Electronic Walkabout. No one should have to walk through life alone. We share the good times, the bad times, and the best times. Everyone needs a little direction now and again. And TC and Mad Dog are here to show you the way. A podcast where we talk about the important things in life. Come journey with us. The Electronic Walkabout. Well, we hope you're having a fantastic day wherever you are in the world. And welcome to 2025. This is time for podcast positive change, new challenges, learning new ways to enjoy life, and most important, being a better you than last year. Happy New Year, Mad Dog.

Happy New Year to you as well.

TC did you have a quiet new year?

It was nice. It was nice. Had three of the four boys home, which was great. Four is the goal, but I'll take as many as I can get. But yeah, it was a very needed rest, Lots of quality family time.

And you pretty well much the same. And young grandsons. Just a quick story on that. So we were kind of all over the map because the kids were with their aunt and uncle for actually Christmas morning. And so we still hadn't opened the presents yet, so we kind of wheeled them into their place and there was like so many presents and we just told them had to wait. Hey, we had you.

Nope. Nope. Every child's nightmare.

Every child's nightmare. Well, it worked out well.

I'm sure it did.

It worked out well. Well, this is going to be the first time we try to sit at e walkabout. We're going to do a two part episode and, and just to get things on the right, off, on the right foot in 2025. And we hope the listeners enjoy what we're going to talk about and consider this a challenge to find your own path for the upcoming year. During this episode, we draw on Matthew McConaughey's book, Green Light. McConaughey refers to his book as a playbook for life, based on his own adventures in his life. We share some of his thoughts and share our thoughts, our own adventures to help bring them to life. But first, as always, a thought for the day. Everything in moderation, Jim included.

That is true. Especially as you age.

Well, especially this time of year. Well, that's it when you think about it. So this is, this is the way it's going to work. Mad Dog. I will read something that's. I'll call it inspirational from Matthew's book.

Okay.

If we were good friends, I would call him Matt.

Right? True.

Yes. Yeah. So, yeah, and then free association. You just say what? First thing that comes to your mind and just we're going to see where it takes us. Are you ready for this?

I am. Let's give it a whirl.

Let's give it a whirlwind. It begins by. Life is a riddle. How to be fair, how to have less stress, how to have fun, how to hurt people less, how to get hurt less, how to be a good person, how to get what we want and how to be more.

Those are all fairly positive things.

Now do you think that, that it's, that's a roadmap for, for life or what do you think that is? What he's saying is life is, life is nothing but a bunch of riddles. We have to figure them out as we go along. So how do we be fair with someone? Where do we learn that? Where do we find the answer to that riddle?

Yeah, I think with all of those it's about interpretation and you pick things out of it that are relevant to your life or maybe that you had an experience with and whatnot. And not to sound too light about it, but if you wear more rose colored glasses and you're looking at things positively and whether it's self betterment of yourself or your family members or your co workers or friends, it's not a lot of bad things that can come out of all that. I definitely think attitude is, is plays a lot into kind of his, his little roadmap there and how you choose to look at those.

You know, that sounds pretty good. The one that kind of jumps out at me is how to hurt people less. Don't. And, and we, we've talked about this before and I've said it before. I don't think for the most part people go out and intentionally hurt other people. It's either either by accident or just, just by, by the dynamics of the situation. But the last thing we want to do is hurt people. So how do we hurt people less? That's a tough one.

That is because you know, it's stuff like if you were like oh yeah, you know, how's your mom? Oh well, she just passed away yesterday. You know what I mean? Like I think some of that there's non intentional hurt that happens, right. It's just, you know, you might not have information but I think again it's just about being a better person, carrying yourself in a better manner and to have minimal impact on those around you in a negative way.

Well, that's probably a good way to look at and I think also maybe being really alive to the environment the moment you're in because, I mean, we don't always think about what. What's going on with other was. We're. We're, you know, I'll just say, letting the words fly out of our mouths. Right. So. Yeah, so here's. Here's another one. Sometimes you got to go back to go forward, retrace where you've been.

Yeah, I'm just trying to think. You could pretty much see a lot of these are very broad stroked. Right. Like that. If you were having a problem, you know, let's say. I don't know, let's say you're an actor and you can get your lines right, you know. Okay. Does that apply? Well, maybe I need to step back into, you know, how I used to learn my lines. And, you know, it's a. It's a one step back to get too forward type thing. So. Yeah, these are all very, you know.

