Todd: 0:20

Here we are, episode two of Ash and Iron. I've got an incredible guest with me today, and it's Mr Dwayne Maddox Dwayne. Thanks for being on the show.

Dwayne: 0:31

My pleasure man, I'm glad to do it.

Todd: 0:33

So I'm going to get right into it. I want to just first start off by asking you how would you describe yourself to someone who's never met you before? The people listening in. That's a tough one.

Dwayne: 0:48

I'm a very self-driven, motivated person. I am the typical engineer. I am sure if I were born in a later date they'd say I'm on the spectrum, because the things you think of with a typical engineer, that's me. But I also, you know, most of my life I've had a love affair with metal, so lifting it, welding it, blacksmithing and forging with it. Most of my life has been around steel.

Todd: 1:25

Okay, and so, like with your love for engineering, like, where did that come from?

Dwayne: 1:31

You know, I think engineers are born. You just, even at a young age, you know I'd have to have things a certain way. I'd have to know why I can't just change things around. It doesn't work in my mind and you know things that they give people medicine for now. That's just the way I was growing up and it translates very well into the engineering field. It does.

Todd: 1:59

And did you have a certain person in your life that kind of inspired? That in you?

Dwayne: 2:04

Nobody around me was an engineer. My father was an electrician, my brother went into work in manufacturing. No, there was nobody in around it and that's why I say I think engineers are born. We are just one tick away from being autistic. You know, we're very close to that. I actually have friends in the family and their son has Asperger's, which is a form of autism, and it's funny because he and I get along great. A lot of the same things that he has, I believe I have to a lesser degree, so I can really understand him perfectly well. I don't have any problem with the way he does things, so there's something there. But yeah, I think engineers are born. It's almost like an illness.

Todd: 3:00

Do you have a specific time that you can look back on where you realize, man, I just don't think the same way as everyone around me.

Dwayne: 3:11

No, not that I can think of, it's just always been that way, and even when I was younger I've been accused of being too logical about things not real heavy on the emotion side, and when I do it's usually ugly. So I tend to stay away from that type of thing. Yeah.

Todd: 3:34

I get that All right. So what was young Dwayne Maddox like?

Dwayne: 3:37

Oh, I was a big old nerd. People look at me now and they see the tattoos and size and everything and they don't seem to believe it. But I was the biggest nerd. I read comic books, watched nothing but sci-fi. I was really big on reading. I started reading oh, I was reading when I went into first grade. As a matter of fact a funny story. So my father was in the Air Force. I went into first grade as a matter of fact, a funny story. So my father was in the Air Force and I went to school on an Air Force base and I don't remember what it was.

Dwayne: 4:19

A teacher asked us about a word or something and this particular base had bombers at it. So that'll give you a little background when I get to this. But the word and the phrase that I was talking about was radioactive and of course the first grade teacher wants to know why. I, as a first grader, understand what the word radioactive is. So they end up calling my dad in from work and someone from his work was with him and they're like what have you been telling your son? He's. I've never said anything about that. So they start and ask me and I'm like yeah, it's in Spider-Man, like what yeah, spider-man comic, he got bit by a radioactive spider. So then I had to go look up what radioactive meant so I could understand the comic book and that was my new word. But yeah, I guess they thought I was stealing secrets or something in first grade.

Todd: 5:21

That's awesome and it's funny too, like for a lot of the younger viewers.

Todd: 5:27

like looking it up back then was like encyclopedia botanica yeah, absolutely, that's what I looked it up in yeah, and it's so cool, so all right, I'm intrigued now about this, uh, this nerdy side of dwayne maddox here for those of you who aren't here like and can't see him this guy's got a mohawk, a big-ass beard. He's jacked, covered in tattoos. Does not look like a guy who is going to nerd out over some comic books. So it's intriguing. So what was the first comic book you ever read?

Dwayne: 5:59

Oh, lord, lord. If it wasn't an early Spider-Man, like maybe Spider-Man 3 or 4 right in there, it was probably Fantastic Four. Oh, early ones, I mean early ones, these were. I can remember buying them for a dime.

Todd: 6:25

Wow, yeah, the Tencent comics. I haven't seen them personally.

Dwayne: 6:29

They were all Tencent.

Todd: 6:30

Yeah, I remember seeing images of that.

Dwayne: 6:36

And my brother's, seven years older than me. So when he got too big for comics, in his words, he just kind of passed them down to me and I read through what he had, which were even older. So yeah, I was hooked on that at a very young age. One of I can remember my mother asked a counselor at the school. She was concerned about me reading comics. And the counselor looked at her and said he's in third grade and he's reading, don't complain. Yeah. And so after that she just let me do what I wanted.

Todd: 7:12

So that's so cool and then all right. So what about current day? Like, do you still? Do you have any shows or any sort of comics or books that you like to read now?

Dwayne: 7:27

comics or books that you like to read. Now, I don't watch much TV rarely. There's just too much crap on there that I just can't get along with these days. Yeah, I don't do comics because I go through them too quick and when they're like two bucks a book and they last me a couple of minutes. But I do read a lot. Typically I'll read a full book every couple of days. Okay, I'm one of those people if I don't care how tired I am or how late, I have to have at least like a half hour to read before I go to sleep and while I'm waking up in the morning I'll read for a half hour or so whenever I get a break, and most of mine, I'd say all of mine. Sometimes I'll read history I was always fascinated with the conquerors but it's usually fantasy or science fiction. Okay, stuff that I can't do. You know, if it's stuff I can do, then I'll go do it. I'll read about it, you know.

Todd: 8:32

Yeah, well, all right. So what is your all-time favorite fantasy book or sci-fi book?

Dwayne: 8:39

Oh, this will get you. So Dragon Riders of Pern is absolutely my favorite. It was written by a lady named Annie McCaffrey she's passed now but she was a genius and it's one of those books that it keeps you guessing and figuring out the long game. It starts out making you think it's like a medieval age time frame, with dragons introduced, and by the time you get done with the series you find out it's actually a science fiction about interstellar travel. Oh, that's cool. It keeps you moving through that whole range.

Todd: 9:18

It's amazing book, it's a classic you ever get to send me the link to that so I can check it out.

Dwayne: 9:23

Yeah there's. I think there's like 12 or 13 in the series, I believe, but it's outstanding books.

Todd: 9:32

Did you ever read any of like the Dragonlance novels, or not so much?

Dwayne: 9:37

Yeah, I did read some, but none of them come to mind. That's, I'd say, the Pern series. That and I was always hooked on Dune. That was a big one at a young age.

Todd: 9:52

Did you hear? You saw that they remade that into like a film recently.

Dwayne: 9:55

Yeah, I've seen them.

Todd: 9:56

Okay, was that one any good? They're not bad, they're not bad.

