Planning a trip to Walt Disney World with kids?

After a full week at Disney, I’m breaking down what actually worked, what didn’t, and what I’d 100% do again.

In this Fun Friday episode of Just a Guy in a Truck, I share real-world tips from traveling with young kids and family—including how to survive the parks without burning out.

We talk about:

Why renting a stroller is a game-changer

Using mobility scooters for older family members

Whether Lightning Lane is worth the cost

How to pace your days without ruining the trip

And the unexpected highlight of the trip: Discovery Cove

If you’re heading to Disney—or just want to hear what it’s really like—this episode will help you plan smarter and enjoy it more.

Feeling overwhelmed at work, burned out, and struggling to keep up with everything happening in the world?

You’re not alone.

In this episode of Just a Guy in a Truck, I open up about juggling multiple jobs after downsizing, trying to stay informed without destroying my mental health, and the emotional weight of watching global conflict unfold.

But in the middle of all that chaos, a trip to Walt Disney World reminded me of something important:

We’re still human.

No matter how divided things feel online or in politics, most people still care about the same things—family, connection, and making memories.

This episode is about:

• Burnout and doing “more with less” at work

• The mental toll of staying plugged into the news

• Feeling powerless in a chaotic world

• Why real life feels different from what we see online

• How to find balance, perspective, and a little hope

Sometimes the answer isn’t tuning out completely—but learning how to stay grounded while everything feels like it’s falling apart.

After nearly a month away, I’m back — and honestly, I still don’t know how to make sense of what’s happening.

With tensions escalating between the U.S. and Iran, and rhetoric from Donald Trump growing more intense, this episode is less about answers… and more about processing.

I talk through:

Why I stepped away from the podcast

The breakdown of diplomacy after the Iran Nuclear Deal

The fear and uncertainty around rapid escalation

Feeling powerless trying to understand decisions that don’t seem to make sense

And the human cost — the everyday people caught in the middle

This isn’t a polished take. It’s raw, frustrated, and honest.

Because sometimes you can’t neatly explain what’s happening — you can only react to it and try to process it in real time.

Just a guy in a truck trying to understand a moment that feels bigger than all of us.

It’s Fun Friday — and instead of politics, we’re talking TV.

When the world feels overwhelming, sometimes you just need a little escapism. Here’s what’s been filling my limited free time lately:

Selling Sunset — luxury real estate, over-the-top drama, and homes so big the primary bedroom is larger than my entire house.

Gold Rush — massive machines, Yukon mining, environmental tension, and watching Parker Schnabel build a gold empire.

Alone (Season 11 on Netflix) — survival, starvation, mental toughness, and the question: could I actually last out there? (Spoiler: probably not.)

From billionaire real estate to strip mining to bushcraft survival, it’s an odd mix — but it’s been a good mental reset.

Sometimes it’s okay to step away from current events and just enjoy some “bad” TV, massive machinery, or watching people try to outlast winter in the wilderness.

Just a guy in a truck finding small ways to recharge.

Are young people actually less independent than previous generations — or are we just becoming the “back in my day” crowd?

After hearing the author of The Anxious Generation on The Daily Show, I can’t stop thinking about what I’m seeing in real life.

Today I talk about:

Countries like Australia banning social media for kids under 16

Schools limiting phone access

The growing research linking smartphones to teen anxiety

And real-world examples from my work as a wildlife biologist

When a young professional turns down a fully paid field job because he’s afraid to live without constant connection… what does that say?

When most summer interns quit because they can’t handle being out of cell service… what does that mean for resilience, risk-taking, and independence?

This isn’t about dunking on Gen Z. It’s about asking whether constant connectivity is quietly rewiring childhood — and what we can do about it.

Just a guy in a truck wondering if we’re raising an anxious generation — and how we help them reclaim confidence.

From the New Deal to 30-year mortgages and FHA-backed loans, government decisions helped create the modern American middle class. So why does it feel like it’s disappearing?

Today I talk about:

Why homeownership feels out of reach

Down payments, rent cycles, and generational wealth

The shrinking middle class and widening wealth gap

Why trickle-down economics isn’t working

And whether it’s time for a “New New Deal”

As an elder millennial who’s been fortunate in many ways, I still feel how fragile middle-class stability can be. If it’s this hard for those of us who’ve had advantages, what does that mean for everyone else?

Maybe the answer isn’t culture wars or partisan sound bites — maybe it’s rebuilding the middle class on purpose.

Just a guy in a truck trying to figure out how we make the American dream attainable again.

It’s State of the Union night — and I won’t be watching.

Not because it shouldn’t matter. It should. The president should lay out a real vision, real priorities, and a real path forward for the American people.

But lately, our politics feel more like campaigning than governing.

Today I’m talking about why so many Americans feel disconnected from Washington — rising healthcare costs, housing affordability, wage stagnation, the cost of education — and why it feels like politicians are chasing sound bites instead of solutions.

What should a State of the Union actually do? Inspire? Unite? Tell hard truths? Offer a real agenda?

Instead, many of us are just trying to get through swim lessons, mortgage payments, and another exhausting week.

Just a guy in a truck wondering whether the American dream is slipping away — and whether our leaders are even trying to fix it.

The Supreme Court just ruled 6–3 that the president does not have unilateral authority to impose sweeping tariffs under the law the administration was using. Most of the recent tariffs were struck down.

So what does that actually mean?

Today I break down:

What a tariff really is

Who actually pays for tariffs (hint: not foreign governments)

Whether trade deficits are actually “bad”

Why this ruling could have major midterm consequences

Tariffs function as a tax on imported goods — and that cost is often passed directly to American consumers. In the middle of an affordability crisis, that matters.

The Court may have handed the administration a political off-ramp. Instead, we’re seeing a doubling down — and now Congress may have to go on record.

Just a guy in a truck trying to make sense of trade policy, the Supreme Court, and who ultimately pays the bill