I love, I love the way he said that though, because I think that's where he wanted to go with that. Because it's. It's not about. It's not about finding out where you made the mistake. It's about what did you learn along the way, and then you want to pick that up again and move forward with it. Right. So.

Yeah, exactly. That's what I meant.

Yeah, that's what you said. Right. Oh, and I love this one. Earn scars in the rodeo of life.

Oh, absolutely. Yeah. I've never heard that one before, but I like it.

It makes a lot of sense.

It does. And you know, we've said things on different episodes where it's like you. I wish the kids would just go out and, you know, kind of get some dirt under their nails and experience life a little bit, maybe make a mistake. Those are said scars of. Of the rodeo of life, so to speak.

Yeah, well, of course, we're. We're probably most. Mostly talking about emotional scars, but along the way, there comes the physical ones too.

Right. Emotional runs, deep heap scars.

Yes. And this one is catching green lights is about skill, intent, context, consideration, endurance, anticipation, resilience, speed, and discipline. Now, just before, just to give you a little bit of background, let's talk about green lights. These are, these are these situations that are going to appear in your life from time to time that are basically as the stars align, saying, I get to move forward and there's something positive that's going to happen in my life. So getting back to this, it's about skill, intent, context, consideration, endurance, anticipation, resilience, speed, and discipline. Easier said than sure.

Yeah. But Yeah, A lot of this, you know, as, as I hear it being read, you can, it's obviously open interpretation, but attitude is going to determine what you're going to get out of those kind of guidelines, if you will. Right.

And it also sounds like, and I always say that you're the one that is basically going to create your own green lights, which also holds true that you're going to be the one that's going to create your own red lights.

Correct.

So, so you, you're the basically the author of your own misfortune or fortune, depending on how you look at it. Right. So.

And thanks to this, I'm never going to look at it traffically at the same. I created my own green life.

So I mean, it's the same old, same old. It's about you taking the time coming up with that, I'll say that vision and, and making sure that that vision number one is right for you and with all these things move forward to see that, that vision becoming reality.

Question, do you think people look at Matthew McConaughey and see his book and think, I can learn something from this guy or is it a really interested to see how this, you know, famous movie star ticks? Like, what do you think draw to his book?

Well, I don't know. And just from my perspective, it wasn't to see what the movie star ticked like it was, it was the look for that little gem or something that could. To help me be a better me.

Got you. So kind of like a bit of a self help quest if you're.

Yeah, that's right. So, yeah. And if you do take the time to read the book, obviously there's some colorful stories in there that you'll have a couple of laughs. And we're also. Whoa, whoa. This one, you talk about being deep, but it's, it's not just deep. This is a special one. If all that I want to do would be to sit and talk to you, would you listen?

I would say yes. I would say yes. Listening is a learned skill I've found over the years.

Yeah, there's no, there's no doubt about that. We, and, and I don't know if we've actually ever talked about active listening or not, but that's really what we're talking about. So if I come to you and I say, hey, I just got a few things I want to get off my chest just because it's going to make me feel better, the challenge to you to sit back and truly not only hear what I'm saying, But understand what I'm saying.

Yeah, it's, I've worked on that myself. Just because you know, to your point, you do have different conversations with people and when that comes up, it's like your first instinct is to share something that's happened in your own world. And it's like no, this person had to vent and I'm here to listen. So it's a challenge to not retort sometimes when, when you're in that situation.

And, and the retort seems to be a natural thing and it's almost, and I don't want to say it's a one upmanship but sometimes it kind of naturally unfolds that well. You think you got problems, correct?

Yeah. And that, that's the, that's when the wheels fall off the bus and all that person was looking for was somebody to listen and not don't to your point, one up them.

Yeah.

What they were saying. So that's a challenge.

If you could think about that because I, and I've heard it time and time again. If I were to ask you how many true friends you have in your life with that, would you be able to count on one hand, two hands or what's, what's reasonable, do you think? True friends. True.

Yeah, it's, I think some people are, you know, I think about that. You know, if people move and they travel and stuff like that, sometimes it's a little harder to maintain. Like I, I know some people that have gone to high school together and still to this day they're, they're thick as thieves and, and that sort of thing. But I, yeah, I'm, I'm a single handed person. Like I just have a million acquaintances. But insofar as close, close friends. Yeah, yeah, there's, it's not, not a huge number.

And I'm on the same page easily, easily left less than 5. And again, these are the people. Like if you hadn't seen them like in let's say six months and you saw them, you would sit down, have a conversation with them and it was just like you were worried away from each other, that kind of thing.

