Zad Bod

I don't know what I was thinking when I said I'd be back with a new episode this week. Now I'm going the other way and waving the white flag on putting out a new episode until July 17th! Until then, the summer of reruns continues, and today I give you the very first two episodes of this show, and the very first two bod pods! Episode 1 - "Work out as little as possible," and Episode 2 - "Work out as often as possible," make a nice little pair of foundational cornerstones to my ideas of achieving Dad fitness, even though they both contain a lot of bad information. Anyway, enjoy!

The run of reruns continues, and this time I'm going back not one but two years and digging up two episodes from June of 2024. In Episode 22, I tell you about taking a then 2 year old Ernie to the driving range for the first time, and in Episode 23 I do little more than whine at all the little inconveniences of playing with my child. I don't have any episodes from three years ago, so I better be back with a new episode next week!

No new episode again this week, unfortunately. But I decided to try to fill the void by offering not one but TWO episodes from around this time last year. In Episode 48, I talk about then 3 year old Ernie's development as a savvy traveler, and all the benefits we see these experiences provide. And in Episode 49, I tell you about a time when my wife was pregnant with Al, busy with work, and kind of unbearable, and how my solution was to make fun of her in front of Ernie. Listen in and find out how it managed to broker peace in our home!

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu is upon us, and the Disney Machine has aimed its superlaser at this Star Wars-agnostic podcast host and convinced me to watch the show, "Andor". Then I watched Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. And then I wanted to watch Episode IV: A new Hope (aka "Star Wars"), and Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, and Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, and I decided to watch them with my 4 year old! Watching these movies through his eyes has been a revelation, as was watching these movies again for the first time since I became a father! I talk about all that, as well as the fact that, upon this re-watch, Darth Vader is a pathetic loser, so listen up and I'll tell you why!

It's been a tough week here in the Zad Abode. My 4 year old is both acting up and having a sleep regression. My back hurts. My golf game was oh so close before falling off again. It's the perfect storm! But listen in as I try to convince you (and myself) that the secret to getting my son and my back and my golf game back on track is one and the same: Making our beds the moment we open our eyes in the morning.

We’re coming up on the end of my 4 year old’s tee ball (or is it t-ball?) season, and the end of my time as their coach, so it’s a good time to think back on how far we’ve all come. These kids have improved tremendously, and I’ve learned a thing or two myself. So I recap all their madcap adventures, make my case for why baseball is the best youth sport, and share the great secret I have learned regarding how to coach kids as young as 4. All that and more. Give it a listen!

It's a special Mother's Day episode of Zad Bod! My wife, the mother of my children, has been a recurring character on this show as a pillar of strength, a voice of reason, and a comedic foil. But today she is simply the woman of the hour as I tell you all about how exceptional a partner, parent, and person she is; how lucky I am; and how together we are going to change the way we even celebrate Mother's Day! This one goes out to all the wonderful moms out there, so make sure to sing the praises of the moms in your life too!

A couple weeks ago I complained about how messy it is to let my baby teach himself how to eat solid food. Then last week I let that baby make too big a mess, and told you about other big messes I have made in the past. And when it rains it pours, I guess, because now baby is scooting around the floor and pulling things off of shelves. my 4 year old is tracking dirt into the house and drawing tattoos on himself in marker, and I feel like all I'm doing is cleaning up messes. Attitude Era professional wrestling! Pee and poop stories! All that and more, so listen up and enjoy!

Last week, I told you about how I was intervening too much and needed to let my baby learn how to feed himself. Well, I did just that, and the baby made a huge mess in the car. I tell that story, along with two more incredibly unintelligent things I've done in the past. This episode has it all. Bidets! Pepper spray! I can't believe my wife agreed to start a family with me. Give it a listen!

Building on last week's episode, I apply what I'm now calling "The 50% Rule" to teaching my kids things that are currently skills they're trying to learn, but will soon become routine things they do every day for the rest of their lives. How do I teach my 4 year old how to tie his shoes when the only time he practices is two minutes before we have to leave? How do I let my baby learn how to feed himself without fretting about the rising cost of all the food he's wasting? All that and more on this week's episode. Thanks for listening. Enjoy!

Major golf has returned to Augusta! The Masters is upon us, without Tiger Woods in the field, but for the first time I've actually come around to preferring it that way. I begin this episode with an abbreviated version of my reaction to the news of his latest car accident and DUI arrest before moving on to revisit a sort of parenting philosophy I created two years ago based on his late father, Earl, the King of all Sports Dads, which I call "Halfway to Earl." Enjoy, and thank you for listening!