Dwayne: 10:01

That world of Dune is so big and so immersive it's very hard to capture that on film. So this last one they didn't do bad because of the advances in CGI and stuff. I think they got as close as they could for a movie.

Todd: 10:18

And I'll bet you too, the way that your brain operates. It's like seeing those kind of special effects and things. I bet that just intrigues you, doesn't it?

Dwayne: 10:26

trying to figure out how they did this or that. Yeah, absolutely, um, but yeah, those two were were my big reads back then and you know, in school of course they're not gonna let you have comics. So the closest I could get to that, like when I had to go to the library or something, would have been mythology.

Todd: 10:47

Oh, okay.

Dwayne: 10:48

You know shit, you got Thor Odin, all the other different mythologies, so that got me more hooked on history and that took up a lot of my brain space growing up.

Todd: 11:02

That's fun. I feel like it's a form of escapism in some ways, too Absolutely. You know, it's like I'm tired of all of this around me. Let me read about some dragons and spells and that kind of stuff, and I've always been gravitated towards that as well. I'm curious you were talking about growing up on a military base. You were talking about growing up on a military base. What is that like? I've obviously never grown up on one. I've been to a couple. Is that?

Dwayne: 11:33

It's a, you know, I guess it's a lot like anywhere else. It's just and we didn't. I didn't know any different. But when you're living on base, everything is military right. The only police you see are military police and so, with my dad being in the air force, they have pretty good location for their bases air force got it, but they have nice spots for it, so it was always pretty. You know pretty good locations. You always had people around to get other kids if you're going to play or do whatever. Yeah, it kind of indoctrinated you into the military at birth almost.

Todd: 12:22

And then did you move a lot because of that.

Dwayne: 12:24

We did. I was actually born in a little town called Irvine, scotland, okay. So my father was stationed, I think he worked at Lockerbie Air Force Base and we lived I guess the midwife's home was in a little town called Irvine, which is on the coast, I think the west coast in Scotland, and we were there I believe I was three or almost, maybe four, when we moved back. So it's kind of funny. Were when we moved back, so it's kind of funny. We had a nanny that watched a lot of the kids my age and when I came back stateside I had a strong Scottish accent I was told and you know that doesn't go over big with kids. So I took a lot of teasing when I first came back.

Todd: 13:23

I was sitting here looking at you going. What would Dwayne sound like today if he had a Scottish?

Dwayne: 13:28

accent. I couldn't do it if I had to now. But yeah, they said I had a strong Scottish accent then that's cool.

Todd: 13:38

So I see your tattoos. You're covered on both your arms there. What do tattoos represent for you?

Dwayne: 13:48

Well, you know, of course, on my left arm is, I guess what you would call a tribal. That's just one. I enjoyed the pattern, thought it looked good. The ones on my right arm I've done for my family. So on my shoulder I've got a raven, which to me that symbolizes my wife and her spirit and the way she is. Below it I've got a warrior's helmet under a skull. So that's kind of my thoughts of me, like the aging warrior, and you know we all look toward our death and you know we all look toward our death. I've had a lot of close brushes with death below it.

Dwayne: 14:29

About three and a half years ago I had an amazing introduction to my life and my granddaughter was born. Oh, that's awesome. Her name's luna, luna catherine, so you know a moon and a tiger, so lunar and cat. And then she's always been a character, but for way too long she wanted us to feed her and she would sit there with her mouth open. And that plus the fact that I think for the first two years of her life her hair stuck up in the middle, so she looked like one of those cockatoo birds. So since she was born I've been calling her Little Bird. So there's a little bird in the mountain there, and then, of course, on my hand, I've got a demon. There you go, and for me, that just you know. We all fight our demons, yeah, and it keeps it in my mind that I need to keep fighting my demons.

Todd: 15:30

We'll go ahead and touch on that for a second. What do you think is a life lesson that you had to learn the hard way?

Dwayne: 15:37

Oh God, I'm still learning a lot of hard life lessons. That's a really tough one, I think, for me something I kind of prize. Anyway, you know, as a man you have to have your word and there's so many people nowadays that whatever they say just doesn't have a lot of weight to it, because if anything gets a little bit tough they're gone or they'll do something else. You know, and when I'm gone I promise you people will say, hey, he might have been an ass, but if he told you he was going to do something he'd do it. I'll be the first one to say it yeah, and you know that's important to me. Yeah, my grandfather probably brought that out in me. But your word is your bond. You do it, do it.

Dwayne: 16:52

My time in the military helped I credit that with helping me with having good self-discipline. My wife even says of course she loves me. So she has to be biased. But she says I'm the most disciplined person she knows, and that's disciplined with myself, you know. So if I'm feeling bad or feeling a little sick or something and there's something I have to do, I'm still going to do it. You know you just do it and go through. You can be sick when you're dead. I got to a point over a little over a year ago I got I was probably weighing in about 215 pounds and it was not all muscle. So I looked at myself and I said, well, that's gonna go, and you know I'm 60 years old, so it's not that easy at this age. But I said in three months I'm going to lose 40 pounds. In three months I had lost 55 pounds. So I went a little overboard.

Dwayne: 17:57

But you know, when I set myself to do something, I'm either going to do it or there's a major reason why not. You know I'm either going to do it or there's a major reason why not, you know.

Todd: 18:05

And I think you sharing that too touches on like a bigger, like cultural point that I see a lot in our current society, where it's like people don't want to do what's hard, people don't want to experience discomfort for the sake of, like, some form of gain or success. People's, people's word don't mean anything I shouldn't say everyone, but a large percentage. What do you think causes that?

Dwayne: 18:34

Well, in my mind, it's the people, my age, it's our fault. We wanted to make things so much better or easier for the kids we're raising. We forgot to add in repercussions for actions. A lot of us, you know, gen Xers we're called the feral generation for a reason, and I believe we went too far the other way. And I believe we went too far the other way.

Dwayne: 19:11

Too many of these kids, you know they started coming out with the gentle parenting and all that horse shit. Too many of these young men nowadays have grown all the way to adulthood and they've never been punched in the face, not once. They're missing out. I can't imagine what that's like. Some of the best friends I had in high school were after we had had a knockdown, drag out, fight yeah, you know, bleeding tooth coming loose. But if they do that nowadays they're going to jail. Yeah, they'll call the police, arrest them. When I got into something like that in school, teacher might look at you and go are you finished? And that was it. It was over, yeah. So too many people do not have or they don't stand up to the repercussions for their actions. And I think online, as great as the internet is, the online and social media has magnified that. I would agree with that, because you can say stupid shit, you can call people names, you can do whatever, but if you were in front of that person face-to-face, you wouldn't dream of it.

Todd: 20:16

Yeah.

