Cross Roads Podcast

Send us Fan Mail Communism is one of those words that can end a conversation fast, mostly because people use it to mean five different things at once. We slow it down and define communism clearly, starting with Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, the claim of a classless society, and the promise of distributing wealth “according to need.” Then we put the theory under pressure: what kind of government...

Send us Fan Mail Dieting can feel like signing a contract to be hungry, grumpy, and obsessed with “forbidden” foods. We’re Steven and Mady, and we take that frustration head-on by unpacking the real reason so many diets fail: they’re built around restriction, not nourishment. When a plan gives you endless rules, social stress, and a short runway, it’s no surprise people rebound the moment life get...

Send us Fan Mail Texas is about to get a U.S. Senate race that feels like a national referendum, and we wanted to talk about it without the all-caps chaos. The matchup is set: Republican nominee Ken Paxton vs Democratic nominee James Talarico, with both sides convinced the direction of Texas is on the line. We walk through what just happened in the primaries and why this contest is already being f...

Send us Fan Mail Texas politics can feel like nonstop noise until you realize how many real-life decisions are tied to a single ballot. We walk through why midterm elections matter in Texas, how a few votes can decide a race, and why state-level power often hits closer to home than anything you see in national headlines. If you care about taxes, schools, energy prices, health care, immigration, or...

Send us Fan Mail You know that feeling when your body is running on fumes but your brain keeps asking for sugar anyway? We’re talking about a simple food reset, the realistic kind that helps you feel steady again after holidays, vacations, or a busy season where convenience food quietly takes over. No extreme detox promises, no perfection talk, just practical steps that help reduce inflammation, s...

Send us Fan Mail Your first aid cabinet might be the messiest “health plan” you own: expired tubes, mystery creams, and products that burn so badly you assume they must be working. We wanted a better answer, so we brought on Jody Scott, founder of Green Goo with Purpose, to talk natural health, clean skincare, and plant-based first aid that’s designed to support the body instead of fighting it.  W...

Send us Fan Mail Dinner time shouldn’t feel like a daily crisis where you walk in the door at 6 pm and suddenly you’re expected to be a chef, a nutritionist, and a magician. We get real about why weeknight cooking breaks so many families down: decision fatigue, no plan, overspending at the grocery store, and the silent assumption that one person will carry the whole load. We share our practical sy...

Send us Fan Mail A ceasefire can sound like a distant headline until you feel it at the gas pump. We start with the tense situation around President Trump and Iran after a recent two-week ceasefire, and why “temporarily calm” still keeps the world on edge. I break down what diplomatic pressure and strategic positioning really mean in plain language, plus why routes like the Straits of Hormuz matte...

Send us Fan Mail The fastest way to spend more on groceries is to believe the front of the box. We’re pulling apart the labels we’ve been trained to trust and comparing the “healthy” story to what shows up in the ingredient list, the sourcing, and the processing. If you’ve ever tossed something in your cart because it said organic, natural, premium, or authentic, this one will make you slow down a...

Send us Fan Mail Texas is staring down a GOP runoff that says as much about style as it does about substance. We unpack the stakes in the Cornyn vs Paxton battle, tracing how a seasoned legislator and an embattled attorney general offer two distinct paths for conservative governance. From committee rooms to courtrooms, we compare what each approach delivers on border security, gun policy, DEI figh...

Send us Fan Mail Ever feel like someone else keeps ordering for you—at the taco stand and at city hall? We unpack how primaries in North Texas quietly decide who sets policy on schools, roads, taxes, and public safety, and we make the case for showing up when it counts most. With clear examples and a few laughs, we translate political jargon into practical choices you can make before you hit the p...

Send us Fan Mail Your grocery cart can be a wellness plan or a trap, and the difference often hides on the back of the box. We break down how to shop with confidence using the Yuka app—a free barcode scanner that scores foods and cosmetics on nutrition, additives, and overall health—so you can make quick, informed choices without second-guessing every aisle. We start with real product scans to sho...

Send us Fan Mail Grocery shopping shouldn’t feel like a full contact sport or a luxury purchase. We’re breaking down a practical path to eat well at any store—Costco to Aldi, Sprouts to Walmart—so you can fill your cart with real food, keep your budget intact, and skip the hype that turns snacks into “health” with a glossy label. Think of this as your no-fluff survival guide to the aisles. We star...