No new Zad Bod pod this week, unfortunately, as I got derailed by the 1-2 punch of another sick kid AND visiting parents! But, as my way of saying sorry, I am offering up an old episode of a podcast I used to make called Easy Golf, in which I describe why the game is so appealing to golf sickos like myself. If you’re a golfer, you may get a kick out of hearing my version of something that exists within you too, and if you’re not a golfer, this is not a sales pitch. I’m not here to tell you why golf is better than you think it is. I’m here to say golf is worse than you think it is, but somehow that’s actually the fun of it!

I thought it was time to mix things up and focus at least one whole episode on my baby! The good: he's army crawling his way through the house. The bad: he has sampled every sickness available to him this past cold & flu season. The ugly: He almost ripped my face off! All that, plus the highs and lows of trying to work and take care of a sick baby at the same time, a very strong reaction I had to hearing about my friend's vasectomy, AND MORE, on this episode of Zad Bod! Enjoy!

On this episode, one anonymous artist (me) (but who is that?) shares his thoughts on the doxxing of formerly anonymous artist, Banksy, and then somehow I shift gears and talk about the start of my son's tee ball season and my early experiences and observations trying to coach these kids. Individually, every one of these kids has a lot to offer, but we are very far away from looking like a team. Step 1: Get teammates to stop fighting each other for ground ballsStep 2: ??? Step 3: ProfitThanks for listening. I hope you enjoy!

On this episode, I gripe about how rough a week we have had due to setting our clocks forward an hour, and how hard I came crashing back down to Earth after last week declaring how good I have it. Last week, I was working out, playing golf, getting stronger, and losing weight. But just like that, I'm now sick, slow, and weak. And I blame Daylight Saving Time, which I then investigate and summarize the current status of the debate over whether we as a society should continue observing it or abolish it completely. Enjoy!

It's a Bod Pod! People talk about living their best life, and it's usually in reference to something like eating a block of cheese in their underwear, but I think I am actually living my best life! I have finally managed to strike a balance between exercise, appetite, golf, and the time and energy it takes to be a husband, father, and productive member of society. I'm getting stronger, losing weight, and playing golf all at the same time, and I plan on enjoying this while it lasts because it seems too good to be true, but it is true and on this episode I describe how I managed to achieve it!

We have been trying to get our 4 year old to take on the responsibility of making his bed, brushing his teeth, and getting himself dressed everyday, so we gave him a challenge to do it every day for the month of February, and if he did we'd get him a toy he asked for. Now we're coming up on the end of that month, and on this episode I describe the journey and evaluate the successes and failures of this little project. This one is for all the parents out there trying to teach their kids good habits. Listen up and enjoy!

On this episode, I talk about the Winter Olympics! Hockey games going to overtime, a cheating scandal in curling, and a collection of the world’s proudest parents! I also talk about how I’ve felt like a bad dad lately (not because my kids aren’t Olympians), and what I chose to do about it. Bonus topic: Does listening to an audiobook count as reading? What do you think I think? Here’s a hint: I answer, here on an episode of my own audio content. Thanks for listening. Enjoy the show!

This is just what I get for talking about all the positive changes I was seeing in my kids all at once -- a week full of setbacks and mayhem and actual DESTRUCTION at the hands of my precious little 4 year old...vandal. And to make matters worse, I at least had an explanation for why all those developmental leaps occurred at once, but my only explanation for why this week was so bad was that it was karmic payback for the week before being so good! Anyway, have a listen to how bad it can get when the other shoe drops, but stick around to the end for the plan we came up with to get this kid back on the straight and narrow!

Weird flex, but...both of my kids have experienced huge advances lately. And not gradual changes, either. Big, sudden improvements, all at once. My baby's babbling suddenly got more defined, and my 4 year old has seemingly taken giant physical, mental, and emotional leaps, all in the last week! And as proud as I am, I think there is something larger at play here. Could it be that households full of small kids are experiencing something similar all around the world? Listen up and find out why I think so!

I am the most patient dad in the world, except for when I'm the most impatient dad in the world. But patience is like money: you can't just tell someone who doesn't have any that they should. On this episode, I talk about how I'm Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde when it comes to having patience, and what I am realizing I can try to do about it. This one is for the dads who wish they could be Zen all the time, if not for the fact that things do have to get done and we do have to get places on time. I see you, Dad. You're the man!

On today's show, I provide an early check-in as to how it's going so far coaching my 4 year old son's basketball team, as well as present my Grand Unifying Theory of how to coach small kids in anything, especially if you yourself didn't play the sport in question growing up. I also mull uninviting my 4 year old from his baby brother's 1st birthday party. All that and more. Thanks for listening. You're gonna love it!

Last week was a "before picture" snapshot of baby Al at the start of the year, and this week it's time to do the same for big Ern, my 4 year old. I do a brief overview of what's going on his life and development in four different categories - movement and physicality, intellect, creativity, and personality. Join me in practicing how to take a step back and see our kids as they are at a given point in time, because it'll all change again in the blink of an eye.