Dwayne: 20:17

You know, and again I think that results. That is a result from too many people not getting smacked in the face. That is a result from too many people not getting smacked in the face.

Todd: 20:25

You know, it's interesting because I feel like that would have the tendency to kind of go back and forth generationally, right, because if you're easy on your kids then they grow up going. Man, I had it too easy on me. I need to be tough on my kids because I know what I got away with and it would seem like that would be a potential cycle.

Dwayne: 20:45

But if you look at, I think some of the younger ones are getting a little harder. I mean, you hear some of these words and stuff coming back that typically have been, you know, taboo, oh, like badass yeah. Well, I hear a lot of them saying the retard again, and for a while that was, you couldn't come close to that. You know I've heard them calling each other fag and you couldn't say that the last what 10 years? Or they would ostracize you. So I think they're starting to toughen up a little more.

Todd: 21:18

And you know it's. It's interesting. You said that too because and I could I could be wrong, I only speak for myself. But a lot of times whenever I was younger and we'd call each other retarded and all that, it's like nobody ever like not even for a second thought about somebody with a mental disorder.

Dwayne: 21:35

Oh lord, you know what I mean like we were just messing with your buddy. You know and and we'll probably get in trouble for this man when we were young, call someone a fag. You didn't think they were homosexual. That never. Most of the time you didn't even know what the hell it meant.

Todd: 21:51

It was just an insult to get somebody you know pissed off, Get them riled up so they can get punched in the face. So they grow up decent.

Dwayne: 21:57

Well, and that's you know, people don't realize they're trying to make things better. Most young men can't handle just sitting in a room going to class. The reason they have these outbursts, you know, and everybody's wondering why we have schoolroom shootings and all that I think a lot of that crap is because you're not letting them be men, you're not letting them be boys, right, especially in high school. They're starting to get flooded with more testosterone than a damn bull shark has. There's got to be a way to get that out, and if they don't have any way to come out, it's going to come out on its own, and that's when you get them doing stupid shit. Yeah, because they're literally not in their right mind.

Todd: 22:50

You know it's interesting. You said that I heard a gentleman yesterday and again I don't know how true this is, don't quote this. Everybody listening don't quote this but I heard him saying that 100% of all school shootings that the shooter was taking some form of pharmaceutical that had a side effect of violence. I've heard that. Yeah, it's like what? Like 100%.

Dwayne: 23:16

Yeah, and you know it concerns me. I have no doubt the way I was growing up, I was an angry little shit most of the time. They probably. I don't know if my mother would have let them, but growing up in a family today they probably would have medicated me. You just have to find a way to release that, you know. Thank goodness I met somebody at a younger age that was teaching martial arts and my mother was smart enough to see that I needed some kind of outlet and she felt me getting beat up a little bit was a good thing. And there I did, and that helped me to focus a little more.

Dwayne: 24:02

What kind of martial arts did you take? So I started out it was just karate. Okay, what we call karate now it's actually kung fu Chinese. Karate is really Japanese. So most of what everybody calls karate now is Kung Fu from the Chinese martial arts. But there was a TV series out when I was younger called Kung Fu with David Carradine. So nobody wanted to be confused with that TV series and all that. So they just called it karate. But it started with that. I got all the way up to a black belt and then went into the military. I trained some in Japanese Bushido while I was in service and then did some jujitsu afterwards.

Todd: 24:56

Now is Bushido, while I was in service and then did some Jiu-Jitsu afterwards.

Dwayne: 24:59

Now is Bushido. Is that like sword fighting? That's the top of it, yes, but it's Bushido's very good about balance and you know more about the flow of fighting. It was the only thing available at the time where I was at, but it taught me a lot more than I thought it would.

Todd: 25:20

When I was younger I took martial arts for a short while. I was in a form of martial arts called Bondo actually, and it's spelled B-A-N-D-O. I wasn't in it too long, but it was more of like a very strong stance, bruiser kind of martial art, or at least that was my interpretation of it when I was younger, because I was small and everybody seemed bigger than me. So it may not have been that at all. But as I've gotten older I've talked to my girls. I've got three little girls, as you know, and I'm like dude jujitsu. I agree, it's like if I could put them in anything, I'd put them in jujitsu.

Dwayne: 26:02

I definitely want my granddaughter to take jujitsu 100%.

Todd: 26:08

And then for everyone listening right now that doesn't know what jujitsu is like, will you explain that to them?

Dwayne: 26:14

Well, jujitsu is a grappling art, so probably the most renowned practitioners are the Gracies. The Gracies, yeah, they brought everything out, but especially if you have the length, it doesn't take the serious muscles that actually hurts you some in that, but it is in a really super advanced form of grappling. It's used leverage to attack weak points on the body.

Todd: 26:43

And it's. I would say it gives you the best fighting chance against someone that's bigger than you, absolutely yeah and it is a.

Dwayne: 26:50

I think you know I hate to quote other people, but Joe Rogan said it's a human, absolutely yeah and uh, it is a. I think you know I hate to quote other people, but Joe Rogan said it's a human chess. Yeah, that's probably one of the best things, cause you're thinking two or three moves in advance. If I do this and he counters with this, then I can do this and I'm going to end him, or you know what's what's interesting about that statement, though, is it's only human, human chess.

Todd: 27:12

If there are two people that know jiu-jitsu, that's right. If it's one person who's just aggravated and they don't know anything versus somebody who's skilled in jiu-jitsu, it's a one-sided fight, even if you're kind of a beginner you know a lot of people walk around day to day and like, well, I'd whip his ass.

Dwayne: 27:31

They've never been in a fight in their life. You know they think, well, yeah, he's not going to tell me I'm going to bust him. If they come across someone that has any kind of training, you're going to lose, yeah.

Todd: 27:44

That quick. It's interesting that you said that, because when I was in Bondo, I remember getting into a fight at school and forgot everything the second that fight started, because it was like I just went into, like adrenaline pumping, like I'm not even that's what most people do yeah, and it would be different.

Todd: 28:03

Now I think that I'm older, like I'd be a little less adrenaline filled, but you know, when you're in middle school or high school, you know it's like all you can think of is your heart's racing and you're like I'm trying to hurt somebody.

Dwayne: 28:14

And when all you can hear is your heart thumping. You're not thinking, you're just reacting, which means if that other person's able to control that, you've lost they control you.

Todd: 28:27

You know I I won that fight, but it wasn't the way that I wanted to win, he must not have been trained either. Well, when he hit me, he hit me so hard. I spun around and hit him with a back fist accidentally, and then he stopped hitting me. He was like, damn, he has good reactions. And I I was like how did that just happen? Like I didn't even mean to, he just hit me so hard. I just spun around and hit him and he was like, oh, it stunned him.

