PODCAST · society
Treeforts and Mixtapes
by Bret Nelson and Josh Brence
A fun and lively conversation between two guys that grew up across 4 decades through the analog phase of walk-talkie technology, climbing trees, playing outside, collecting trading cards and really cool action figure toys to today where they like to hang 10 on the wave of technology; now both are parents who now get to see the world through the eyes of our kids and love to reminisce about glory days of the world we grew up in… Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
Episodes
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#105-I might need that someday...
Why do we own so much stuff we don’t actually use? This week, Josh returns from Parents’ Weekend with stories of college football, bad weather, three dogs, and camping — before we somehow end up confronting the real problem: our garages. Old paint. Duplicate tools. Electronics we haven’t used in...
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#104-Josh's Year in Five Things
It’s Josh's birthday episode, so we’re starting something new. On our birthday (or near it) the birthday boy is bringing his Top 5 Favorite Things from the past year — anything is fair game: something bought, watched, discovered, experienced, or just became weirdly obsessed with. No carefully...
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#103-Are we doing vacations wrong?
Are vacations actually supposed to be relaxing—or is “rest and recharge” just corporate propaganda designed to get us ready to go back to work? This week, we debate what separates a vacation from a trip, poolside nothingness vs. seeing everything, meticulously planned itineraries vs. completely...
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#102-Taylor Got Married. We Found Another Earth. Guess Which One Trended.
A celebrity wedding, a World Cup final, America's 250th birthday — it's been a big few weeks. But while everyone was watching all of that, scientists quietly confirmed the first atmosphere on a rocky planet outside our solar system, may have found a natural alternative to Ozempic, and made a...
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#101- By the Power of Grayskull… He-Man, HR, and Honestly... Not Bad
By the power of Grayskull... we did not expect to like this. We went in with rock-bottom expectations after the infamous 1987 version and came out pleasantly surprised. We break down what worked — the action, the visuals, Idris Elba nailing Man-At-Arms, and the nostalgic nods to the original...
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#100- We Made It to 100 (And We're Not Sure How)
Episode 100. We didn't plan on making it this far —and here we are. Bret and Josh pull seven clips from the vault, talk about slang that aged badly, G.I. Joe life lessons, first jobs, the Mandela Effect, getting old, vitamins we used to mock, and what two years of showing up actually means. No...
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#99- Nobody Taught Us This (And Yet We All Know It)
Booth or table? Do you use the fancy guest towel? How long can your trash cans stay at the curb before the neighbors start talking? Bret and Josh dig into the unspoken rules that govern everyday life — restaurants, waiting rooms, cul-de-sacs, group travel, and more. Nobody wrote these down.…
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#98-Why Gen X Got Lied To About Health
Your brain still thinks you’re 28… but your body completely disagrees. This week, Bret and Josh sit down with veteran trainer Neil Anderson, creator of GPP Fitness and co-creator of RWND Fit, to talk about why so many people over 45 are working harder in the gym and getting worse results. With…
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#97-Phrases That Mean Nothing
Bret and Josh break down the weird phrases people use when they have nothing real to say. From “living the dream” and “can’t complain” to “circle back” and “I’ll let you go,” modern life is full of fillers, scripts, and polite escape routes. A funny look at awkwardness, office jargon, forgotten...
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#96-Why is everything an event?
A missed personal best, a canceled lacrosse game, and a deep dive into lightning and water safety somehow turn into one realization: nothing is casual anymore. Bret and Josh break down how everything — from workouts to birthday parties to watching a game — has become a full production. There’s...
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#95- 3 Stars…Vibes Were Off
When did everything become a review? This week, Bret and Josh get into the rise of rating everything — from restaurants and products to national parks, movies, and even life itself. What started as a helpful tool has somehow turned into a full-time habit. They break down what reviews actually…
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#94-Everyone’s Got a Take
When did everyone become an expert on everything… immediately? Bret and Josh cover a little bit of everything this week — from 5AM track meets and roller coasters at Busch Gardens, to business trips in Europe and the universal ability for people to have strong opinions on things they just learned...
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#93-Do we really need a reboot?
This week we talk reboots, remakes, and why Hollywood keeps reopening stories that already had an ending. From Top Gun getting it right to Jurassic Park, Karate Kid, and the growing list of revived shows like Scrubs (and the potential of a Knight Rider..wha???) and other 80s/90s TV favorites, we...