My baby is starting daycare! He's gonna do great and have a wonderful time, but his parents are a bit broken up about it. So, on this episode, I take stock of how he is, who he is, what's going on with him at this pivotal moment in his life in which he steps out into the world. Consider it a before picture, because from now on the changes we see in him won't just be our doing. This one is for all the parents that have felt the pride and pain of sending their kids to daycare and out into the world!

Happy New Year! This entire podcast is built on the fact that I made and kept a New Year's resolution ONE TIME, and even though I don't continue to make resolutions, I tell you why I'm a big fan of them. I also talk about how both of my kids never like me at the same time, and what I'm choosing to start doing, and even though I'm choosing to start doing it at this particular time of year, it is not, in fact, a New Year's resolution. All that and more. Thanks for listening!

SPOILER ALERT! The finale to season 1 of Apple TV’s Plur1bus drops tomorrow, and families are sitting together, some of whom are watching the show and want to see how it ends, while others haven’t seen it. What to do? I say, everyone watch it together! On this episode, I spoil the first eight episodes of the season and catch anyone up who hasn’t seen it but is currently holidaying with people who have. If you haven’t seen the show, listen in! If you have seen it, share this episode with someone who hasn’t!PROGRAMMING NOTE: At the time of recording, I mistakenly thought that the finale drops on its usual Friday, but it actually premiers on Wednesday, December 24th, aka Christmas Eve. Please excuse the error, and make sure to listen to this episode ASAP!#plur1bus #pluribus

On this episode, a cautionary tale about how I ignored warning signs and managed to injure myself just in time to put a damper on the last week ahead before Christmas. Listen up and you'll find out how dumb I am, lest ye be like me!

I have decided to coach my son's basketball team in the new year, and on this episode I explain why I would rather coach a sport that's new to me than one I have experience playing, how eager sports dads like me can start laying the groundwork now so that we are NOT the problem with youth sports later, and how dads who aren't into sports can let their kids play them without compromising their values -- even though their values are bad and they should feel bad, because sports are the best. Anyway, thanks for listening, and enjoy!

It's holiday time, which means it's holiday travel time! But for my family, for some reason, it's been holiday travel time for two months, and my 4-month old has held up really well, but at some point my 4-year old decided he had had enough and kinda sorta quiet quit on us. Turns out, he's the key to the whole operation! Some lessons learned from our first forays traveling as a family of four. Thanks for listening. Hope you enjoy!

On this episode, I talk about my 4-year old son's recently completed inaugural season of playing organized soccer. I'm not a soccer guy. Would that influence him at all? How much of this would actually be soccer education, and how much would just be babysitting? All that and more, on this week's episode of Zad Bod!

It's a Bod Pod! On this episode, I give an update on how well I've adapted to working out at home with kettlebells, how my wife is putting herself back together after childbirth, all the heavy things we have to prevent our 4-year old from trying to lift, and as detailed an analysis of our 4-month old's tummy time as you'll ever hear. Lots of unqualified opinions on this one. It's downright irresponsible!

Sure, bringing another baby into the world is pretty good for me and my wife, but what about our firstborn? How has it been for him? Well I gotta tell ya, it's turned him into a real piece of work, but seeing it up close, I can understand why. In this episode, I talk about the horrors that can be unleashed when you turn an only child into an older sibling, but also what about it I think can be minimized or even avoided altogether.

Zad Bod is back! In a triumphant return episode, I talk about the changes in my life going from one kid to two, and specific differences between having the first kid and having a second. Spoiler alert: It's all good. I love being a dad of two even more than I loved being a dad of one, and I feel more powerful than ever. Give it a listen!

My son loves coming with us to sporting events, and we love taking him. On this episode, I talk about what I think he learns from taking these trips to and from the stadium, and tell a couple of stories about a game we saw as the visiting team, that time he went to a game with six of his friends, and how I recently took the step of taking him to a game on my own. It was great, and I'll tell you all about it!

It's the dog days of summer, and my extremely pregnant wife is somehow handling it better than I am. I talk about a recent trip I took with the family, spend a little bit of time wondering what it would be like to live on a golf course, and then most of the time debating with myself over whether I'd want to own a swimming pool, which we can't even afford to do anyway. All that plus some jokes and some literary references, and you got yourself a midsummer night's podcast episode!

Ever since I started working out with kettlebells, my algorithm is absolutely littered with arguments about functional strength, functional fitness, functional training. What the function? It seems like a fight among bodybuilders, powerlifters, CrossFit, and whatever you'd call people who use kettlebells. Well, I got news for all of you - NONE of it is functional. People are functional. DADS are functional. Happy 50th episode to us all!

My wife is very pregnant and very busy at work, which is tough, but wow has she been unpleasant. And just saying that makes me realize that I never hear husbands complaining about their wives, but I hear wives complaining about their husbands ALL THE TIME. And it's fine that they do, but it's very concerning that we don't. Guys, it's time we take back what is a time-honored tradition...making fun of our wives! Happy Father’s Day to the best generation of fathers in history.

