Surviving-ISH Podcast
Surviving-ISH Podcast
David Keck
"Surviving-ish" is a podcast with a unique and purposeful dual focus. The "Surviving-ish" is our way of creating a space for lightheartedness—it’s about the everyday, petty grievances that are frustrating but also a source of shared, human comedy. These are the moments we survive, like when the laundry pod explodes all over the clothes, your morning coffee isn't quite hot enough, or a passive-aggressive text from a relative ruins your mood.The core mission behind "Surviving-ish" is to show our audience that while we may have been victims of serious circumstances, that does not mean people have to walk on eggshells around us. We believe in the power of laughter and the importance of finding humor in life's small frustrations. By blending serious topics with these minor, everyday grievances, we aim to normalize the idea that it's okay to joke and laugh, even after enduring significant challenges.For further inquiries or to share your own story, please reach out to us at [email protected]. Together, we can create a network of support and healing for survivors.
The Heaviest "ISH" Life Can Throw At You: A Cancer Diagnosis (SWAC Pod's Jamie)
Send us Fan Mail Welcome back to another episode of Surviving-ISH, where we trade the polished highlight reel for the messy, honest truth of getting through life. In this episode, I sit down with my dear friend Jamie—host of the true crime podcast Speculating Wildly About Crime (SWAC Pod)—for a conversation that swings wildly from the petty grievances of competitive cheer moms and toxic corporate leaders to the heaviest "ISH" life can throw at you: a cancer diagnosis. We dive into what it mea...
Oct 29
1 hr 17 min
Beyond Beauty: Healing Trauma, Biology, and Chronic Illness with Dr. Kayte
Send us Fan Mail What happens when chronic illness isn't just about a single physical event, but a lifelong trajectory wired into our nervous system? In this episode of Surviving-ISH, host David Keck sits down with Dr. Kayte, author of Beyond Beauty: How Trauma and Repair Shape Biology, Identity, and Women's Health. They dive deep into the unseen wounds of early childhood abandonment, how the body physically holds onto trauma, and why traditional medicine and psychology often miss the vital ...
Oct 22
45 min
They’re Livestreaming an Execution. You’re the Target Audience
Send us Fan Mail When the line between military authority, public spectacle, and extreme state violence disappears, what’s left of a constitutional republic? In this episode of Surviving Politics-ish, we break down two alarming developments unfolding in real time inside the U.S. Department of Defense. First, we examine the stark, authoritarian-style visual rebrand that recently appeared behind Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Symbols project intent—so what message...
Oct 17
10 min
When the FBI Raids Your Life: Inside a High-Stakes SEC Investigation with Dean Vagnozzi
Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Surviving-ISH, we sit down with financial veteran and author of Be a Lion, Dean Vagnozzi. For nearly 20 years, Dean ran a booming financial services business in the Philadelphia area—until a Tuesday morning in July 2020 when the SEC and a court-appointed receiver walked through his doors, froze all of his assets, and completely upended his life. Dean opens up about the terrifying 72 hours where he lost his business, his life savings, and his reputation over...
Oct 15
1 hr 1 min
Karma for Colleen Slemmer? The Horrific Botched Execution of Christa Pike
Send us Fan Mail In 1995, 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer was lured into the Knoxville woods and brutally murdered. Her killer, 18-year-old Christa Pike, became the youngest woman on death row in modern U.S. history after keeping a fragment of Colleen's skull in her pocket. 30 years later, the State of Tennessee attempted to execute Christa Pike in Nashville—and what followed inside that execution chamber was a nightmare that has people asking: Was this karma, or an unprecedented state disaster? ...
Oct 13
7 min
Is 2026 Even Livable? (Plus: Why Reba Doesn't Do Full Albums Anymore) w/ Pharnsworth
Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Surviving-ISH, Host David Keck sits down with friend, musician, and guest Pharnsworth to break down life’s daily frustrations, modern economic pressures, and serious systemic flaws. The two kick things off commiserating over the modern struggle of postal delays, fake delivery notifications, and waiting on bargain-bin Temu gear—including Pharnsworth’s quest to buy new synth equipment for his band, A Data Burn. They dive into the high cost of living in 2026,...
Oct 9
1 hr 17 min
THE $1.2 TRILLION FANTASY: Donald Trump, JD Vance, & Phantom Checks Part 2-ISH
Send us Fan Mail JD Vance’s $9,000 Check: Who actually gets paid? 💸 JD Vance just announced a plan to give up to $9,000 to American families. On the surface, a direct check for stay-at-home parents sounds like a dream come true for struggling households. But when you look past the headlines and read the actual fine print, the reality is shocking. In this episode, we expose the rigid, ideological rules hidden in the proposal that determine who is eligible—and who is left out entirely. If y...
Oct 2
6 min
The Truth About ADHD Nobody Talks About w/ Your ADHD Guy
Send us Fan Mail What happens when untreated ADHD leads to a downward spiral of addiction? In this raw and unfiltered episode of Surviving Ish, Ronald, your ADHD Guy, opens up about reaching rock bottom, the shocking realization that changed his life forever, and how understanding his neurodivergence became the ultimate key to recovery. From hitting rock bottom to finding resilience through faith, mindfulness, and radical self-honesty, Ronald breaks down how he turned his deepest trauma into ...
Oct 1
1 hr 26 min
Senator Kennedy CORNERED Kash Patel Over Insane FBI Background Rules… 😳
Send us Fan Mail Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) grilled FBI Director Kash Patel during a Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearing regarding controversial updates to the agency's hiring and background check qualifications. PBS The line of questioning centered on rule changes regarding prior applicant behavior—specifically involving prostitution, trafficking, and bestiality—and whether victims of coerced acts versus perpetrators should be considered for law enforcement roles. PBS Primary Sou...
Sep 25
14 min
Is Trump’s $5,000 Check a BRIBE? (And Where is the DOGE Money?) 🕵️‍♂️💸
Send us Fan Mail What's up, guys? Welcome back to Surviving-ish, Politics Edition. I'm rough, I’m tired, and I’m definitely pouring a drink for this conversation. 🥃 We don't know who to trust in the news anymore, but I’m doing the digging so we don’t have to guess. If you’ve seen the headlines this week promising that Donald Trump is personally going to hand you a $5,000 check if Republicans win the midterms... we need a reality check. In this episode, I pull up the actual articles and do the...
Sep 18
7 min
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