Set & Centered

RJ went down a YouTube rabbit hole at midnight watching West Coast swing dance competitions in Singapore. This led to a completely serious investigation into why nobody has brought the Macarena back. Then there was a road trip to Palestine, Texas to mail a Mother's Day gift, a spontaneous decision to try a new chicken finger place instead of Chicken Express, and 27 minutes of waiting for food that absolutely did not earn it. This episode contains an unsolicited fake ad, a genuine consumer warning, and a promise to bring back the Macarena. Set & Centered is a public service.In this episode:• Chimp Crazy: still unwatched, still being recommended with increasing urgency• A midnight YouTube wormhole: West Coast swing dance competitions, random pairings, random songs, and one very talented dancer• Why hasn't anyone brought the Macarena back — and the footage from Mom's wedding that may hold the answer• Cowgirls and Angels: a movie Mark watched, really liked, and cannot name• The Mother's Day mission: Palestine TX post office, closing time, and a gift that shall not be named• Layne's Chicken Fingers, Palestine Texas: 27 minutes, 8-10 staff members, chicken thumbs, sauce that tasted like ketchup and pepper, and toast that tasted like nothing• Chicken Express: an unsolicited fake ad, a genuine endorsement, and a redemption run already in planning• Rob calls at exactly the wrong moment and gets an earful about dry chicken for 20 minutes• The Set & Centered public service announcement: wear sunscreen, and don't go to Layne'sEmail us at [email protected] check out our website at https://www.setcenter.liveFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/setcenterliveYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@setcenterliveInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/setcenterlive

We came in planning to talk about ranch projects. We left knowing more about boa constrictor reproductive anatomy than we ever asked for. In between: a twenty-minute spiral about whether the air purifier should be on Auto or Pet mode (we never resolved it), a scorpion in the yard that sparked a heated debate about footwear policy, an ants-in-pants story from a vehicle recovery that cannot be unheard, and Mark — who claims to be terrified of snakes — turns out to know an alarming amount about how to keep one. This is a normal episode.In this episode:• The air purifier Auto vs. Pet mode debate: twenty minutes, zero resolution, still ongoing• Building the raptor pen and completely melting down over gate placement• Setting up a climate-controlled dog shed — and watching the dogs refuse to use it• Spring frogs, nonstop ranch noise, and the sounds that now just live in the background of your life• A scorpion in the yard and a very serious disagreement about closed-toe shoes vs. boots• The ants-in-pants vehicle recovery story (you will think about this one later)• Snake panic, unexpected expertise, and what it actually takes to keep an 8-foot boa named Rosie• Hemipenes: what they are, why Mark had to explain them, and why we are not sorryEmail us at [email protected] check out our website at https://www.setcenter.liveFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/setcenterliveYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@setcenterliveInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/setcenterlive

We’re back in the studio swapping road stories, ranch updates, and the kind of pet logistics that never show up on a map. A cross-country detour to pick up a family dog turns into a homecoming full of food math, messy cleanup, and one very nervous pit mix.In this episode:• Returning to in-studio recording and missed release catch-up• Pacific Northwest plans derailed by a North Carolina dog pickup• 4000 drive details and why three dogs kill hotel plans• Kansas City stop and visiting the only World War I museum in the US• Ranch storms, a downed car cover, and a drone flyover check• Artemis  II, the moon flyby, and why "going around" still counts• Pack updates, growth spurts, pond swims, and summer heat routines• The real cost of feeding multiple big dogs and the 8-pounds-a-day reality• Hartley’s crate diarrhea disaster and the cleanup triage• Lucky’s tag mishap and becoming scared of his food bowlEmail us at [email protected] check out our website at https://www.setcenter.liveFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/setcenterliveYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@setcenterliveInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/setcenterlive

We head outside to record and immediately prove we should not be trusted with telescopes, technology, or having a podcast. We start under the night sky and somehow end up in a wandering tour of pop culture, nostalgia, pets, small business economics, and the chaos of trying to capture shooting stars. In this episode:• Forgetting the plan and leaning into the tangent• A Star Trek gripe about "full fire" visuals • Star Wars theatrical re-release• Ryan Reynolds comfort rewatches and persona fatigue• Celine Dion’s voice, health, and why the documentary hits• Captain Kangaroo across generations• Power Rangers and Tickle Me Elmo• The terror of silence with kids and dogs• Trash pickup reality checks and small home logistics• Tripod anchoring, Starlink headaches, and tech friction• Flappy Bird and laundromat economics• Shooting stars and testing phone astrophotography• Old projector frustration and the "meatloaf" bitEmail us at [email protected] check out our website at https://www.setcenter.liveFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/setcenterliveYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@setcenterliveInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/setcenterlive