Dwayne: 29:47

He was kind of like. You know, it's funny the way you mention that when you've trained enough and you're successful, you don't really think about a lot of it. It is reactions, your body goes into muscle memory.

Todd: 30:02

Did you watch? Do you watch any of the UFC stuff? Oh yeah, did you watch when Max Holloway knocked out Justin Gaethje?

Dwayne: 30:08

I did not see that one.

Todd: 30:10

Oh my Lord, those are two damn warriors there, Bro yeah, it was so crazy because in the first, I believe it was in the first round Somebody's going to correct me in the comments, but I believe it was in the first round right as the bells getting ready to ring. And this is so crazy to watch Like I'll have to pull it up after this and I'll show you. But the um, what do they call the? The commission opened up the gate to the octagon to go in as the bell was ringing because the fighters were over here and they thought clear, let's just go ahead and get in there, right.

Todd: 30:43

Well, right before the bell rang, max holloway does a spinning back kick as justin gaethje dips his head down and lands it right square on his nose, breaks his nose, but it knocks him backwards and when the commission opens up the gate, he starts going out of the octagon. It was like, oh my gosh, just almost, and that was how round one ended. So from the rest of the fight, max just continued to just like dominate, and that's crazy. That's saying a lot when you're beating Justin Gaethje like that, because Justin Gaethje is double tough.

Todd: 31:13

Dude, so durable and very. You know. Here's what's weird. My perception of Justin Gaethje was that he was just like a punching bag, but somehow he would win. But I didn't realize how good he was. No, he is outstanding. And whenever I went back and I started looking at his fights, the thing that shocked me was his record. It's like wait, he's only lost like four fights. I was like I don't know why. I thought he lost a lot.

Dwayne: 31:41

And it's like no he is.

Todd: 31:41

I think Max has lost more than he has. I would say they're probably even at this point, if not a few more.

Dwayne: 31:48

Max Holloway went through a period there. I don't know if it was his training camp or who, but he lost quite a bit.

Todd: 31:56

It was all Volkanovski In a group there. Oh yeah.

Dwayne: 31:59

That guy's a savage. Yeah, that's another. You don't lose any pride losing to him. He is a badass.

Todd: 32:09

Yeah, I remember watching the earlier UFCs, like UFC 1. Yeah, like with my uncle Hoist.

Dwayne: 32:17

Gracie.

Todd: 32:18

Dude, they were allowed to kick each other in the face. Oh yeah, punch each other in the nuts.

Dwayne: 32:22

You could hit butt.

Todd: 32:23

Yeah, it was crazy.

Dwayne: 32:25

Grab him by the hair Like I was. Just like that is. Yeah, they kicked a down opponent. Yeah, it was a fight then. Yeah, they called it. That's why it got banned off TV. They called it human cockfighting. I remember hearing that One of the politician's wives she went, you know, stumping to try and get it removed and it was banned off TV for quite a while.

Todd: 32:55

Yeah, I heard an interview where Dana White was actually talking about how, in those early days, like when he first started taking it over, like nobody would let him use the venue to like host their fights.

Dwayne: 33:06

Yeah, Cause he couldn't televise it.

Todd: 33:09

Yeah. And then Donald trump actually was like yeah, I got, I'll let you. I think he let him do it at the uh trump. He did yeah at the trump center or trump hotel or trump tower, yeah, and I thought that was crazy and that's.

Dwayne: 33:22

You know, dana white. Uh, they, it's funny when people try to give him shit. But they try to give him shit about sporting donald trump. He's like he told that story and he said yeah, I'll support him. You're damn right, you don't like that, fuck you well, you know, we're just that straight with it.

Todd: 33:39

It's interesting that you said that too, because I feel like back in the day, like, uh, politics, religion, like certain things like that, like your sexual orientation, like that was the stuff you kind of kept to yourself, yeah, and I think, because of social media, like we feel obligated to share everything we do with everyone, and I say we, but I mean like just the general public, I think now my opinion for what it's worth.

Dwayne: 34:05

Sure, too many of them. It's this damn victim mentality and they want to be part of that special group, but they don't want to do something special to get it. So if I tell people I have a different sexuality, or if I have this, or you know I had some childhood trauma, well shit, that's life.

Dwayne: 34:28

You know, the first thing I know about you should not be who you choose to sleep with, right, personally, as long as you're sleeping with a consenting adult, I could not give a shit less. Who you choose to be with, that's up to you. It's not my thing, but if you enjoy it, you do you.

Todd: 34:48

I feel like that's the majority of people.

Dwayne: 34:49

Yeah, but I shouldn't know right off that you're gay or whatever. That has nothing. I don't care what you're doing, I don't want to know about any of that. That shouldn't be the biggest thing in your whole identity.

Todd: 35:06

That is the key, right there. Identity, oh yeah, everyone wants to fit in somewhere, and I think that they label themselves as I'm this, I'm. I'm a republican, I'm a democrat, I'm a homosexual, I'm a whatever. So they can belong. And if you join a side, then you obviously have opposition I think it's even further than that.

Dwayne: 35:28

a lot of them, especially, you know, the gay and lesbian community. I've known some gay and lesbian and the ones that I get along with, that's just what they do at home. It's not smacking you in the face every minute of it, you know. It's not every part of their being. I think a lot of them nowadays want to be part of that little protected class, like if they come out and say they're bisexual, well then you're not allowed to pick on them. I'd get over it. So many picks on you, pick back. Quit being a little bitch.

Todd: 36:09

Dude, I got picked on a lot. I was small, so a lot I was small, so did I. I was so small, I think I weighed 120 pounds when I married my wife. I don't know why she married me.

Dwayne: 36:17

When I went into the Army I was right at six foot tall and 130 pounds. I was as big around as a minute. I had to go in under a special waiver saying that I would gain because to go in under a special waiver saying that I would gain X because I was underweight. And in basic training the drill sergeant would go through the lunch line with me and while everybody else was bitching that they didn't get enough to eat, he'd tell the lunch ladies there he's like no two of those. More potatoes, more beans.

Todd: 36:48

We got to get this boy in shape.

Dwayne: 36:50

And I had to sit right next to his grumpy ass and if I just slowed down to breathe, he's like eat boy, You're too damn skinny Eat. And I just shoveled food until I was sick of it, you know yeah.

Todd: 37:04

It worked, yeah Well, all right. So fitness has been a big part of your life, at least since I've known you when.

Dwayne: 37:13

So fitness has been a big part of your life, at least since I've known you. Where did that come from? Well, if I'm being honest, I have always, and even now, when I look in the mirror, all I see is a scrawny 14-year-old, and I've always fought to get past that. I think people describe it now as body dysmorphia. I still, and I control it pretty good, but it also, I use it and it helps me going in the gym. When I look at myself, I see the areas that I need to work on.