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#92-Did We Optimize the Magic Out of It?
Remember when you had to wait for things? A new episode each week. Saving up for a CD and listening from front to back. Planning your night around one game you couldn’t miss. Now we binge entire seasons, skip songs after 15 seconds, and watch highlights before the game’s even over. This week, we...
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#91-Predictable Isn’t Bad… Right?
We used to say yes. Order the weird thing. Take the risk. Now we read the reviews, give a show three episodes, and know exactly what we like. This week we talk about the shift from being the main characters to becoming the editors — how competence replaced some of the chaos, and whether that’s...
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#90-The Myth of Catching Up
This week, Bret and Josh take on one of adulthood’s biggest lies: the idea that we’ll eventually “catch up.” From inbox-zero fantasies to the promise that life will slow down after just one more thing, they unpack why being “done” no longer exists—and why that’s not a personal failure. It’s a...
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#89-You are not a loser
This week on TFMT, Bret and Josh unpack why we’re always losing and forgetting things — from keys and phones to entire trains of thought. Spoiler: it’s not aging or carelessness. It’s interruption. A funny, relatable look at how modern life quietly wrecks our memory… and why it’s not something to...
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#88- Nobody Agreed to This
This week, Bret and Josh break down the unspoken rules of adult life that everyone follows—and no one remembers agreeing to. From workplace etiquette and social norms to travel behavior and tech expectations, they unpack why we comply, what happens when we don’t, and which rules deserve to...
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#87-Holidays! Why is so dark outside? Family and Friends, Full plates, Presents, & Twinkle Lights
This week, Bret and Josh slow things down for a holiday special built for everyone celebrating this season — Christmas, Chanukah, or just the rare gift of a quieter calendar. They dig into why this time of year feels heavier and more meaningful than the rest, where our traditions come from, and…
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#86-We spilled the beans: The Weird History of Everyday Sayings
We finally stopped beating around the bush and cut to the chase. This episode digs into the origins of the idioms we use every day — from biting the bullet and pulling yourself by your own bootstraps to being saved by the bell and ending up back at square one. Along the way, we uncover the…
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#85 -Working 9-5 is absolutely bogus...
This week, Bret and Josh ask the question every Gen X and Millennial has muttered under their breath since 2007: Why are we still working 9–5? They dig into how a schedule built for factories, steam engines, and men in suspenders somehow became the default for people with laptops, text messages,...
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#84- All the Fs of Thanksgiving
This week, Bret and Josh break down the real story behind Thanksgiving — what actually happened, what absolutely didn’t, and why this holiday became the chaotic, heartwarming tradition we all know. From the myths we learned in school to the surprising history of turkey, parades, football, and...
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#83 -Where did all the toy stores go?
This week, Bret and Josh rewind to the magic of toy stores — the fluorescent glow, the smell of plastic and cardboard, the towering wall of GI Joes, the endless LEGO sets, and that childhood feeling that anything was possible if you had five bucks and time to roam the aisles. Then they dig into…
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#82-The Dad Joke: Part of the genetics and our most effective weapon to show love
This week, Bret and Josh crack open the surprising origins of the dad joke — the most groan-worthy, eye-roll-inducing, low-effort form of humor ever invented. From ancient puns and Shakespearean wordplay to the psychology of why dads become pun machines in midlife, the guys unpack how cheesy…
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#81-What happened to Saturday Morning cartoons?
Remember when Saturday mornings meant a couch, a mixing bowl of cereal, and three solid hours of cartoons before your parents even woke up? Bret and Josh dig into the mystery of where all that went — from government rules and ad crackdowns to the rise of streaming and on-demand everything. It’s...
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#80-The retirement of a huge piece of Gen X culture
Josh is gearing up for a hunting trip, Bret just wrapped up 75 Hard, and somehow the conversation drifts into the death of MTV. From the glory days when music videos introduced us to every new band worth knowing, to the slow fade into The Real World and endless reality reruns, Bret and Josh…
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#79-I want my MTV
Josh is gearing up for a hunting trip, Bret just wrapped up 75 Hard, and somehow the conversation drifts into the death of MTV. From the glory days when music videos introduced us to every new band worth knowing, to the slow fade into The Real World and endless reality reruns, Bret and Josh…
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#78 -The Dad Dilemma Game: Every Choice Hurts
This week, Bret and Josh face the impossible choices every dad knows too well. Would you rather assemble IKEA furniture or survive a family road trip? Fix the Wi-Fi or unclog the toilet? It’s a full episode of midlife dilemmas, questionable decisions, and laugh-out-loud “yep, been there” moments....
