discussion, which ranges everywhere from his teaching work with migrant youth where English is a second language, through to a weekly tabletop gaming therapeutic group for neurodivergent children/adolescents in Footscray and even his own published title, T.O.T.S. available on itch.io. Accessibility and modifying tabletop RPG systems to reduce cognitive, language and other barriers is an ongoing part of Dan's work, as is promoting mental health and wellbeing. We discuss this with respect to the psychosocial benefits seen (and measured) in his own group, plus also discuss initiatives for men's mental health via his direct experience with the Men's Table social-support initiative. We also have a chat about Dan's favourite systems, of which Savage Worlds is a big'un, GMing with ADHD ourselves, and lots more! Stay tuned for the blog post which will have additional show notes, links and more. DAN THE GAME MASTER - LINKS: Blog: https://danthegmmelb.game.blogFacebook: / danthegamemaster FEATURED ARTIST: Vermilion Sun - 'Dragon Lady'. Fun, funky rock-and-roll from across the pond! You can check out the accompanying music video for 'Dragon Lady' here: • Vermilion Sun - "Dragon Lady". (psst - want your track featured on an episode of our vlog/podcast? Email us at [email protected]. We also conduct artist interviews, industry professional interviews, promote press releases, provide gig and album reviews, TTRPG/gaming product reviews and more!).