00:00.00 David Howe Welcome back to episode one fifty eight of life earns podcast here with Josh Haron and Conor John and I want to ask you about your thesis. Um, but I to to call back to when I said you were a very imposing human um you like. Ah, in the very first day of working with you established with me that you were a norse pagan or a practicing one and I was like wow that makes sense and I was like wait. Are you norse and you said no irish that was really funny but you also you're. I can't remember if you were a priest you had something blessed by a priest and you sent it to me that wolf totem thing. 00:36.90 Josh I didn't it wasn't blessed but it was you know a big thing in paganism as gift giving so you know wolf totem. You know your work with dogs. Ah yeah, so I'm not I will not ever profess to be an expert in this at all I'm just. 00:40.55 David Howe Okay, yeah, cool. 00:53.95 Josh Just waitingding into these waters. Um I think it's one of those things where like you know when it thunders I don't believe that that's Thor beating his hammer on something I I just like the way that Odin goes about teaching stuff. It's kind of like all the stuff jesus said in the bible. It's good stuff but it doesn't really get used. So. 01:00.32 David Howe Sure. 01:08.16 David Howe Um, yeah gotcha. 01:13.79 Josh Yeah, it's It's pretty cool. Um, the unfortunate part is all the white supremacists took our symbols. Yeah so I can't get any tattoos I Want to get him I want to get him owner tattoo. But obviously I can't because you know it' be it just wouldn't look good. 01:18.95 alifeinruins Yeah. 01:20.27 David Howe I was about to say. Ah. 01:29.49 David Howe Yeah, not a good look. Um, how'd you get into that. 01:32.62 Josh Yeah I actually have a friend from Georgia Southern ah Michael Putnam that I don't know I just kind of wait. How's that one funny. 01:43.38 David Howe I would I would think like a friend that introduced you to North Peganda it would be like olaf grim tooth or something clad like ah. 01:45.64 Josh Oh yeah, no, no, no um yeah. 01:51.46 alifeinruins But be be all in here. 01:53.52 Josh Ah, no, he he was in the anthropology department as well. He's a graduate of Georgia Southern and I don't I just kind of saw his stuff on Facebook and I was like hey man this looks really cool. It seems like a really inclusive. Ah, you know, really positive thing and I just kind of got into it and you know. Took me under his wing and here I am Beard Beard Later 02:16.75 David Howe Yeah, that's cool I don't think I've ever met 1 in person. So I I've tell people that now like I know ah know a guy. 02:21.99 Josh He you. 02:24.98 alifeinruins Do you? Um, do you do any what kind of practices is is part of that. 02:28.37 Josh Um, you know a lot of Pagan festivals like a star. Ah um, I'm big on a lunna saw which is and it's based on an irish deity Lou um, he's kind of an all around badass. You know I just I learned I learned bread baking which is a big thing. Um kind of I'm like that annoying hippie uncle that gives handmade gifts all the time now because I give handmade gifts all the time now. Um like it's just like yeah it's just. 02:56.60 David Howe Um, that's nice. It's better than pulling up in a longboat. Yeah. 02:56.96 alifeinruins Yeah I mean that's that's that's better than a gift card. 03:02.27 Josh You know? Yeah, no, it's ah it's a lot of ah I guess I'd classified as like down to earth stuff just it's such an accepting world that I Really enjoy it and it. 03:10.36 David Howe Ah, sure. 03:18.57 Josh You know the lessons aren't even crazy like I bought um gosh I can't remember the name of it. Ah, it's basically like the teachings of ah of Odin and it's it's just not It's not even crazy stuff. It's like hey man yeah go out and have a few beers just don't get trash and throw up on yourself. Ah yeah, hey sure. Ah, go out and fight and but you know maybe don't murder people that don't need murder and it's it's pretty just really simple town to earth stuff. Yeah. 03:42.39 David Howe Yeah, that's a good tenant. 03:45.41 alifeinruins See I I could get behind that. Yeah I could get behind that you know it's not like. Ah yeah, it's not like other other religions where there's very specific things. Yeah, it's like hey maybe just be a good human sometimes and that. 03:51.73 Josh Yeah, it's It's really easy. Yeah I think it's the hover mall is is what it's called I think. 