Rambling #55 - On Irish music, martial arts and comfort zones with Patrick O'Callaghan

Rambling #55 - On Irish music, martial arts and comfort zones with Patrick O'Callaghan

Patrick O'Callaghan is the lead singer of Irish rock band Double Shot Maggie, 2nd dan black belt in karate, and a facilitator of change and culture for government, not-for-profit, and government organisations. Patrick is a bloke who loves to live life to the fullest by challenging himself and always learning something new. In this episode Patrick chats with the Rambling lads about how a passion to always be learning new skills, a love of music and his Irish heritage, and his fascination as a kid with super-kangaroo Skippy lead him to where he is today. This is a fun and rambling chat that covers everything from music, martial arts, organisational change, and how always being outside your comfort zone leads to a full and rewarding life. Check out Patrick's band Double Shot Maggie here. [https://www.doubleshotmaggie.au/] Learn more about Patrick's consulting work here. [https://www.deliberateimpact.com/] _______ To listen to this episode ad-free and to gain access to exclusive. members only content, visit our Patreon page and become a member for just $5 per month. [https://www.patreon.com/Rambling_podcast]

Rambling #54 - On culture, leadership and serendipity with Rod Craig

Rod "Rocket" Craig has life a full and fascinating life where career, family and footy have all intertwined. At the age of 62, Rod is still playing footy each week in the Victorian Metro Masters League and has always incorporated his love of playing footy and being around footy clubs into his life not matter where his career has taken him. Rod's career in logistics and project management has taken him all around the world, including Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and North America. His vast experience has given him a unique outlook on life and he chat's to Brian and Scott about what he has learned and how he sees the world today. Along the way Rod has played for 50 different footy clubs over the years and, along with his senior roles in multi-national companies, he has developed a keen sense of what makes a successful club and work culture. We expected this conversation to be mostly about footy, but in the end it become so much more. ______ To listen to this episode ad-free and to gain access to exclusive. members only content, visit our Patreon page and become a member for just $5 per month. [https://www.patreon.com/Rambling_podcast]

Rambling #53 - On telling stories with Mark Smith

Mark Smith is Surf Coast based author of five novels, including his critically acclaimed Winter Trilogy. The Road to Winter was shortlisted for multiple awards and is on the school curriculum around Australia. The sequel, Wilder Country won the 2018 Australian Indie Book Award for Young Adults. His first adult fiction novel, Three Boys Gone, was published in 2025 and his latest Where Truth Ends, has just been released. Mark's own story of how he became a professional writer is a classic sliding doors moment. In this fascinating conversation we discover how Mark incorporates Country within his stories, his methodology of writing, and how his passion for teaching young people to love reading has shaped his career. You can learn more about Mark here. [https://www.marksmithwriter.com/] ______ To listen to this episode ad-free and to gain access to exclusive. members only content, visit our Patreon page and become a member for just $5 per month. [https://www.patreon.com/Rambling_podcast]

Rambling #52 - On soil, farming and Aussie punk with Darren Aitken

Darren "Dags" Aitken is a market farmer with a life-long love of plants and the soil. He is champion of biodynamic farming and its importance in maintaining healthy and sustainable farming practices in the face of corporate industrial intervention in food production. Dags chats with Scott and Brian about the relationship between the soil and biodynamic farming practices and how small farms are struggling to stay relevant in the face of lack of government support and increasing bureaucracy. He also make a fascinating comparison between how farmers in China are supported by the government while in Australia they are increasingly being left to fend for themselves. In typically Rambling fashion, the conversation twists and turns to finally ends up at Dags' love of Australian punk music and the live music scene in Geelong and Melbourne in the late 80's and early 90's. To learn more about Darren Aitken and his farm Vortex Veggies, click here [https://www.notillgrowers.com/blog/2021/9/20/darren-aitken-of-vortex-veggies] or join him on his field day here. [https://demeterbiodynamic.com.au/events/vortex-vegies-inverleigh-vic-2/] ______ To listen to this episode ad-free and to gain access to exclusive. members only content, visit our Patreon page and become a member for just $5 per month. [https://www.patreon.com/Rambling_podcast]

Rambling #51 - On a second chance at life with Rob Lytzki

Rob Lytzki is one of the founders and directors of Foundation 61, a community organisation offering residential rehabilitation programs to men and women with drug and alcohol addiction and mental health issues. Rob is a former Senior Australian of the Year nominee and an official Surf Coast Shire Local Legend. Rob discovered alcohol from a young age which led to years of sustained alcohol and drug abuse. He used drugs and alcohol as a way of hiding from trauma and grief he'd experienced throughout his life. Rob then found a way through his addiction and, long with his wife and 3 other founders began offering accommodation to recovering addicts. This evolved into what is now Foundation 61 a residential rehab facility in Mount Duneed between Geelong and Torquay offering a 15 bed facility for men and a 6 bed facility for women. This is an incredibly heartfelt and revealing conversation with a bloke who has used the experience of his own emotional suffering and addiction issues to help others overcome theirs. Learn more about Foundation 61 by visiting their website here. [https://foundation61.org.au/] ______ To listen to this episode ad-free and to gain access to exclusive. members only content, visit our Patreon page and become a member for just $5 per month. [https://www.patreon.com/Rambling_podcast]