Dwayne: 37:51

Okay, you know people think that people that go to the gym are very vain and you know they're looking in the mirrors because they think they look good. It's just the opposite For me, anyway. When I look in the mirror, I see shit to me. That's just unacceptable, that I have to improve. And that keeps me going. So that you know that's always been a part of me. Plus, even at a young age, I've always had a mouth on me. No, you better be able to back it up. I know that's surprising. No, and you better be able to back it up.

Todd: 38:29

I know that's surprising.

Dwayne: 38:32

But hey, if you're going to be stupid, you better be tough yeah that's right. Yeah, so yeah, that's always been a part and it's even, you know, at my age. Now it's even more important because I see a lot of people my age people that I grew up with, and they're just miserable and they look terrible fitness-wise and people want oh wow, I can't walk around here without getting out of breath. Well, it's because you're 70 pounds overweight. Damn it, lose it.

Todd: 39:11

Yeah, I noticed this In American culture we're overly sensitive to say anything and in other cultures.

Todd: 39:18

They'll literally identify you as fat. Oh yeah, they'll straight call you that. I watched this guy on YouTube. He speaks like 20-something, 30-something different languages and he goes around to all these different cities and he went into Chinatown and they just like will literally be like hey, fat boy, come here Like that's yes and it's not. They're not saying it in a disrespectful way, they're just like well, you're fat and I'm trying to get your attention and that stands out in China because there aren't that many fat people.

Todd: 39:49

Yeah, so that stands out in China because there aren't that many fat people, yeah, so it's interesting that you said that I would even go as far as to say a lot of this. Self-conscious things about me are what drive me to be excellent in those areas.

Dwayne: 40:04

Oh yeah, you know, I agree, and that's kind of what I meant. Yeah, I see faults in me physically much more than I see in others. Now, that being said, we're in a terrible state of being here in the United States, Whatever anybody's politics are. I was happy to hear that Kennedy got appointed. Some of the stuff I hope he's able to do it. You know, we're feeding our kids poison here, yeah, and because someone's making money off of it 19, one of the biggest examples I have.

Dwayne: 40:54

My wife for a long time thought she was allergic to oh shit, gluten. She thought she had gluten allergies Because when she ate something like that, instantly she would swell up and it was painful. Her rings would cut into her, Her socks would cut. I mean, the swelling was almost instantaneous If something was just cross-contaminated. We heard a guy online. He was talking on the Joe Rogan podcast and a lot of what he said really made sense. And he said in 1993, so this is what the man's name was, Gary Brekka. Okay, he said in 1992, folic acid was considered a waste product.

Dwayne: 41:46

Okay. So drug companies it was a byproduct of one of the processes, something they were making, and I can't remember what it was, but drug companies were spending millions of dollars to dispose of the excess folic acid because it was considered a waste, a hazardous waste. So they lobbied Congress continually and they finally told Congress that people need a form of folic acid, methylfolate, after it's processed. So they convinced Congress to pass bills that required it to be an all-white bread. We're the only country that has that. It is against the law in Europe. Wow so, and I can imagine more than a few politicians bought stock in that company. Then they passed the bill. All of a sudden, what was multimillion-dollar debt now every bread and grain company has to buy this folic acid. So literally overnight, it went from hundreds of millions of dollars of loss to probably close to a billion dollars revenue in one day.

Dwayne: 43:04

Wow so, those fuckers made money. But only 60% of humans can process folic acid from its raw state. So 40% of America couldn't even process this shit, and that's what was causing the swelling in her. So, following his advice, we both got on methylated vitamins and methylfolateate cut back on the white bread. After about a month it went away. Her problems went away completely. We don't overdo it, but she can eat white bread now and it doesn't tear up. She doesn't have any reaction to it now and there's a lot of people that have that.

Todd: 43:50

Well, and it's crazy, because it's not just folic acid, right, it's right, dyes, it's all. Oh yeah, there's bugs in our food. Think of all the stuff, in all kinds of stuff well, logically, I'm not against the bugs.

Dwayne: 44:03

If, because there are countries that eat bugs for a delicacy, sure it's the chemicals in some of these dyes and we have to ask ourselves why is it legal here and nowhere else in the world? Yeah, look at, the cereal in Canada Comes from the same factory. Their cereal is a big difference from ours, really Doesn't have those dyes and shit on it, because Canada doesn't allow that. They don't want you to poison their citizens.

Todd: 44:32

We do yeah, I heard that yellow, some form of yellow dye. I don't know which one it is, because I know there's like different ones, but one of them is like a byproduct of coal tar. Yeah, and it's like and we're eating it. People have to wear hazmat suits to like work with it and we're eating it. What's kind of weird.

Dwayne: 44:48

You want disgusting? Look up margarine. Oh no.

Todd: 44:52

I don't want to and see what it actually is.

Dwayne: 44:53

I don't want to. I'm serious. I think Mr Brecka actually mentioned that. When I looked up what margarine was, that was it. It's actually an oil product. There's no food in that shit.

Dwayne: 45:13

That's why you can sit a thing of margarine out and it doesn't go bad. Leave the top out, set it up there for a month. Mold won't grow on it because it's not an organic product and we slather it on shit from here to the moon. There's just so many and that's why we have and see if we get unhealthy, we get fat. Well then they can sell all these drugs to us. You're not allowed to fat chain people. So you know they just get less and less healthy and fatter and they're selling more product to us and Americans are running around fat and happy. We've got to change that.

Dwayne: 45:55

And people are big on excuses. And when I mentioned about having self-discipline, I could sit on my ass at home and say, shit, I'm 60 years old, that's too hard to do. That. That's bullshit. You have to hold yourself accountable for that stuff. So when I get a little extra break, I'm in the gym, I'm doing something. You know you've got to make yourself do that and get healthier. I don't have all the medicines that people my age have. I don't have a lot of the health problems they have. I've had my own bouts with cancer and stuff, but that's completely different. Yeah, this obesity problem in America is ridiculous. I travel with my job and it's very disappointing to me when I walk through an airport in another country and it's very easy to pick out the Americans Because the majority of the time they're the fat ones.

Todd: 47:00

And you kind of use that a lot of the times to like motivate you to stay healthy.

Dwayne: 47:03

Oh, absolutely. That's my negative role models.

Todd: 47:07

Have you seen Butterbean's story recently?

Dwayne: 47:13

I have Him working with Diamond Dallas Page. That's amazing.

Todd: 47:15

Dude, his transformation is ridiculous.

Dwayne: 47:21

He was an outlier, to say the least. That man was faster than anyone. That fat had a right to be. He was incredible when he boxed.

Todd: 47:29

So for those of you who don't know, butterbean, very heavyweight boxer 300 plus with with ridiculous knockout power. Um, he actually I don't know how recently or when, but he was actually doubled over couldn't stand up straight and had to walk with like arm crutches basically to get around.