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#77-Back to Campus: Older, Wiser, and Definitely Needing a Nap
Bret and Josh head back to campus — one for Parents Weekend, one for Homecoming — and catch all the feels of returning to where it all started. From old dorm memories to football games, tailgates, and watching their kids (and nieces) live the moments they once did, it’s a nostalgic, full-circle...
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#76-No Way, Man! Wrestling, Cartoons, and Conspiracies
This week, Bret and Josh dive into some of the funniest “is it real or not?” debates from our childhood and beyond. From whether pro wrestling was legit to the true nature of Tom & Jerry’s friendship, we rewind to the things that had us guessing as kids. Then we crank it up with wild…
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#75- Freedom Isn’t Free: Raising Kids Tougher Than Evil and Brighter Than the Dark
The world feels darker than ever — from terror attacks and random violence to political shootings plastered across our screens. As parents, the question isn’t just how do we explain evil to our kids? It’s how do we prepare them to face it with courage? This week, Bret and Josh talk about raising...
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#74- Everything I need to know about work…I learned in kindergarten-- Nap Time, Snack Time, Sharing is Caring and Stop Crying at Work
Forget corporate handbooks — the real rules of work were written on the classroom carpet back in kindergarten. This week, Bret and Josh break down how the basics still apply: share your toys (and credit), take turns (yes, even in meetings), clean up your mess (literally and figuratively), and say...
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#73- Words That Stuck: The Best Advice We Ever Got
Some advice goes in one ear and out the other — but some lines stick for life. This week, Bret and Josh swap the best pieces of advice they ever got, from the timeless “nothing good happens after midnight” to the hard-won lessons about money, love, and growing up. Josh also shares how he survived...
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#72-Leaving the Nest: First Taste of Freedom (for Them and Us)
This week, Bret and Josh rewind to one of life’s biggest milestones — leaving home for the first time. We share our own stories of shaky launches into independence, from questionable packing decisions to those unforgettable “oh crap” reality checks. Josh is on the verge of experiencing it from…
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#71-8-Bit Morality: Life Lessons in Pixels-No Saves, No Shortcuts, Just Grit
Before cheat codes and save points, there was only one rule: don’t die. This week, Bret and Josh fire up the nostalgia with a trip back to the 8-bit era — when games like Contra, Zelda, TMNT, and even Pitfall taught us the art of patience, strategy, and persistence. Josh and Bret talk about…
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#70-Say It to My Face: Conflict, Closure, and the Lost Art of Confrontation
Once upon a time, if you had a problem with someone, you handled it. Face-to-face. No texts. No ghosting. Just words — awkward, angry, clumsy, honest words. This week, Bret and Josh get into the gritty life school of confrontation — what it taught us growing up Gen X, and what seems to be missing...
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#69-We really ate that?
#69 This week in the Treefort, Bret and Josh pull back the foil wrapper on the food we thought was fine — and somehow lived to talk about. From Pop-Tarts and bagel bites to ramen dinners and roller dogs that looked like wizard fingers, this is a love letter to the food crimes and the...
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#68-The Movies that Raised Us: Rewinding the Some of Wisdom Hidden in Our Favorite Films
In this new segment episode called Mixtape Rewind, we dive into the life lessons we picked up from the movies that raised us. From The Karate Kid’s reminder that the boring reps matter, to Dead Poets Society’s call to stand up even when your voice shakes, these films delivered more than...
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#67-Freedom Requires Friction
We used to be the remote. Now, if something takes effort, we skip it. In this episode, Bret and Josh unpack how technology—while making life more convenient—might be robbing us of something essential: our edge. Physically, we move less. Mentally, we outsource thinking. Socially, we avoid...
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#66-Are you a fun Dad?
This week, Bret and Josh wrestle with a key dad identity crisis: Are we fun dads… or just walking rulebooks with snacks? From letting your kids skip chores to realizing you sound exactly like your own father, they break down the tension between structure and spontaneity—and what “fun” even looks...
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#65-Just chill, it will all work out: Troy Ita joins the Treefort...
