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A birthday dinner that fell apart in real time, a diesel truck that refuses to die, and a neighborhood Facebook war that ended in a plot twist. Lee, TK, Cody and Solange are back around the table.

Cody walks us through the worst Outback experience ever recorded — the whisper-talking waiter who took a knee beside the table, the beer they wouldn't replace, the prime rib they didn't have, and the lobster tail that vanished into thin air. Then it's the Duramax that's been eating his life since June 21st, a warranty company that told him it was his fault, and the ChatGPT-written emails that have become his weapon of choice.

He also went full keyboard commando on the neighborhood page over kids ding-dong ditching at 8:40 at night, got suspended for "hateful speech," refused to apologize — and then found out whose kids they actually were.

We close with the big one: if a guy gives up all of Saturday and Sunday to football, is he neglecting his family? Cody says yes. Lee says everybody gets a passion. TK says you knew who you married. Solange asks the question nobody had a good answer for.

SMOKING & DRINKING

Lee — George's Box Press Torpedo + Pernicious TK — Camacho Nicaragua + Corona Light (one of the three he didn't drop) Cody — Coors Banquet, with a vengeance Solange — Avo Nicaragua + Crown Royal, acquired "out of care"

00:00 — Mic problems
01:31 — Smokes and drinks
03:39 — Cody's back
05:40 — Outback disaster
08:14 — The creepy waiter
12:21 — Server fired
13:08 — No prime rib
15:05 — Missing lobster
17:07 — The Duramax saga
19:15 — Warranty denied
21:38 — ChatGPT email
24:42 — Subaru recall
28:02 — Snapped lug nut
35:47 — Enter the Karen
37:26 — Ding-dong ditching
41:22 — Cody's post
43:30 — Banned from the page
45:30 — Those were my kids
48:26 — Quiet hours
52:56 — Retro Pizza Hut
55:45 — TK's 662 series
59:25 — Left-handed bowling
1:04:35 — Beth and Rip
1:12:37 — VMI vs Tech
1:14:35 — Football vs family
1:19:00 — The ESPYs
1:26:49 — Nancy Mace listens
1:28:04 — Love Is Blind


#HotAshes #HotAshesPodcast #CigarPodcast #CigarsAndWhiskey #Podcast #CustomerService #OutbackSteakhouse #Duramax #DieselTrucks #KarenStories #NeighborhoodDrama #Bowling #FootballSeason #MilitaryLife #Marines #FunnyPodcast #UnfilteredPodcast

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We’re back in the lounge with cigars lit and drinks poured, catching up with Roger’s return from 29 Palms, talking military desert misery, porta-john legends, and why shared suffering is weirdly hilarious.

From there we tumble into a long-form hang about:

Dungeon Crawler Carl – why it’s a cult favorite, audiobooks vs “actually reading,” and how voice actors bring characters to life
Time, burnout, and boundaries – getting older, realizing there aren’t enough hours in the day, and how to protect your mental bandwidth
AI in real life – from medical note-taking tools to people falling in love with chatbots, and what that means for the future
True crime & mental health – a raw, opinionated dive into the Lindsey Clancy case, postpartum / mania, medical notes being picked apart in court, and the line between illness and accountability
Serial killers & infamous cases – Menendez brothers, Casey Anthony, Genghis Khan, Sam Little, media spin, and why using trauma as a legal shield is so dangerous
All with the usual Hot Ashes mix of dark humor, movie quotes, and complete nonsense about Sad Yank Hill, Reading vs Audiobooks, and Michael Jackson conspiracies.

Light your cigar, pour a drink, and hang out with us.

0:00 Welcome back, cigars & drinks on deck
4:28 Roger returns: 29 Palms heat and desert misery
10:32 Port-a-john horror stories & “Sad Yank Hill” lore
15:16 Dungeon Crawler Carl deep dive & book one vs book two
20:54 Audiobooks vs “did you actually read it?”
25:33 Time suck, long commutes, and reading habits
35:20 Not enough hours in the day & setting boundaries
50:20 AI, medical scribes, and recorded sessions in therapy
55:20 Lindsey Clancy case breakdown & pressured speech notes
1:03:40 Insanity, responsibility, and precedent in criminal cases
1:10:15 Serial killers, the “less alive,” and Time Suck podcast
1:18:06 Spaceballs, Mel Brooks, and sequel fears
1:24:20 Michael Jackson, Beatles masters & conspiracy angles
1:29:10 Genghis Khan genetics and dark history tangents
1:37:10 Menendez brothers, abuse claims & parole debate
1:44:00 Wrapping with jokes, movies, and future episode ideas

#HotAshesPodcast #VeteranStories #MilitaryHumor #DungeonCrawlerCarl #Audiobooks #TrueCrimeDiscussion #LindseyClancy #MentalHealthMatters #29Palms #CigarPodcast #WhiskeyAndCigars #ComedyPodcast #AIandEthics #SerialKillers #PodcastClips

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Welcome back to the Hot Ashes Podcast for our milestone Episode 50, featuring a very special guest: Georges, owner of Georges’ Cigar Shop and a true Lebanese legend.