04:01.28 David Howe Um, ah do you I mean obviously I'm being insensitive by laughing about some things but like do you find like wouldn't say prejudice or like do you find any people that are like just kind of scoff at it kind of thing. Yeah. 04:13.72 Josh Oh yeah, for sure. Yeah, it's a like. Oh yeah, it's um, you know, even my aunt. She's like you know I love her death. She's like a hardcore Southern Baptist so you know I just I don't. 04:15.88 David Howe Because like I'm assuming because with vikings and all that. Yeah. 04:24.94 David Howe Yeah. 04:29.84 Josh I Don't get how people look at one and I'm using religion very loosely. It's more of like a lifestyle but which one neither one of them are crazier than the other you know they're they're all pretty crazy. Yeah, ah. 04:32.58 David Howe Sure. 04:41.31 David Howe Yeah. 04:43.19 alifeinruins That's your anthropology talking there bro. 04:49.90 David Howe I just I love that you're like six foot 5 massive beard. You're a norse pagan and yours from Georgia and you say gosh like I love it. Ah, but. 05:00.32 Josh Ah, ah, I'm telling you man I'm like the nicest dude ever and 1 Ah one of my um, one of the things from I don't think last session. No It was last session. It was like he's kind of unapproachable and I was like dude I can't turn off this asshole face like it's just natural. Um, really really nice. 05:20.63 David Howe It's funny. You say that too because a lot of the employees I like because you can't hang out with them like when they're employees. But after I would get a beer with them and stuff when they graduated and like 1 girl was like you just seemed so unapproachable because you were so busy and I was like I was. 05:24.90 Josh Yeah. 05:37.72 David Howe Absolutely not busy I was I was writing Instagram posts on my computer and I felt bad that I was taking government money to do this like you could have come up and talk. She's like you seem so like smart and like intimidating and I was like I was literally probably looking up zelda theories. Ah yeah. 05:43.15 Josh Ah, yeah. 05:54.70 Josh Ah, yeah. 05:55.22 David Howe Yeah, it was as a fun gig I learned a lot it it. It was very I'm successful now I put that in quotes I like you've been doing because of that job I'd say so that's good. 06:05.15 Josh Yeah, you got both. 06:06.47 alifeinruins Can can you guys both like can I talk about the highs and lows of something like this because it's not.. It's not a straightforward archeology or anthropology job like you are you have to have a skill set that is not. Inherently taught to you like a people skill set that I don't think is taught to everyone. 06:26.52 Josh yeah yeah I took the same thing that David did I took the mental health first aid thing. Yeah yeah, I'm pretty much just David now. 06:27.00 David Howe Um I was a therapist dude for like a bit. Yeah, Oh yeah, you did too. Okay, cool. Yeah it it shocks me and I'm like I'm sure you know this too like especially if they've seen some stuff in the. And on deployments and things like they don't really like the mental health system when you're out of the army is like even harder to figure out I'd imagine so like I would just be like dude I think about that shit all the time like I don't own a gun like they'd be bad if I did kind of thing and they're like oh me too and then we would talk and let you yeah like. 06:49.58 Josh In. 06:55.65 Josh Here. 07:03.26 David Howe That was pretty dark. Sorry but you know what I mean that was an extreme but. 07:06.17 Josh This the stigma of mental Health is still there I mean you know it with the initial part of the the war on terror which is ridiculous. Um, sorry I got sidetracked the initial part of the war. You know there's a big stigma about Ptsd Nobody wanted. 07:13.28 David Howe Right. 07:24.45 Josh Anyone to know they had ptsd no mental health problems because you got characterized as this crazy violent or fighter you know, um so that still persists you know twenty plus years later we actually have had text be like I refuse to get a ptsd diagnosis which is like 50% 07:27.98 David Howe M. 07:41.65 Josh At the v a that's like 50% that's a lot of money. Um, and I've been like I refuse to get it because I don't want it to affect jobs in the future I don't want people to think I'm crazy. Um I think. 07:42.18 David Howe Fly. 07:49.22 David Howe Yeah, yeah. 07:54.30 Josh It's you know it's no secret for a lot of people but especially with me I have a big problem with how our country treats veterans. 