Yeah. The last one, when I went back to Calgary, I met a buddy of mine, we went out for dinner and you know, he started talking, sharing his stories and I listened and then halfway through he made a point of stopping. He's like, okay, that was me, how about you? But it's nice that way because then it's like it's not just overruled by one person. There's a genuine interest in each other's lives type thing. So that's something that I hold fairly dear, is when, when somebody recognizes or wants to hear what's going on in your life.

Well, because it says that they care about it, that's important itself. And getting back to that, I mean, I think human nature is. You just want people that, that actually are around you, that want to be around you and spend special times together.

Yeah, yeah, exactly. Yeah. So it's, it's a, A small number.

Yeah. Knowing the truth, seeing the truth, and telling the truth are all different experiences.

Yes, those are very, those are completely different scenarios.

And we're not talking about white lies.

No, no, no. No, we're not.

We're not.

No.

Okay.

No. No. Knowing the truth, seeing the truth, telling the truth.

Do you want to start with telling the truth?

Yeah.

Because I mean, that's not always an easy thing.

Not at all. Especially if it's somebody you care about. And news that you need to deliver or think you should deliver would be crushing to that person. Sometimes it's hard.

It's really hard.

But on the same breath, if you're a good friend, you're gonna just say what you need to say.

And because you care, you can do it in a, in a.

In a gentle, non malicious manner.

Non malicious matter. Right.

Yeah. And that's, that's something, as we get older, that, that's lessons we learn. Because I'm sure everybody, you know, as a kid, it's kind of general. Everybody lies and then teens, okay, it gets a little bit mischievous. But as you get older and through the years, it's like, I think a lot of people, so hopefully that there's not a lot of point in lying. Nothing really comes good of it if you're lying a lot.

No, there's. I, I know there's.

That.

There's been a couple of times over the last little bit when I've been up in front of a bunch of people and I've said, hey, can you, can you tell when people are lying to you? And most people mention their kids. I could tell my kids are lying. But outside of that, it's, it's, it's pretty hard. Right.

And especially if you're, you've got that positive mindset and you're trying to take people for their words, sometimes you're taking lies as words.

So, yeah, Seeing the truth. Now this, this one's a little bit more difficult because if, and I'll just say deeper as well, because there's a lot of times where we see the Truth. But we don't necessarily want to accept.

That truth or act on it.

Or act on it.

And that's. There's an uncomfortability there. Right. When, when something isn't right and you need to say something about it or should say or want to, but somebody's going to get irked or something's going to happen. But you know, I think it just makes up your character as to if you actually do something and say something, if you've seen the truth.

So it speaks to your character, it speaks to your integrity. If you see that truth and you know that it's going to have, let's say, a negative outcome on someone, you need to step up the plate and do something about that.

Absolutely.

Or even if it's a truth about yourself, hey, look, I've got a problem. I need to accept that there's a lot of times that people have those personal challenges.

Yeah. And you know, either embarrassment or shame or whatever. You might not want to speak the truth because it, you know, may, but not shine a positive light on you. But I think over time people, people learn that carrying that type of weight of knowing or seeing the truth and not sharing it has an effect on you.

Well, I'll tell you a little story. There was one police officer that was involved in an investigation. It was a serious investigation. And he was talking to one of these individuals that he believed might be responsible, also a serious offense. And the line that he used on him is, you know, the truth will set you free. So he left that alone. And a few hours later that, that gentleman can bang in on his office door and admit it to the, to. To the crime.

Right. Wow.

But outside of the crime, you think about that, that the truth will set you free.

Yeah. And I think to, to what? We were just talking about it. I think once people, you see when they get something off their chest, they're like, oh, I feel so much better. You know, I was holding that in or I didn't want to say anything or blah, blah, blah. But you know, I think that there's a sense of freedom in that, in just speaking it.

So when we're talking about the, like these different experience specific to truth. The truth and understanding what the truth means in our life is something that we really need to embrace and understand. Is this going to make things a lot easier for us?

Absolutely.

And that leads us to the first one, knowing the truth, which is not always an easy thing to come to grips with. Right.

No. And that might be your version of the truth. Right. You Know. Right. But maybe there's more investigation needed. But yes, you know, that's. Yeah, that one's. That one's a challenging one.

But again, like, if the listeners would think about this, if, if the truth was an important thing in their lives, it's something that literally they need to embrace and learn to manage for a better life.

Absolutely.

Okay.

You take the good with the bad.