Georges joins Lee, TK, and Dakota for an unforgettable conversation about cigars, Macallan 18, the Lebanese Civil War, dangerous combat missions, politics, faith, friendship, and how he created a cigar lounge that feels more like a family table than a business.

Georges shares how he went from joining Lebanon’s Christian forces at only 17 years old and serving as a bodyguard to Lebanese leader Bashir Gemayel, to becoming a tennis professional in Washington, D.C., and eventually operating some of the first cigar shops in North Carolina.

Along the way, you’ll hear incredible combat stories, firsthand accounts of historic political events, Georges’ dangerous journey out of Lebanon, and the remarkable story of how he built a new life in America. He also explains why, after everything he has experienced, he believes money means nothing without real friends.

If you enjoy cigars, war stories, Middle Eastern history, entrepreneurship, or raw storytelling from a man who has lived ten lifetimes, this episode is for you.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Episode 50 intro and microphone issues
00:28 What we’re smoking and drinking
01:47 Georges introduces himself and his background
03:58 Joining the Christian forces at 17
07:22 Lebanon’s mountains, cedars, and coastline
08:55 How political power is divided in Lebanon
10:49 Georges’ tennis career in Washington, D.C.
11:25 Opening his first cigar shops in North Carolina
12:31 Moving across the street to the current shop
15:44 Why Georges values friendship over money
17:18 Family tragedy and “eye for an eye” justice
31:58 Bashir Gemayel, Henry Kissinger, and Saudi Arabia
48:32 The Holiday Inn battle and an RPG in the garage
56:40 The warning before the Marine barracks bombing
1:09:02 A dangerous visa trip through Syria
1:13:01 Coming to America and building a new life

Subscribe to the Hot Ashes Podcast for more cigars, bourbon, military stories, history, and uncensored conversations from Georges’ Cigar Shop.

#HotAshesPodcast #GeorgesCigars #LebaneseCivilWar #Lebanon #BashirGemayel #WarStories #MilitaryHistory #CigarPodcast #CigarLife #Macallan18 #MiddleEastHistory #VeteranStories #Brotherhood #Faith #Episode50

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Welcome back to the Hot Ashes Podcast! In this episode, Lee, TK, Dakota, and Amy fire up some premium sticks, pour serious bourbon, and dive into everything from embassy security in Iraq and business class hacks to wild injury stories, military life, and spicy takes on work, family, and culture.

We kick things off with cigar and drink pairings (including the Herrera Esteli Miami by Drew Estate and Weller 12), then Dakota breaks down what it’s really like doing security in Iraq, winning a business-class ticket on Qatar Airways, and flying in those lay-flat pods. From there, we get into travel tips, Sleeper Hold neck-saving gear, and why humidity in North Carolina is its own kind of torture.

The episode takes a turn into homeowner problems while deployed (broken dryer, lawnmower drama, boat issues), plus relationship dynamics when one person is gone for months at a time. We also hit some heavier but honest conversations about:

• Women in the workforce & “glass ceiling” takes
• The cost of living and why young people stay at home longer
• Military as a way out of small-town dead ends
• Working with local and third-country nationals overseas and how small acts of respect go a long way

Later, Dakota shares some brutal injury stories:

• A 55-gallon drum explosion that caused third-degree burns
• A hedge trimmer finger incident
• A nasty ankle injury from ultimate frisbee that turned into surgery and a long rehab

We wrap with shout-outs to local friends and sponsors like George’s Cigars, Candy Adventure, and Lighthouse Realty, and a teaser for Episode 50 with George and his incredible life story.

Light up a cigar, pour a drink, and hang out with us for this long-form, unfiltered conversation.

00:00 – Mic check, camera setup, and back-in-the-studio banter
00:52 – Welcome back to the Hot Ashes Podcast + intros (Lee, TK, Dakota)
01:26 – What we’re smoking & drinking: George’s box press, Freak-ish beer, Weller 12
02:50 – Dakota’s return: Herrera Esteli Miami cigar unboxing & backstory
04:17 – Pairing cigars with bourbon/rum/coffee + bringing out the Weller 12
06:04 – Mixing bourbons (Weller 12, Antique 107, Eagle Rare, Blanton’s) & Instagram bourbon blenders
11:26 – What Dakota can talk about: job in embassy security in Iraq and the workout program
12:31 – Winning a business-class ticket & how Middle East tensions wrecked travel plans
13:46 – Flying Qatar Airways business class: pods, champagne, steaks, and bottomless bourbon
20:39 – Sleeper Hold travel device, neck pillows, and surviving long-haul flights
24:32 – Coming home to broken stuff: dryer full of water, lawnmower and truck drama with Amy
33:30 – Spicy segment: women, work, “glass ceiling,” nuclear family, and cost-of-living rants
45:50 – Military as a way out: small-town poverty, food stamps, and building a new life
52:04 – Working with locals in Iraq: feeding a hungry team and earning deep loyalty
1:03:29 – Desert heat vs North Carolina humidity: 121° in Iraq and 2–3 outfit days in NC
1:15:02 – Dakota’s burn story: 55-gallon drum explosion, third-degree burns, and ER chaos
1:22:38 – Hedge trimmer vs finger, ankle damage, and why Dakota is “accident prone”
1:28:29 – Episode 49 wrap-up and teaser for Episode 50 with George from George’s Cigars