Dwayne: 47:49

He was on a wheelchair most of the time.

Todd: 47:51

Yeah, he was in such bad shape. And then Diamond Dallas Page he has a rehabilitation program where he works with people and doing yoga and exercise and balance and stretching and things like that to try to help them get healthy again and it's unbelievable. If you guys get a second, you definitely should watch that and check it out. It was inspiring Like I watched it and I was like dude, that's awesome.

Dwayne: 48:16

That is so awesome. Like Diamond Dallas Page, I saw pictures one time of his scans of his back and that hits me because I've had a lot of back problems. He's got, I think, three or four discs that are just gone. It's bone on bone. There's no reason why he should be walking and moving normally. But whatever he's doing, it works.

Todd: 48:43

Yeah, that's for sure. I'm going to switch gears here just a little bit. I want to ask you if you could go back 20 years ago and talk to yourself what? What would Dwayne Maddox now say to Dwayne Maddox 20 years ago? 20 years ago, yeah.

Dwayne: 49:04

Now, that would be a tough one.

Todd: 49:07

Knowing what you've gone through and done in the last 20 years, what would you say to yourself?

Dwayne: 49:13

You know, jokingly, I've always said if, if I could go back and talk to myself at 20, I'd tell myself to stay away from anyone named Tammy, cause both my ex-wives are named Tammy. But I say that jokingly. Um, to be honest, I am very um, because both my ex-wives are named Tammy, but I say that jokingly. To be honest, I am very comfortable and happy where I am in life. I've got a peace like I've never had. My relationship with my wife and our family is just amazing. And even bad things they happen for a reason. Sure, the way my mind works. I would not be who I am now if I didn't go through those things, no matter how painful. So I think I'd have to stay quiet because I have to go. Have to stay quiet because I have to go. My, my mind and body has to go through those trip, you know those tribulations, uh, to get to where I am now. So I don't think I'd change a thing it's a wise answer.

Todd: 50:21

I like it all right. What's? What, would you say, is the single most difficult thing that you've had to go through in your life?

Dwayne: 50:33

So I mean, I know, you know this, but most people would think my time in the Army because I was an airborne ranger and while that was difficult and it was a very defining time, what I'm about to say next probably most people will think I'm crazy, but maybe we'll get time to explain. Sure, probably the best thing as a person that ever happened to me was being diagnosed with cancer.

Todd: 51:06

Really, by far. Yeah, it's definitely interesting. You put it that way. I'm curious. I'd like to hear that story, if you don't mind sharing yeah.

Dwayne: 51:17

I had just hired into my current job with Miller Miller Welders had moved to the Birmingham area I think I'd only been there about three months and I found a family doctor, so a new doctor. I went in to do a physical and while I'm doing the physical, the doctor says I was 40 at the time and he said you want us to test PSA. I didn't even know what the hell PSA was. I'm like sure I'm here, let's do it. So it just drew blood right. They ran an extra test. I think it was a week later I'm driving to go see a customer and the nurse calls me and you know she says Dwayne Maxley. Yes, she told me her name, that she was a nurse for Dr Gray. She said I need you to stay on the line just a minute. Dr Gray needs to talk to you, which I've never had that happen in my life. So I thought, okay, this is going to be a little interesting. And he gets on the phone and he said your test came back positive for cancer. He said you need to come in and we need to run some additional tests. I said well, hang on a second, let me pull over to the side of the road. He said oh my God, you're driving, yeah. So I pulled over. He kind of explained to me the next steps and what had to happen and I sat there for about at least a half hour and my mind was thinking how am I going to tell my family that I have cancer? I eventually came to grips with it enough to you know, get my act together and I think I went on and headed to the customer, told my wife at the time what was going on and we set up plans to get.

Dwayne: 53:25

I had to go in and get a biopsy. It was prostate cancer, which tends to run in my family. And before I get too much further, any man at 40, get checked. It's just drawn blood, okay, so there's no reason to put it off. Sure, it was. We did the biopsy. It came back. It was pretty bad.

Dwayne: 53:53

Met with an oncologist team and the doctor said look, I'm going to be honest with you, straightforward. You need to make sure your affairs are in order. This has spread quite a bit. We don't know now if it has spread beyond the prostate, but I'm going to give you about a 50-50 chance of coming out of this. Wow. So, while you think you can understand what that's like. It's very difficult until someone is telling you it's a crapshoot. You may or may not live through this and of course, like anyone else, I'm human.

Dwayne: 54:40

I went through a week or two where I was depressed and did the why me shit? And you know I'm going to fucking die. But again that self-discipline. After I got through that I said, nah, I got a 50-50 chance, it's all I need. I said if death's coming for me, better pack his fucking lunch. I am not going to make it easy. If he's going to take me, he's going to fight for it.

Dwayne: 55:14

And you know most people don't ask. They see me with the mohawk and they think they just think it's weird. But to me this was a reminder to me. This was the haircut I wore when I was in the Army and because you know I was at war then and when the cancer hit I was at war again. It was me against the cancer and I was not going to lose. So kind of doing the mohawk was my wayawk, was my way of putting on my war face.

Dwayne: 55:50

Yeah, and I went through the initial surgery. It came out okay, we thought it was all gone and then a couple of years later it came back and they found that it had spread, it had metastasized, so it turned into a form of bone cancer, which I believe and don't quote me on this. Sure, I don't think anyone dies from prostate cancer. I believe what happens is it metastasizes into something else and that's typically what kills people and it can be a very painful death. But if you can have a good form, mine was a form of cancer that caused almost like bone spurs or growth on the bone or growth on the bone, the bad part of it when it did come back, it started attacking the weak spot on my body which was in my back. I had been injured in the Army and that's where it went at. So you know, long story short, I've had five of what you would call a disc fusion, where they've had to go in and remove sections of bone that were just too ate up.

Dwayne: 57:23

Most people would have been on, you know, and I don't mean this to sound bragging, but where a lot of people would have been on disability. I said I'm not disabled, that's not stopping me. If I'm alive, I will move, I can walk, I can work and be productive. Having cancer and that you know, everybody thinks, you know you're going to die right, but you don't really know because you've not had to face that hard, you've never had it right in front of your nose. And cancer taught me I'm so much of a better person since then.

Dwayne: 58:05

I used to be very angry. I didn't have any friends. Really I wasn't big on showing any kind of emotion, and cancer reinforced me. It actually taught me that you're not promised tomorrow. You might think, yeah, I'll do that and nobody can read your mind. You might think, yeah, she knows I love her. Maybe, but do you want to miss the chance to tell her that Because you might not have another chance? Yeah, and you know I take a lot of blame too. In my own way, the best I could, I tried to explain a lot of that to my wife at the time and I had to go through that journey to get out the other side and she just couldn't come through that journey with me. I was a completely different person than what she buried. I like to think it's a lot better person.

