This episode wasn’t planned. But it turned out to be exactly the one that needed to happen.

After Eric the Gentleman’s episode (Ep25), Jay had hoped to sit down with Nick for a follow-up — a chance to process some of the deeper things Eric shared about growth, emotional blocks, and nervous system safety. When they tried in Jay’s Failed Follow-Up (Ep26), it didn’t quite land. Jay showed up ready. Nick wasn’t in that space yet.

And then… a text from Nick:
“I’m mad at u, but we will discuss it on the next podcast.”

What starts as a regular catch-up quietly becomes the follow-up Jay hoped for, but only Nick could decide to start. This time, Nick brings it forward on his own terms — naming the pattern he’s carried of leaning on humor or distraction when things get heavy… and choosing not to do that here.

Like Jiu-Jitsu, this wasn’t about forcing a breakthrough. It was about holding steady in the uncomfortable position long enough for the real shift to happen. The first attempt felt like resistance. But this time, Nick chose when to engage, how to engage — and because of that, the conversation unfolded honestly.

It’s the follow-up they couldn’t force — but the one that honors what Eric the Gentleman shared back in Ep25: the hard truth that healing, growth, and change can only happen at the pace your nervous system feels safe enough to allow.

Getting some hours in.

In this episode, Nick and Jay sit down with Rebecca Billick — a lawyer and mediator whose life reads like five careers rolled into one. Foster parent to 18 kids. Former maximum-security prison math teacher. Wilderness camp counselor for at-risk youth. And most recently, owner and resident of what used to be a 1930s bar and inn — now her home.

But Rebecca doesn’t tell these stories to impress. She shares them the way she seems to approach most things: with honesty, humor, and a steady refusal to glamorize the work. From staining every piece of wood in her home until she gave herself tennis elbow (“couldn’t hold a pen — good times”) to navigating divorce and uncertainty before finding the place she now calls home, Rebecca’s story is less about resume points and more about resilience.

She also reflects on why this path makes sense for her — not because she set out to be a lawyer or a mediator, but because, as she puts it, “I’m just who I am.” The work, in many ways, found her. She didn’t go looking for ways to help people — she simply showed up where she was needed.

The conversation touches on foster parenting, prison education, and the challenge of supporting others without losing yourself along the way. And like the life she’s built, this episode isn’t polished or packaged — it’s honest, thoughtful, and shaped by one simple truth: Rebecca is just who she is.

Getting some hours in.

In this episode of The Predictably Random Podcast, Nick and Jay sit down with professional poker player Chris Bolek for a conversation that moves well beyond the game. While Chris has spent years competing at the highest levels, this episode focuses on something more personal: the emotional weight that can come with chasing success in a high-pressure world.

Chris opens up about the internal battles that aren’t always visible from the outside — the quiet struggles that don’t show up in headlines or highlight reels. It’s a rare and honest look at what it means to stay grounded, even when you feel lost.

Nick and Jay mostly listen, holding space for a conversation that unfolds with care. And near the end, Jay offers a personal reflection he doesn’t usually share — touching on the deeper work of healing, identity, and showing up fully in your own life.

This episode isn’t about poker strategy. It’s about what it means to be human — especially when no one’s watching.

Getting some hours in.