Mark checks in from Oregon while RJ holds it down back in Texas, and we bounce from family dinners and pizza in Turner to the logistics of hauling a "Barbie Boat" across the country to Texas (via North Carolina?). The conversation drifts from AI false alarms and chat bot annoyances to smart telescope tracking, stargazing plans, and life with a cautious new puppy. It’s part travel diary, part real-life planning session, and part proof that long-distance podcasts run on timing, patience, and a little trash talk.In this episode:• Oregon trip updates, family dinners, and heading home after Easter• Hauling the red-and-white "Barbie Boat" to Texas and where it might end up in the pond• Robbie’s puppet videos, the fish tank backstory, and the mystery water sound• Remote recording headaches, background hum, and just how much mics pick up• Automated platform warnings and AI detection weirdness• Astronomy plans, night-sky targets, and why tracking modes change image quality• Buckley the puppy progress, socializing with other dogs, and slow trust-building• Learning 3D printing for practical fixes and hobby projects, maybe even astrophotographyEmail us at [email protected] check out our website at https://www.setcenter.liveFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/setcenterliveYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@setcenterliveInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/setcenterlive

We start where we always do — somewhere ridiculous. Brontosaurus names, Pluto's planetary status, a fearful stray puppy who won't come inside but absolutely will paw at the door the moment you turn your back. Then Rob joins us from Arizona, and we get to the reason Lake Lucy exists. He tells us Lucy's full story: how she came to him from an Air Force family in crisis, how she protected his family on a dark street without being asked, how cancer showed up fast and took her at eight years old, and what he carries with him about knowing when it's time to let go. It's the kind of conversation that sneaks up on you. In this episode:• A fearful stray puppy who runs from humans but follows the pack everywhere — including through a barbed wire fence at a dead sprint• Robbie's gay fish, a flooded bathroom, and why texting a teenager is a fundamentally hopeless enterprise• Why parts of this ranch are named after dogs — and what that actually means• Lucy's adoption from an Air Force family in crisis, and the meet-and-greet that turned into "we'll take her right now"• The night she planted herself between her family and a strange dog on a dark street and didn't move until it left• A cancer diagnosis at eight years old, a tumor that wouldn't stop rupturing, and the question nobody wants to answer: when is it time?• What Rob carries with him — and why he shares it with anyone facing that same impossible decision• "If not for the Patsys and the Lucys in our lives, this place wouldn't exist."Email us at [email protected] check out our website at https://www.setcenter.liveFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/setcenterliveYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@setcenterliveInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/setcenterlive

We bring Rob on from Arizona and immediately get hit with peak brother energy, tech chaos, and a fish tank that sounds way too much like a bathroom. Along the way we check on Maggie, relive listener nicknames, argue about a movie quote poll, and somehow end up on AI actors and online privacy.In this episode:• Maggie update and small routine changes that help • Rob’s long teased full guest appearance and instant technical drama • Cindy’s comments plus the origin of “The Tinkler” • The “Nobody Puts Baby In A Corner” poll and why Mark gets salty • Arizona heat vs everyone else’s weather bragging rights • Val Kilmer and the idea of an AI generated performance • Debating action stars and what even counts as acting • Star Trek cast music rabbit hole and surprising deep cuts • A Smithsonian connected portrait story and tracking down the artist • Europe travel talk and the toilets debate • Browser pop ups plus device cleanup when you borrow a computer • Incognito mode myths and what real privacy tools do Email us at [email protected] check out our website at https://www.setcenter.liveFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/setcenterliveYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@setcenterliveInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/setcenterlive