#HotAshesPodcast #CigarPodcast #CigarsAndWhiskey #BourbonTalk #HerreraEsteli #DrewEstate #Weller12 #IraqDeployment #EmbassySecurity #VeteranStories #BusinessClass #TravelStories #MilitaryLife #BurnStory #InjuryStories #NorthCarolina #PodcastClips #LongFormPodcast

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In this episode of the Hot Ashes Podcast, Lee and TK are back in the lounge with cigars, craft beer, and two special guests: Cody and Jim Roche, a retired Navy Seabee commander and bona fide ultra marathoner.

We kick things off with our usual cigar and drink rundown, then drift into:

Hilarious stories about first cars, driver’s ed, and sketchy road tests
Life as a Seabee and how Jim escaped a miserable Gulfport tour for four years in Belgium
Deep dive into the world of ultra running – from 50Ks to 100‑mile races, Western States, C&O Canal 100, Umstead, aid stations, pacers, puking, mountain lions, and what it really takes to keep going for 24+ hours
How aging, training, and pace change over time – including Jim qualifying for the Boston Marathon and Cody just missing the cutoff
The Ironman refund rant, beard competitions, strip‑club cigarette machines, and way more side quests than we can count
If you’re into running, military stories, beers, cigars, and long-form storytelling, this one’s for you.

Timestamps:

0:00 – Welcome back to Hot Ashes + cigars & beers of the night
1:30 – Introducing Jim and Cody + nootropic pouches & quitting nicotine
4:10 – Beard competition update: trims, weddings, and first-time beards
6:45 – “If you woke up in 1996…” time-travel thought experiment
8:30 – First cars: Broncos, T‑Birds, Escorts, Ares, and sketchy driver’s tests
12:00 – Driver’s ed horror stories, bench seats, and imaginary brakes
17:00 – Manual vs automatic, Jeeps, tractors, and learning clutches
21:00 – Jim’s Navy Seabee career, Gulfport misery, and landing in Belgium
26:30 – Life in Belgium: languages, rural living, and serious Trappist beer
32:30 – What is an ultra marathon? Jim’s 50Ks and 100‑mile races explained
35:30 – Western States 100: heat, river crossings, shoe mistakes, and the brutal climbs
40:30 – Night running, mountain lions, and doctors cutting your wristband
48:00 – Calories, hydration, and the buffet-style aid stations
52:30 – C&O Canal 100, pizza at aid stations, and community around ultras
58:00 – Boston Marathon qualifying story + age group math and perfect conditions
1:06:00 – Training talk: speed work, fartleks, aging, and realistic pacing
1:14:00 – Pre-race rituals (pizza, pancakes, tequila shots) & post-race war stories

Hashtags:

#HotAshesPodcast #Podcast #RunningPodcast #UltraRunning #MarathonTraining #NavySeabees #MilitaryLife #BelgianBeer #CigarsAndWhiskey #FirstCars #WesternStates100 #TrailRunning #EnduranceAthlete #BostonMarathon

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In Episode 47 of the Hot Ashes Podcast, Lee and TK welcome back Solange for a wild recap of her six-week Europe adventure. From surviving a record-breaking Paris heat wave and dancing at a masquerade ball to hitchhiking in Costa Rica, staying with strangers, and floating through Champagne caves at Veuve Clicquot, this one is stacked with stories. We also get into Syrian home cooking in the Netherlands, Turkish baths, paragliding in Switzerland, and TK’s humbling rip current surf scare that turns into a deeper chat about aging, fear, and respecting nature.

If you like travel stories, cigars, beer talk, and real conversations about risk and adventure, this episode is for you.

00:00 Intro, cigars, drinks & Hot Ashes banter
03:50 Solange returns & six countries in six weeks
11:50 Paris heat wave, French stereotypes & language quirks
18:30 Food across Europe: Syrian feasts, German potato salad & street food
27:30 Travel style: hitchhiking, staying with strangers & vibe-checking safety
39:30 Berlin, history in person & Checkpoint Charlie
50:00 Fear of flying, skydiving & getting older with risk
56:00 TK’s surf scare: currents, panic control & respecting the ocean
1:06:30 Swiss paragliding, Turkish baths & big experience travel
1:15:30 Champagne region, Veuve Clicquot caves & the masquerade ball
1:24:00 Travel tips: eSIMs, money exchange, hostels & lost bags

Hot Ashes Podcast – cigars, good drinks, and better stories.

#HotAshesPodcast #TravelStories #EuropeTravel #MasqueradeBall #ChampagneTour #ParisHeatwave #BackpackingEurope #Hitchhiking #SurfingStory #TurkishBath #Paragliding #CigarPodcast #CigarsAndConversation #BeerTalk #StorytellingPodcast #TravelTips

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