Send us Fan Mail Two people are dead after federal immigration operations in Minneapolis, and the nation can’t agree on what the videos, reports, and headlines actually show. We walk through the key facts known so far, the medical examiner’s ruling in Alex Pritti’s case, and the clips cited around Renee Good’s confrontation—then examine how liberal and conservative outlets construct competing narr...

Send us Fan Mail Perfection keeps a tight grip on our health goals—until one slip makes everything feel broken. We challenge that trap head-on and show a better path: turning a stumble into the start of your next step. This conversation blends mindset science, practical resets, and identity shifts to help you stop spiraling and start choosing again with confidence. We start by dismantling all-or-n...

Send us Fan Mail The calendar flips, the credit card bill lands, and most of us wonder where the money actually went. We’re bringing calm to that chaos with simple, practical moves that turn clutter into capital, goals into plans, and stress into breathing room. We also share big news: our rebrand to Elevate Life Wealth Management, a name that reflects our mission to align your money with the life...

Send us Fan Mail What if your health didn’t depend on feeling motivated? We dig into the quiet power of systems—tiny, consistent habits that ride on routines you already have—so progress becomes automatic instead of emotional. Think coffee brewing as your cue for a one-minute meditation, brushing your teeth as the trigger for a glass of water, or bedtime as the signal to read one page. Habit stack...

Send us Fan Mail Ready to start 2026 without a crash-and-burn resolution? We’re kicking off a three-part series by putting food first—no guilt, no kale ambushes, just practical choices you can stick with. We break down how to read past the front-of-package hype, spot the additives and sweeteners that hide in “healthy” snacks, and use a simple barcode app to compare products fast. If you’ve ever wo...

Send us Fan Mail Let’s trade the shopping list for a passport and tour Christmas across continents with Santa Steven and Mrs. Claus as our guides. We start where winter festivals first promised light in the dark, then follow those sparks into churches, kitchens, and town squares from Eastern Europe to the American suburbs. Along the way, we unpack why traditions diverge—how faith, folklore, and lo...

Send us Fan Mail The final stretch of the year can either be a financial drift or a decisive sprint. We chose the sprint. Steven and John share a sharp, good-humored guide to closing your books with confidence: practical tax moves you can still make before December 31 and a clear plan to dodge the holiday debt trap that ruins too many Januarys. We start with the why: deadlines lock your choices, n...

Send us Fan Mail Holiday gatherings shouldn’t come with a side of burnout and a dash of regret. We dive into a practical, good-humored guide to staying well through cold and flu season while still saying yes to the treats that make this time of year special. From proven immune habits to smart plate strategies, you’ll get a simple toolkit you can use at the next party, potluck, or family feast. We...

Send us Fan Mail What if gratitude could taste like butter tarts, sound like a kid’s thank-you card, and feel like a cool night under a handmade shelter? We take you on a warm, funny, and thoughtful journey through global gratitude traditions, comparing how Canada, Germany, Japan, Liberia, Israel, and Romania celebrate thankfulness through food, ritual, and community. From maple-kissed desserts an...

Send us Fan Mail What if the biggest barrier to connection is sitting in your pocket right now? We take a candid, funny, and honest look at how screens reshaped our conversations, why empathy lags when tone and timing vanish, and how to retrain the muscle of real talk without ditching technology entirely. From the awkward “call me back with a text” moment to the dinner table quartet of phones, we...

Send us Fan Mail Ready to swap guesswork for a game plan that actually compounds? We break down three strategic investments every solo entrepreneur and freelancer can make today: learning from mentors who’ve already walked the path, building simple processes that buy back time, and using the right retirement accounts to keep more of what you earn. No fluff—just stories, examples, and tools you can...

Send us Fan Mail Feeling wrung out by that 3 p.m. crash? We dig into a clear, practical way to steady your energy without banning your favorite foods. Shannon Hagel’s Thrive Formula centers on three moves—nourish, move, and measure—and we pair it with the Stello continuous glucose monitor to turn guesswork into clarity. Instead of rigid rules, you get small, repeatable actions: build balanced plat...