The tone flips fast when you live with dogs: one minute you’re laughing about pop culture, dumb polls, and a joke so bad it’s good, and the next you’re dealing with the kind of responsibility that keeps you up at night. We laugh, we vent, and we land on the same point: caring for animals means showing up even when it is messy and heartbreaking.In this episode:• Seattle trip recap and helping wrench on a Chevy C10 build• Nemo project updates and a Too Wong Foo side quest• Dirty Dancing poll results and “pole master” logic• Spanish words, misheard phrases, and cartoon nostalgia• A clean-joke run that gets progressively sharper• Fireflies on the ranch and failed attempts to film them• Timid puppy struggles, feeding issues, and parasite risk to the pack• Standard new-puppy rescue protocol for fleas, worms, and prevention• Maggie’s rapid decline, quality-of-life worries, and planning with a vetEmail us at [email protected] check out our website at https://www.setcenter.liveFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/setcenterliveYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@setcenterliveInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/setcenterlive

We catch up after a brutal snowstorm drive, a missed release, and another round of remote recording chaos that turns into a surprisingly good setup. Then we pivot back to the ranch where we try to find Nemo but end up with a new puppy instead. We talk the reality of running a dog sanctuary and feeling grateful and overwhelmed at the same time. Email us at [email protected] check out our website at https://www.setcenter.liveFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/setcenterliveYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@setcenterliveInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/setcenterlive

Ever tried to keep a podcast alive from the cab of a truck at 4 a.m.? We did—one of us in the ranch studio, the other barreling north toward the Pacific Northwest with two sleepy dogs and a stubborn laptop finally tamed by a password named after a beloved pup. Tech mishaps, family milestones, weather worries, and dog snacks collide as we name a new format and keep our promise to ship.Email us at [email protected] check out our website at https://www.setcenter.liveFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/setcenterliveYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@setcenterliveInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/setcenterlive

We head outside to record under a cloudy sky, trade telescope tips we can’t use, and dig into the strange comfort of a slow, honest show. Between Starlink mishaps and ranch projects, we find a lane that feels calm, funny, and unforced.Email us at [email protected] check out our website at https://www.setcenter.liveFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/setcenterliveYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@setcenterliveInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/setcenterlive

We welcome Robbie to the ranch mic, trade barbs about broken rods and a Jeep stuck in first, and let Glamma set the rules on respect while we test the truth of a few wobbly stories. Between laughter and shotgun echoes, a teen finds his voice and we find the heart of our show.Email us at [email protected] check out our website at https://www.setcenter.liveFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/setcenterliveYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@setcenterliveInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/setcenterlive

Ever had a small fix turn into a life upgrade?  That’s the pulse running through this one where we juggle dog chaos, missing pens, and a surprise studio cameo while chasing down tech issues and a trench full of roots. We laugh hard at ourselves, but there’s real progress hiding in the mess: a lost keepsake found in seconds, a fresh set of tires, a utility trailer that suddenly does the work of a weekend crew.  And maybe a dinosaur fossil?Email us at [email protected] check out our website at https://www.setcenter.liveFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/setcenterliveYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@setcenterliveInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/setcenterlive

She was nine pounds of absolute chaos who destroyed a house in Tucson, reduced grown adults to tears, and then quietly became the reason a 50-acre dog sanctuary exists in East Texas. We hand the mic to Mom — who was there from the beginning — to tell the real story of Patsy: the terrier who demanded applause on command, outlasted every expectation, and taught a family that structure and patience aren't punishments. They're how you love something properly. In this episode:• The Tucson babysitting incident: one small dog, one very long night, and two adults who did not come out of it with their dignity intact• How Patsy went from chaos engine to companion — and what it actually took to get there• Milo's story: the dog nobody thought would bond with her, and what happened when he did• Mom on mic — her memories of a dog who knew exactly how funny she was and used it relentlessly• What "rescue fit" actually means: why the right human for a dog matters as much as the right dog for a human• Patsy's Pasture — the first thing on the ranch named after a dog, and why it won't be the last• One small dog who changed a family, a place, and a purposeEmail us at [email protected] check out our website at https://www.setcenter.liveFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/setcenterliveYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@setcenterliveInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/setcenterlive

We welcome Mom to the studio, argue about social media apps and missing passwords, and finally call Brian to hear which gym he chose and why it’s already paying off.  Between ranch upgrades and a stubborn gate, we land on a simple theme: reduce friction, find momentum, lean on friends.Email us at [email protected] check out our website at https://www.setcenter.liveFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/setcenterliveYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@setcenterliveInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/setcenterlive