Dwayne: 59:15

I have no problem telling people close to me that I love them. I make sure my wife doesn't go, probably not more than a couple hours without me saying it. That's awesome Close friends. I'll hug a friend and let them know I care. I don't get angry. I don't. When I used to be, I would try and piss people off just to see what they're going to do. I don't do that anymore. Life's too short to spend your time angry. I don't fixate on negative things like that. I cut them loose and I'm gone. I am so much happier now and stress free. I don't stress over shit anymore. It is what it is.

Todd: 1:00:04

I'd imagine after that what's going to stress you out.

Dwayne: 1:00:07

Yeah, it's not going to kill me, so why do I care? And you can imagine as a person when you get that attitude. It made me so much of a better person, a better human being. I'm grateful for each day and I try and leave nothing left unsaid. Sometimes that gets me in trouble. It's not always. You know flowers and roses, sure, but rarely do you have to wonder where you stand with the way I'm going to let you know.

Todd: 1:00:47

That's one of my favorite attributes about you is that you are a man of your word, like you said earlier. But it's more than just keeping your promises or keeping your word when you give it, but it's more of I know that if I come to you and I ask your opinion on something, I'm going to get the honest opinion Like it's not. You're not going to tell me something that you think is going to make me feel better, like and I love that about you. I think people need to be surrounded by more people like that, that's willing to tell you the hard truth.

Dwayne: 1:01:14

I tell people don't, lord, don't ask my opinion if you don't want it. That's the quickest way to get it. You know, and I don't try and hurt people's feelings, but uh, life's too short to sugarcoat things yeah, and so how?

Todd: 1:01:30

how long ago, like what year was that whenever you uh went when you found out that you had initially had prostate cancer, and then what year was it when you found out that it and it came back? Do you recall that?

Dwayne: 1:01:43

So, it was. I've been with Miller 18 years now, so it was probably around 17 years ago. Okay, I went probably three years before cancer came back the first time and I had to have some procedures and stuff done and then it hit again. Six to seven years ago so about the time they said I was cancer free it came back. You know, six, seven years ago I went through some treatments with that. I had a surgery. Knock on wood, everything's in remission now.

Dwayne: 1:02:39

But to me, instead of crawling in a hole saying I've got cancer, you know, it was motivation to me to do what I needed to do, to live my life the way I'm supposed to. You know, if you want to be, if you want to live your life in shape, fucking do it. Talking about it doesn't do anything, you know. Yeah, and I hear so many people, even guys I work with like, oh man, you're lucky. What do you mean lucky? So to be built like that at your age? What do you think luck had to do with it? Yeah, luck didn't do shit. It's my ass getting up at 3 in the morning, going to the gym before I go to work. So you can do it. It's simple. There's nothing magical about it, just get up and fucking do it. There's no luck. There's no genetic lottery or anything. I just put in the work, that's it.

Todd: 1:03:37

Yeah.

Dwayne: 1:03:39

So and really cancer helped enforce that with me and really cancer helped enforce that with me. Before my first diagnosis I had forgot a lot of that. I slipped into probably a more normal life for the way men my age were, and normal sucks. Yeah, that is not me and I don't apologize for it anymore. I don't try and fit in. I'm me, you like it or not. If you don't, that's great, Go away.

Todd: 1:04:25

So, after your battle with cancer and all of that, and having gone through all of that, what would you tell somebody that's listening right now that maybe is going through their own season of just struggle and war?

Dwayne: 1:04:30

Well, a big thing and like a lot of men we don't, especially my age group we don't talk about things. You just didn't. You do it. You know the suffering, silence thing. And I had a very close friend. He's still kind of going through it. He's on the backside of it now, but he also had cancer and I love him like a brother. But I told him. You know, when he first told me about it I said, look, when you have those times and you're going to know what I'm talking about, you pick up that phone and call me. I don't care if it's midnight and I put his number down on favorites so even if my phone's in do not disturb, you know he can still call me. And he did a couple of times and I'm proud of him he did, Because it really messes with your mind when you're going through some of that.

Dwayne: 1:05:34

You need to talk to someone, especially if they've had that experience, and come out the other side. Look, do your thing with the doctors, Absolutely. Get second opinion, Do what's suggested, Take the steps you need to to get over it. Your mental state, I believe, has as much to do with cancer as chemo does. You have to believe and not just think this way. You have to believe it a hundred percent. I'm coming out of this. This is not killing me. You have to do and you can't let cancer become your whole life, and it very quickly will. You'd be surprised how fast your whole life becomes. Chemo doctors, sleeping treatment doctors, chemo You're talking about cancer, You're discussing it with your wife, You're taking care of plant. Everything revolves around that damn cancer. And while you have to do some of those things, you have to do other things.

Dwayne: 1:06:56

For me, I was able to focus in the gym and some days it hurt. After the form of chemo I had to have. There were some times when it hurt when air touched my skin. I can't imagine I went to the gym. I can remember days trying to curl five pounds and fucking tears coming out of my eyes because it just hurt that badly and I kept doing the fucking curls. You got to get out and do other things. Take your mind away from it, Keep healthy. Yeah, my big savior was the gym at the time, but that is, without a doubt, the defining moment in my life as a person.

Todd: 1:07:54

Yeah. So for everybody listening right now, just don't isolate yourself. If you're going through something, no matter how insignificant you may think it is, because we always, always I noticed for myself guys we always do that Like, if I'm struggling with an addiction, for example, like I'll downplay it and be like, well, I don't want to burden anybody else with it, like it's not that big of a deal and it really does more harm than it does. Good, so, regardless of how you may feel about it, just reach out to somebody. And if you don't have somebody, like, look up online. There are so many resources that you can connect with.

Todd: 1:08:31

Um, incredible, like counseling centers and people like that. I saw one recently. I get them recommended a lot, so it must be a sign I probably need to get some counseling done. But, um, there was a one where it was like they'll fit you with like a counselor from like a form you fill out and if you don't like them, they'll switch you to a different one until you do find somebody that you feel comfortable talking to. So there's no excuse to like not talk to somebody.

Dwayne: 1:08:57

Most workplaces now have. They've started including mental health with that. If you're a veteran, you've got to have some of your brothers you can talk to, especially if you're a veteran. You know we lose 23 veterans a day to suicide. Yeah, don't be part of that number. Talk to someone. It's not weakness Shit. If you know me, call me. I'll gladly talk with you. You have to be able to work that stuff out and we can't all be strong every moment of every day. Sure, you know, and you want your wife and everyone else to think you're Superman, but we're human.

