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.
Algorithms, Ex-Fundamentalism & Fake Bible Facts w/ guest Daniel Alzate
Send us Fan Mail David records an impromptu conversation with returning guest Daniel, who shares what he’s “surviving-ish” after moving farther from work and reframing commute frustration by using it to improve his Spanish, including plans for Spanish TikToks. David vents about rushed deck painting mishaps, then they discuss Daniel’s background leaving a fundamentalist Christian sect and why he makes TikTok series like “Silly Things I Used to Believe When I Was a Christian,” Bible contradicti...
Aug 6
1 hr 11 min
YOU Survived the Unthinkable": Healing, Hard Truths, & Reclaiming Your Power
Send us Fan Mail Host David welcomes Christine Blosdale, an Australia-based expert authority coach who helps entrepreneurs get seen, trusted, and paid through branding, messaging, and media. David shares how his podcast began during COVID after therapy stopped, following a brutal anti-gay hate crime and rape that shaped his healing and the show’s shift to “Surviving-ish,” where trauma and everyday grievances can coexist. Christine’s current “ish” includes parenting pet peeves and turning away...
Jul 29
1 hr 18 min
Why Are Some Gay Men Saying They Support Trump? | Social Media Trend Breakdown
Send us Fan Mail The episode discusses a recent trend I have noticed while scrolling through social media: a specific group of gay people—mostly cisgender white gay men—publicly stating “I support Trump.” #GayPolitics #Trump #LGBTQ #GayMen #Cisgender #SocialMedia #WhiteGayMen #Politics Support the show
Jul 28
10 min
When the American Flag Feels Like a Warning: Books, True Crime & Drawing Political Boundaries |
Send us Fan Mail David and Johnna open by chatting about Johnna’s massive home library, a book- cataloging app, and her frustration with two newly empty shelves, leading to ideas for dedicating space to signed books from authors and memoirs by troubled teen industry survivors. The conversation shifts to why true crime and survivor stories can feel comforting, including discussion of Amy Bradley’s disappearance. David shares his “ish” that American flags and religious symbols now signal danger...
Jul 23
1 hr 15 min
Lindsey Graham Dead at 71: “Sudden Illness,” Trump’s Rush to Control the Narrative & the Receipts They’ll Bury
Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Surviving Politics-ish, the host reacts to reports that Senator Lindsey Graham died at 71, stressing they don’t celebrate death but refuse to let media “sanctify” his legacy or erase what they call his hypocrisy and the harm of his record. They question the official statement of a brief, sudden illness (described as a main-artery tear), noting Trump’s quick push to reject rumors of foul play and the rush they suspect to install Graham’s sister, Darlene, to ...
Jul 19
11 min
Being Black, Trans, & "Still Here" (with Audrey Nicole!)
Send us Fan Mail Did you miss her? Because she’s BACK! 🌟 This week on Surviving-ISH, David catches up with the absolutely phenomenal Audrey Nicole for a chat that is equal parts eye-opening, hilarious, and deeply inspiring. Audrey drops some serious truth bombs about her recent adventures, including what actually happens when you show up to a Pride event in a super conservative town. Hint: It’s a lot to navigate. From the complex realities of being Black and trans in America to the chaotic be...
Jul 16
1 hr 20 min
Is Life Ever Actually Figured Out? The Art of Surviving "Ish" | w/ Shawn Helgerson
Send us Fan Mail Let’s be honest: life is rarely clean, perfect, or entirely figured out. Most of the time, we’re all just surviving the "ish"—the messy, chaotic, uncertain gray areas of being human. 🤷‍♂️ In this episode of Surviving Ish, host David is joined by author, teacher, and Air Force veteran Shawn Helgerson to talk about what happens when the rigid, black-and-white rules we're handed collapse, and we're forced to live in the messy middle. Sure, it starts with the everyday "ish"—like ...
Jul 9
1 hr 51 min
The Night the Lights Went Out: Overcoming Decades of Family Denial / Andrea Leeb
Send us Fan Mail When Andrea Leeb finally spoke the truth about her childhood, her mother’s physical reaction was so intense it defied medical explanation. What followed was decades of denial, a secret that nearly broke her, and a reckoning that changed everything. 👇 Subscribe to Surviving-ISH for more raw, unfiltered stories of survival: [Insert Link] ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this gripping episode of Surviving-ish, David sits down with USA Today bestselling author and memoirist Andrea. Prepar...
Jul 3
1 hr 16 min
Cults, "K" Texts, & Terrible Delivery Windows: We're Okay-ish! w/ Umbrella Rebellion
Send us Fan Mail Ever received a single “K” text and immediately felt the passive-aggressive wrath? Or had your spellcheck completely ruin your life by changing it to an “L”? In this wildly unfiltered episode of Surviving-ish, we are jumping from hilarious everyday frustrations straight into some of the heaviest realities facing our world today. Joining the conversation is Dee from the incredible Umbrella Rebellion podcast, and no topic is off-limits. We kick things off with the ultimate ADHD...
Jun 18
1 hr 9 min
From Pure Contempt to Empathy: How 'I've Had It' & 'A Necessary Conversation' Rewired My Brain
Send us Fan Mail I used to have ABSOLUTELY ZERO empathy for the MAGA movement. As a gay man living in a deep-red Southern state and a survivor of a brutal hate crime, my anger wasn’t just justified—it was a survival mechanism. But recently, everything shifted. In this raw, unfiltered mini-episode of Surviving Politics-ish, I'm stepping back from the terrifying realities of #Project2025 to look at how we actually fight back. For years, my voice was fueled by pure contempt for anyone wearing a ...
Jun 13
13 min
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