Troy Ita joins Bret and Josh in the Treefort to talk Florida roots, raising kids with patience, and embracing the Gen X art of chilling out. From sounding like his own dad when laying down life lessons, to helping his kids learn real social skills in a tech-heavy world, Troy brings laughs and...
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#64-Is It Worth It… Or Are We Just Tired?
At what point did concerts, group dinners, and staying out past 9pm become a hard no? Bret and Josh explore the great midlife trade-off: doing less, and loving it. From avoiding plans that sound exhausting to skipping things we once lived for, this episode asks—are we actually getting wiser… or...
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#63-Why Is Everyone in Their 20s a Life Coach?
Why is every 20-something with a ring light suddenly a life coach? Bret asks the question, and Josh—bitter, skeptical, and fully Gen X—has thoughts. This episode dives into the rise of young “experts,” the influencer-to-guru pipeline, and whether social media clout has replaced actual experience....
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#62- I’m Not Mad, I Just Have a Face Like This
Josh and Bret tackle the misunderstood art of Resting Dad Face—why Gen X always looks mildly annoyed, even when we’re just thinking about what to make for dinner. In a world where kids are encouraged to name every emotion, color-code their feelings, and express themselves constantly, we’re over...
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#61-What does it even mean to be cool anymore?
Josh and Bret dig into a big question: What does it even mean to be cool anymore? Is it still a leather jacket and cool-dude attitude… or is it now a curated Instagram aesthetic and hipster energy? We’re talking about how Gen X defined cool--think Starter Jackets, Grunge Dr Marten, Track Suits...
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#60-Dad Mode and the Politics We Didn’t Ask For
Being a dad in today’s world means navigating way more than just bedtime routines and forgotten science projects—it means explaining headlines, answering impossible questions, and trying not to scream during PTA meetings or political ads. In this episode, Josh, Sean and Bret dig into the wild...
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#59-Episode Title: Vinette Ice Cream and Moon Shoe Lies: What We Thought Was Fancy (and Totally Wasn’t)
Josh, Sean, and Bret go full nostalgia mode, diving into the stuff we thought was high-end luxury growing up—only to realize later it was total garbage. Remember thinking Sizzler and Olive Garden were fine dining? That a fridge with an ice and water dispenser was peak sophistication? And don’t…
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#58-Beignets, Ghost Tours, and Gen X Codes No One Understands
Josh is back from New Orleans, and let’s just say—between the beignets, ghost tours, alligator sightings, and next-level food, NOLA still knows how to blow your mind. While recapping the trip, Josh and Bret dive into a conversation about the unwritten Gen X rules that leave younger generations...
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#57-Home Sick, Runners High, and the Playlist That Got Us Through It
Josh, Bret, and Sean kick things off with a throwback to home sick days—you know, back when staying home meant watching The Price Is Right and sipping flat 7UP. We swap stories about faking sick, the tricks that worked, the ones that totally didn’t, and how our parents basically had a built-in…
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#56-Pills, Powders, and Pretending We’re Fine: Aging Like Gen X Legends
Remember when we could function on pizza rolls, Mountain Dew, and zero sleep? Yeah, those days are over. Now it’s all about supplements, protein powders, joint support, and forcing ourselves to “enjoy” skipping just to keep the wheels from falling off. In this episode, Josh and Bret dive into the...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
A fun and lively conversation between two guys that grew up across 4 decades through the analog phase of walk-talkie technology, climbing trees, playing outside, collecting trading cards and really cool action figure toys to today where they like to hang 10 on the wave of technology; now both are parents who now get to see the world through the eyes of our kids and love to reminisce about glory days of the world we grew up in… Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
HOSTED BY
Bret Nelson and Josh Brence
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Treeforts and Mixtapes have?
Treeforts and Mixtapes currently has 105 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Treeforts and Mixtapes about?
A fun and lively conversation between two guys that grew up across 4 decades through the analog phase of walk-talkie technology, climbing trees, playing outside, collecting trading cards and really cool action figure toys to today where they like to hang 10 on the wave of technology; now both are...
How often does Treeforts and Mixtapes release new episodes?
Treeforts and Mixtapes publishes regularly with 105 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Treeforts and Mixtapes?
You can listen to Treeforts and Mixtapes on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Treeforts and Mixtapes?
Treeforts and Mixtapes is created and hosted by Bret Nelson and Josh Brence.
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