Todd: 1:09:42

I get myself in trouble with that one? Oh yeah, because, like my wife, like she'll overhear me telling a close friend about something I'm dealing with, and then it's like you didn't tell me that I'm not supposed to tell you that that's right and maybe that's wrong, but that's how my brain perceives it. So what's next for you? You got anything coming up, any cool projects or anything you're working on currently.

Dwayne: 1:10:08

Well, I'm fixing to. I need to expand my forge. You know I think I mentioned before but I like to blacksmith as a hobby and I'm really considering offering classes. Offering classes Just people who are serious. Come out, get them started on the basics, see if I can get them excited about blacksmithing. There's a lot of people see crap online and they see the stuff on TV and some of those are good. Some of them aren't. But I want to see if I can get people interested in using their hands working. You know doing some of the things I do. So I'm thinking that's going to be my next line. We're going to expand the forge. I'm going to put it a little further back on the property, so it's way out in the woods and, yeah, see if other people like beating on steel also.

Todd: 1:11:07

That sounds good. I'll be the first one out there.

Dwayne: 1:11:09

Whenever you move it out there, let me know and.

Todd: 1:11:11

I'll come out. I'd love to. Yeah, you better be. We'll do that, It'll be fun. And for those of you who are listening right now, if you're listening and you're like oh yeah, like that sounds really, or I'd like to reach out to Dwayne, what's a good way they can reach out to you?

Dwayne: 1:11:29

You can get me on Facebook or Instagram. On Facebook it's just my name, it's Dwayne Maddox. It's D-W-A-Y-N-E-M-A-T-T-O-X. I might have those backwards, I'm sorry. On Instagram, it's just my name. On Facebook it's Iron Demon Forge.

Todd: 1:11:48

Okay, so that's one word just like it sounds Iron Demon Forge. Yeah, so very cool. And then is there anything that is on your heart that like maybe we didn't touch on that. You were kind of like, oh you know what, on the drive up I was thinking about talking about this that you wanted to share no, I, I think we've hit all that.

Dwayne: 1:12:13

Um, you know, really one of my biggest things was that with cancer and the mint your mental part of that I could have very easily looked at that as a downfall, as a handicap, as a you know, I could let that define the rest of my life after that, every time I've had to have a surgery or something, doctors are like all right, here's the forms for disability. I'm not fucking disabled. I'm not fucking disabled. I'm not doing that. I look at it as another challenge. Yeah, I have my bad moments, like anyone else, where you have troubles with it, but you work through those.

Dwayne: 1:13:01

I have to envision something like cancer or the surgeries I've had since then. Those are positive things. When you get the opportunity to have a struggle with something, you need to embrace that, enjoy it, because you're going to be stronger coming out the other side. And I guess that's why I enjoy working out so much, because it's not easy, it's tough, it's hard. You have to envision what you want and that has to be the most important thing in your mind every day. And you do the hard things and when you come out you're that much better.

Dwayne: 1:13:41

So you look at the trials and the troubles as opportunities. You get the blessing of having something to struggle through to make you better and everything's like that. You know, if something goes wrong you have to think of like shit, that's great, I'm going to learn how to deal with this. I'm going to learn how to deal with this. That's a huge part. If you roll over and show your belly and play victim, you'll be a victim the rest of your life and we're all seeing what happens when a whole group of people decide to be victims and I think, whatever your politics it, it feels like a lot of that's changed this year.

Todd: 1:14:30

Hopefully we're gonna start moving out of a lot of that crap yeah, I think I think that's a a good way to look at it, because we tend to we as a society, right we tend to get in our feelings and and that's never like your your emotions are never as good as like the facts and the logic of what's going on. You know, and I think that that really is a part of it. You know, if you get into your emotions and you get into how you feel about stuff, it just doesn't ever lead you anywhere good, because your feelings and emotions can always do this, you know, up and down Well and a lot of people don't.

Dwayne: 1:15:11

I don't mean to sound harsh, but your feelings are yours. That's your problem. That police officer that pulls you over, he doesn't give a shit about your feelings and you don't give a shit about his. Those are yours. You deal with that. No one else should have to deal with your feelings. You know, my wife is the most self-aware person I've ever met and you know women, as they get older, they have some hormonal issues happen. She's human, just like everyone else, but, dear God, I love her to death. She knows when that's happening, she realizes it and she deals with it. She doesn't expect me to deal with her feelings or you know issues. If we had more people like her, this would be a lot better country, A lot better.

Todd: 1:16:09

I've met her. She's great. Yeah, she has to be to put up with my ass. That's cool. Well, I think that's a really good spot to stop this episode. Wayne, thank you for coming in and for taking the time to share with everybody.

Dwayne: 1:16:29

Are we going to suggest the next guy, because I have a good one for you.

Todd: 1:16:32

Alright, so here's the deal. I've never done that live, but I'm not opposed to it.

Dwayne: 1:16:38

Alright let's hear it. I'm not going to go too far in, because I want him to tell his story.

Todd: 1:16:44

Before you do that, let me preface this real quick For the people listening. They don't know Every episode I have the previous person and since we've only done one episode, I have the previous person nominate who they think should be the next guest on the show. So when Jeff came in last I guess it was a couple Um, he nominated Dwayne. So you guys didn't hear that because we didn't do this live on the episode. Uh, we just did it after the episode. And then, uh, so now that's what's happening now. So, live on this episode, we're doing what we did the last time and so Dwayne's about to share who he would like to nominate to be our next guest.

Dwayne: 1:17:22

Yeah, so on the surface. Well, so the guy I'm suggesting nominating he's follicly challenged, so he has no beard and he's losing the hair on top too, but and he's younger than me. Even On the surface, you would think he and I would never get along. He is one of the best human beings I've ever met and his story is so motivational. Um, he, at a younger age, was going down a very bad road and he turned it around into a positive. Uh, so I'm going to nominate a gentleman in Chattanooga. His name is Michael Brandt. He owns GarageBound LLC, which is a fabrication company. Great person to talk to. And some of his mission in life and what he's doing I think everybody would love to hear.

Todd: 1:18:18

And I'm actually really excited about this because the first two guests being you and Jeff, I know both of you. Yeah, and it's going to be exciting for me to have a guest on the show that I literally know nothing about.

Dwayne: 1:18:33

You guys are going to hit it off so much, I promise you, from that point on, you're going to have a friend for life.

Todd: 1:18:40

Oh, that's great. I'm excited. Yeah, so it's Michael Brandt, michael Brandt, all right. Well, michael Brandt, I'll be hitting you up soon if you're listening to this episode and looking forward to hopefully having you on Ash and Iron. So, dwayne, thank you so much, thank you.

Dwayne: 1:18:55

My pleasure brother.

Todd: 1:18:56

Yeah, have a great, great week you too, man.