Hey, everybody. Welcome to the McCrigg podcast. I'm Jared D. Sexton. I'm here with Nick Houseman.

Nick, I said to you off mic before we started recording, every one of these shows now is just packed to the gills. And we have to talk about some stuff. I, I texted you this weekend. And this is the closest, I think, that I have come to calling an emergency podcast in a long time.

What took place this weekend.

But before we get to all that, how are you doing?

I was wondering, you know, a show doesn't start really properly without checking in.

Checking in.

And we check it with everybody, too.

I'm doing fine.

And, you know, the only thing i when interacting with you can be frustrating because when you ask somebody how they're doing

you really want to know how they actually want to know how other people are doing right it's not just

like uh hey how you doing whatever and so it puts pressure on other people like me.

They're like, I have to now equally feel like I want to know how you're doing. And I do want to know how you're doing. I really do. And I want to answer you in a way that has substance. Absolutely. These times, earnestness is important. Yes, I agree. I agree. And I kind of feel good. You know what? Remember in the movie, History of the Rule part one, when the Roman, they make a huge joint and they live it on fire and everyone's getting high in the trailing them. And so these two Roman, you know, soldiers are sitting there completely wasted. And the guy's like, what do you think? He goes, about what?

He goes, about the fall of Roman Empire. I think he goes, fuck it.

And I start giggling. That's kind of how I feel right now, like those guys just peering at what's

happening to our country. It's a lot, man. I've not been feeling great and on top of it.

There's been a thing, and as long as we're being earnest about this at the start of the show,

there's a weird thing that's taken place here.

And I'm glad that you and I have been on this journey.

As somebody who's like chronicled this and like, been like, hey, this is what's happening and here's

where we're going. Reaching that point of here's where we're going sucks. Right. Here's where we're at.

Yeah. Here's where we're at. It sucks. Yeah. And there's, there's a certain amount and I'm sure a lot of

people listening to this show because they've been on this journey with us.

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