Back from a week on the road, and boy are my legs tired! No really, traveling with a pregnant wife and a three year old is exhausting. But the kid loves to travel, and he's getting really good at it. So on this episode, I mostly just marvel at the various ways in which travel is so good for the little man, some obvious and some not so much. So listen up, because it's a trip!

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think I love kettlebells? They may not be the best way to train for strength or the best way to train cardio, but maybe they are! But they're definitely a great way to train both at once, which means they are fast, Fast, FAST, and super convenient, and allow me to spend more time doing the important things in life, like playing golf!...I mean, spending time with my family!

Nikola Jokic is the best basketball player in the world. So they say. Scottie Scheffler is the best golfer since Tiger. That's nice. Why don't I like them more? I take a moment to examine that, but also, I don't think it's just me, because I often find myself getting a talking-to from the sports media over the fact that I don't like them more, which means it must be a popular sentiment. Anyway, it's a strange episode about a strange observation, but it's different than what you'll hear anywhere else, so give it a listen and enjoy!

It's two steps forward, one step back for kids in every single aspect of their development, isn't it? On this episode I go over some areas in which my three year old is doing well, and some in which he's struggling. He's drawing! He's misbehaving! He's trying to be funny! He's not that funny! He's all over the place. If some of that is going on in your house, you should give this one a listen. Enjoy!

We're about halfway through the 4U tee ball season, and I'm here to tell you how that's gone so far. In short, it's been good, but it's been good in that way where your voice goes up, like you're negotiating with the meaning of "good." I focus mostly on my son's first experience in a structured setting and his first time being on a team, but there's a bit of a scouting report mixed in too. He's a five-tool player -- as long as all five tools are hammers!

Back from another absence, I explain what tripped me up and then find another beloved holiday to complain about. Then I offer a way-too-late review of season 2 of Apple TV's Severance, as well as finding a way to connect Rory McIlroy winning The Masters to the status of my son's potty training. It's actually quite a profound lesson, and I'm a changed man for it. You don't want to miss it, so give it a listen!

The Masters is upon us, and it's time for a preview podcast unlike any other! For this edition of the most prestigious golf tournament in the world, I am only interested in two golfers. Ehh, maybe "interested" is the wrong word, because one of those golfers is Scottie Scheffler, but I do wonder aloud why I'm so indifferent to his dominance. But I spend most of the time talking about Rory McIlroy, thinking about what must go through his head right about now, and wondering what I would say if it was my son in this situation.

My 3yo son has recently started playing tee ball, and if you didn't know that they played tee ball at three then let me tell you, it's gone about as well as you'd expect. But it's not the kids that are the problem; it's the parents! I describe some troublesome parental behaviors but also praise the coaches, give reason for optimism, and my belief that tee ball is a better sport for a 3yo to try than soccer. Tune in and enjoy!

Back again from another lengthy absence to talk about the perils of doing too much and the risk of failing publicly. Then it's on to Spring, which has me feeling full of energy and optimism, except for when it comes to taming my backyard. Hope springs eternal, but so do weeds! Then I talk about my kid graduating from the nursery and moving into his big kid bedroom to make space for the new baby. All in all, it's good to be back!

We're halfway through the second season of my favorite TV show, Severance, and I want to share my thoughts on the journeys taken so far by Lumon's Macro Data Refinement team: Mark S. (Adam Scott), Helly R. (Britt Lower), Dylan G. (Zach Cherry), and Irving B. (John Turturro). Do I like this show, or do I love this show? I'm of two minds.

Part two of our fantasy football-based Post-Super Bowl LIX analysis focuses entirely on the Kansas City Chiefs. Where do they go from here? How different would I feel if they won? Or if they lost a close game? Why does this loss being a blowout make such a difference on my view of the 2025 fantasy outlook for Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Taylor Swift? Press play and find out!

Well, the NFL season ended around halftime of the Philadelphia Eagles' Super Bowl LIX drubbing of the Kansas City Chiefs, but that is also when my 2025 fantasy football season commenced! I had so much to say that this spills out into a second episode. In part 1, I examine the 2025 fantasy outlook for Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith (spoiler alert: it looks good), make the case for why kickers and defense should remain a part of fantasy, and more! Part 2 to follow. Enjoy!

Good news, everyone. We have another baby on the way! Good news for everyone except my 3-year-old, that is. He's still undecided. I talk about his excitement, his occasional outbursts, his latest regression, and what we plan to do about it. I also talk about my sympathetic pregnancy, weight gain, alcohol intake, and whatever else expectant fathers have to contend with. Couvade, so sad? Not this Dad. I'm over the moon! I just gotta avoid starting to resemble the moon. All that and more on a jam-packed show!