The good with the bad. No. No kidding. Okay, so this one we can probably have a little bit of fun with. Okay. There's bullshitters and there's liars. Difference. The liar tries to hide his bullshit while the bullshitter lets you know he's lying.

I like that one. I think I know a lot more bullshitters than liars now that I'm thinking of that.

So let me, Let me. What I used to say to people. Okay, so if I'm telling you something and you know that I'm lying and I know that I'm lying, is it truly a lie?

No. And then I'm going to call then that. Right. So that's fair. Yeah, so that's fair. That's like a white lie. That's. That's, you know, begging to be found out or whatever. But, yeah, no, I fully agree that there's two different types of people. People that it might seem like the same thing, but it's vastly different.

Well, let me ask you this. How many years do you play poker?

We're going 20 plus years. Yeah.

So I would think just based on that and poker face in mind, that you had no problem spinning a pretty good thing of bullshit and people wouldn't understand.

And I'm in sales as well, so that does stuff. Yes, I have mastered the art of bullshittery over, over my years, but not.

In a harmful way, not in our way.

At the poker table. It's. That's free reign.

So what, what's, what's better, the bullshitter or the liar purse?

I prefer the bullshitter.

Because you see them coming.

For sure. For sure. A liar, there's usually a little more malicious intent. Sometimes bullshitters are just, you know, full of hot air and they're just spouting stuff off and stuff. But liars, I think there's, there's. There's harm that can be done.

There's harm that can be done there. I'll. I'll just say they're on a mission at times. Right.

Et cetera.

And not a, Not a, Not a good mission. Okay. This one style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and.

Not giving a damn If I had a dollar for every time I said something similar to that to my wife and kids and. Because that is the crux of growing up is that, oh, everybody's got, you know, this person's got the issues or this car or whatever. And, you know, how do I look? And, oh, maybe if you spend that much time worrying about what other people think about you, who are you? Like, what is your purpose? Right. And yes. So it's. That's. I like that one because I. I don't have a lot of, let's call it, quote, unquote, style in the fashion terms, because that's, I think, what people will associate it to. I have my own personal style of, of doing things. But. But yeah, from like, even just from a clothing standpoint, I don't care what, like, I obviously, I want to make sure I look decent, but I don't care. I don't need to wear a label or, you know, a badge or nothing that says, oh, look, I'm representing this brand.

Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. And this hurt about not giving a damn, that there's a certain amount of comfort and confidence that comes with that. So that in itself, I think, I think when he's talking about styles, the style that you have. And that's what it is.

Yeah. Yeah. And I've told my wife a million times, I said, as long as you and I are on the same page and we're happy with what we're doing and we're living our life, that's all I care about. Everybody has a chance to talk shit. You've got access to the Internet. You can see everybody will make a comment on everything. And why would you live your life paying attention or listening to it?

Doesn't make sense.

No, not at all. Not at all.

Sometimes I. I wish that you and I had were on opposite ends of the scales because I think would be a much more interesting, I'll say. Conversation. But it seems like we're so.

Yeah.

Yeah.

But. Yeah, no, it's. Yeah. Because if we were on that opposite side of the scale, would we be sitting here having this conversation?

Oh, it'd be a little bit, maybe even heated. Right? Yeah. I don't know. Right. Yeah. When we know what we want to do, knowing when to do it is the hard part.

Yeah. You can apply that to many different things in your life. Asking a girl out, you know, going for a new job, wanting to make a move. Yeah, that. That's kind of all encompassing it.

So. Yeah, you're absolutely right. So when I, When I read it when we know what we're doing. Knowing when to do it is the hard part. So what makes it hard, I think, is that that fear of the unknown, and we've talked about that before. Right. Because it means change. And we've already decided this is what we want.

Yeah. And so when are you going to.

Pull the trigger on it?

That's it. And it's, it's not comfortable. You're, you're, you might have to really step out of that comfort zone. And it's a big question mark. And I think that's what kind of, you know, maybe delays people in making decisions, because they're just. It's scary.

The challenge with that, if you sit there and put yourself in that spin cycle because opportunities do have a shelf life, something's gonna slip through your fingers.

Yep. And sometimes those are hard learning lessons.

So let's just hope that they're few and far between.

Yes, exactly.

Well, Maddog, I can hear that music playing again. And what that means. This is the end of part one of a two part episode that is focusing on Matthew McConaughey's book Green Lights. Stay tuned for the next episode as we continue to share some of the inspirational quotes that he shares in his book and bring it to life as we journey on electronic walkabout.