We juggle ranch fixes, family chaos, and comic relief, turning a dead gate and cold heaters into lessons in creative problem solving. A free S10, a mini Jeep, and one unlucky cactus prove that stubbornness and humor keep this place running. Email us at [email protected] check out our website at https://www.setcenter.liveFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/setcenterliveYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@setcenterliveInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/setcenterlive

We start with an argument over whether it’s a toque, a beanie, or a toboggan hat.  Then solve a heater issue, debate ship classes and tires, and phone a friend wrestling with a classic motivation trap.  And we slow down for the most human moment of the hour—how to care for a dog during a long seizure with calm and cuddles.Email us at [email protected] check out our website at https://www.setcenter.liveFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/setcenterliveYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@setcenterliveInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/setcenterlive

A kitten derails our studio while we chase a new beekeeping obsession.  Tractor Supply runs become strategy sessions on pet food:  label changes, ingredient lists, and why it all matters if you live with a bulldog who treats gas like a weapon of mass destruction.  And Lucky steals the show with no tail, unexpected agility, and the kind of resilience that makes you laugh and root for him in the same breath.Email us at [email protected] check out our website at https://www.setcenter.liveFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/setcenterliveYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@setcenterliveInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/setcenterlive

A hard freeze hit East Texas and found every weak link on the property at once: frozen lines, a CPAP machine with no power, a well system that punished one wrong decision, and a ranch full of animals that still expected breakfast on time. We call Christina for her first-Texas-freeze report, and she delivers — including a gentle but firm nudge to stop hiding who we actually are and what this place is actually for. So we tell it: how 50 acres in East Texas became a sanctuary where rescue dogs live out their whole lives, and why that mission demands a different kind of showing up. In this episode:• The CPAP in a power outage: not a problem until it very much is• RV heat, propane rules, and the specific way a well system will punish you for one bad decision• Thawing frozen lines without making everything worse — lessons learned the hard way• Christina's first Texas freeze: a raw, funny, and surprisingly diplomatic account of being completely unprepared• The procrastination tax — and why being married means someone is always keeping receipts• "Make yourselves human" — the listener feedback that changed what this show is willing to say• The ranch backstory: how it started, what it costs, and why the dogs still expect breakfast no matter what• "Comfort is engineered, community is chosen, and the dogs don't care either way."Email us at [email protected] check out our website at https://www.setcenter.liveFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/setcenterliveYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@setcenterliveInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/setcenterlive

Winter storm or not, there’s always room for laughs.  Ladybugs on mics, a puppy who may never stop growing, and the memory of Charlie, the cat who stomped across the roof just to make sure we noticed him.  Underneath it all is a simple through-line: resilience is built in quiet moments long before the storm.  Test your generators.  Drain your lines.  Keep water on hand.  And keep showing up for the animals that count on you. Email us at [email protected] check out our website at https://www.setcenter.liveFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/setcenterliveYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@setcenterliveInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/setcenterlive

The mics were hot, the plan was rigid, and within minutes we knew it wasn’t working. What followed was the real beginning: two friends on a dusty ranch admitting the flop, then rebuilding a show in real time—tools out, humor intact, and a to‑do list that doubles as plot.Email us at [email protected] check out our website at https://www.setcenter.liveFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/setcenterliveYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@setcenterliveInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/setcenterlive

Two friends. Fifty acres. No real plan. Mark describes himself as a simple man — RJ uses the word "cathartic" and immediately has to defend it. This is the episode where they figure out what the show is while recording the show. There are rescue dogs in the background, ranch projects waiting on the to-do list, and enough stories already backed up that starting a podcast seemed like the only reasonable thing to do. This is where it all started. In this episode:• "What the hell are we doing?" — the question that opens the show and basically never gets answered• Why two guys on a Texas ranch decided a podcast made more sense than a YouTube channel (hint: cameras add weight)• The ranch backstory: rescue dogs, 50 acres, and a mission that people kept saying was worth talking about• What "cathartic" means, why Mark had to look it up, and why it's a perfect word for what this show turned out to be• The to-do list that doubles as a season arc• A friendship almost 20 years in the making, finally doing the thing people kept telling them to doEmail us at [email protected] check out our website at https://www.setcenter.liveFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/setcenterliveYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@setcenterliveInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/setcenterlive