The Old Men And The Seat

Byron and Paul are back after a two-month break, reuniting in their home podcast studio to catch up on Christmas, family, and the things that weigh us down. The conversation opens with reflections on their Christmas celebrations. Byron shares the joy of spending Christmas morning with Paul and their sons, watching the now-adult boys slip back into childhood as they played Nintendo Wii together for...

Our second AI-generated song for Episode 37 - Dementia, Stress, and the Cost of Living Crisis Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our first AI-generated song for Episode 37 - Dementia, Stress, and the Cost of Living Crisis Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this candid episode, Byron and Paul tackle sobering news: dementia has overtaken heart disease as the leading cause of death for Australians, with 17,500 deaths registered last year. Both hosts share deeply personal experiences, having lost their mothers to the disease. Drawing from their family histories, they explore the potential link between chronic stress and dementia, examining how their...

In this episode, Byron opens up about his evolving understanding of masculinity—from his post-divorce years chasing external markers of success (the Porsche, multiple partners, the best table at restaurants) to his current view that true masculinity means being comfortable with who you are. Byron reflects on how his definition has shifted from externally focused to internally focused, emphasizing...

In this candid conversation, Byron shares a wake-up call from his doctor: his BMI exceeds 30, placing him in the obese category with increased risks for heart attack, stroke, and diabetes. This revelation triggers Byron's first real feeling of being old, despite being stronger now than in his university rugby days. Byron and Paul explore the complicated relationship between body image, weight, and...

In episode 34 of The Old Men in the Seat, Byron and Paul dive deep into a profound philosophical question: what does it mean that there's only one you? Paul introduces the concept that life is fundamentally a "single player game" – no matter how close your relationships, your lived experience is entirely unique and can never be fully shared or understood by another person. Even best friends who sh...

In this vulnerable and introspective conversation, Byron and Paul explore how love—in all its forms—fundamentally shapes our lives and decisions. They discuss the profound impact of parental love (and its absence), how childhood experiences create patterns that follow us into adulthood, and the evolution of romantic love from seeking completion to finding comfortable companionship. The hosts share...

Our AI-generated song for Episode 32 - Is Capitalism Failing Us? Money, Meaning, and Mortality Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our AI-generated song for Episode 32 - Is Capitalism Failing Us? Money, Meaning, and Mortality Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this raw and reflective conversation, Byron and Paul tackle some of life's biggest questions as they navigate their late 50s. Starting with frustrations over World Cup ticket pricing and the inaccessibility of major sporting events, they spiral into deeper territory: Is the capitalist system still working for ordinary people? Should they have prioritized differently when younger? The discussion...

Our AI-generated song for Episode 30 - Lucky Breaks: How Random Moments Shape Our Lives Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this deeply reflective episode, best friends Byron and Paul dive into their evolving relationship with time as they navigate middle age. They explore the shift from merely "getting through" days to genuinely appreciating the present moment, discussing how age has made them acutely aware that time is their most finite resource. The conversation touches on: Breaking free from societal expectation...

The long awaited and talked about jingle for The Old Men And The Seat Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this reflective episode, we dive deep into how luck has secretly shaped our lives in ways we're only now beginning to understand. From a Year 12 arrest that led to law school, to a cooking teacher who prevented a career-ending dropout, we explore the pivotal moments where chance encounters and random circumstances changed everything. We discuss why successful people rarely acknowledge luck's ro...

In their episode, Byron and Paul begin by thanking a listener for feedback that helped them resolve a microphone issue, improving their audio quality. The core of this episode builds upon a previous discussion about success, sparked by an article Byron encountered on his news feed. They delve into various criteria for success, emphasizing a departure from traditional, purely financial benchmarks....

In this positive episode, Byron and Paul discuss their personal insights into achieving happiness and contentment. They identify strong, healthy relationships as a cornerstone, emphasizing quality time together and the crucial step of removing toxic individuals to minimize stress and negative experiences. A second key lesson is living within one's means , highlighting how financial stress from unn...

Welcome to the 27th episode of "The Old Men and the Seat," where hosts Byron and Paul dive deep into the concept of travel and its profound impact on life . Byron shares his philosophy of using holidays to completely escape his ordinary life , seeking total irresponsibility and an "alternate life" free from the structured existence he experiences in Melbourne. Paul, while also appreciating a chang...

In this 26th episode of The Old Men And The Seat, Byron and Paul tackle the complex concept of the inner critic, prompted by animated shows like K-pop Demon Hunters and Inside Out. They define it as an 'inner hamster' or loud, negative voices that are a part of you but 'not real,' often linked to anxiety and fear of the future. The hosts discuss its role in driving dissatisfaction, insecurity, and...

Our AI-generated song for Episode 25 - "Pequeños Milagros" (Small Miracles) (SONG in Colombian Spanish) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this 25th episode of "The Old Men in the Seat", hosts Byron and Paul delve into the complex concept of hope. Initially seeking positivity, they challenge whether hope is a standalone force or merely wishful thinking without concrete action. They explore the nuanced relationship between dreams, planning, and execution, drawing on personal anecdotes like Byron's journey to becoming a chef and cop...

Our AI-generated song for Episode 24 - The Shadow of Time: Living in Our Heads.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our AI-generated song for Episode 20 - Peace. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this 24th episode of "The Old Men in the Seat," hosts Byron and Paul delve into profound philosophical questions about time, self, and the human experience, while also touching upon their innovative use of AI in podcast production. The episode opens with a discussion of their new system for creating show notes using AI, which involves generating a transcript from audio and then using a large la...

In today's episode, Byron and Paul delve into the escalating challenge of maintaining privacy in an increasingly interconnected online world. The discussion kicks off with a detailed examination of the recent viral incident at a Coldplay concert in Boston, where a mature-age couple, later identified as the CEO of Astronomer, Andy Byron, and his Chief Human Talent Officer, were caught on the Jumbot...