08:01.68 David Howe Yeah I would agree I mean I'm not one myself, but from what I saw there I was like woof. Yeah, um. 08:03.55 Josh Yeah. 08:08.27 alifeinruins So do you think this program is like a ah one of a good example of a way that the country is teaching people and giving people jobs and and whatnot. 08:18.63 Josh I do um I and I also think you know particularly every lab is great but I know particularly in Augusta we go out of our way to make it ah a comfortable environment. You know I'm very yeah yeah, hundred percent I have been. 08:26.34 David Howe Yeah, like we were the hipster lab. Yeah. 08:33.36 Josh In the last few years I've taken charge of my own mental health and um try I try to be very vocal about it. You know like hey man I have debilitating panic attacks I have you know I probably checked the door to see if it was locked 18 times before I left the house today. You talked to me man. 08:47.54 David Howe Yeah. 08:50.64 Josh You know, talk to me. Don't don't let it eat. Yep So um, it is a is it a little. It's a little bit of a drain on your own mental health. But I think it's worth it. You know. 09:00.45 David Howe Yeah, um, oh so I I couldn't tell if you cut off or not but okay, yeah, and I like I don't mean to talk for you but like just all the stuff that people go through and things and like especially not. 09:03.72 Josh No, no, no. 09:16.80 David Howe I would say the hard part too and you might experience this as well is like I can talk to a guy like me and you like a vet like that like a marine that was my age I could easily level with him but when he came in and said like I need help finding a job I was like all right dog. Let's let's do this but when it's a mother of 3 and she's like 45 like 09:25.59 Josh E. 09:33.68 David Howe I had no idea how to like help like it was just a new thing I had to like do with because like I've never had a kid I don't like I don't have a 4 or one k yet like like ah how do I help you but that was like my job was to like get them. Ah, oh. 09:49.42 David Howe Ah, but that was my job to get the may. Yeah. 09:59.22 David Howe And yeah, I've I've never had kids like I have never had a four zero one k so I or I do now but not not a lot of it had to help them and it was part of my job to to do that and it was something I had to learn. But what was really unique and ah. State archaeologist to Wyoming told me this to you is like you're the first person I know that's like left grad school not gotten a ph d and not gone into crm but got a job doing anthropology and like that hit me and I was like right because I'm an anthropologist at this job and you have to play the role of. Like I was like shit I'm my professor like I'm the guy at the desk that they come talk to and like that hit me one day and then also like with that mother of 3 like okay I'm an anthropologist here's the patterns I've seen of the veterans that come in here's how the culture works in Augusta like here's how I can help you based on what I know. Like empirically um and I like I don't know if you had that experience there too or not. But. 11:10.86 Josh Yeah. 11:17.70 David Howe Yeah. 11:36.51 David Howe Yeah, well let's good man. Um, and then you're you're the artifacts manager too. So I'm sure you're dealing with my ah aftermath of twogalue um, you had a hiccup the other day I remember but I don't know if we could talk about that 1 11:38.90 Josh Yeah, oh yeah, there's been many times you know Veterans are talking to me and they feel so down about not being farther and I'm like man I have these exact same thoughts like you. You're in a you know you're in a great position here. 11:56.46 David Howe Ah, ah, let's tell Connor after the show. 11:58.89 Josh We're here to help and stuff but just note like everyone around you is thinking man I'm not far enough man I'm not doing good enough man. Ah this sucks. So yeah I've I've it's been. It's been how do I see. It's been great to use my own. Um. 11:59.62 alifeinruins Did David write something I know? Yeah yeah, okay yeah I've already. Ah yeah Chris Chris Rowe is ah is a good good friend of ours and you know I think we had this conversation before um how is working for. 12:06.74 David Howe Ah, you know this. 12:10.80 David Howe I Left Easter eggs. 12:15.37 alifeinruins How is working for Chris is Chris a decent. 12:16.74 Josh Poor experiences as a veteran to help other veterans. So at least those poor experiences are are good for something. 12:28.75 David Howe Um, yeah, it's bizarre like I've never met a human like that. 12:35.94 Josh Yeah, it was a good one? Yeah yes, yes, he did. How did you know that. 12:44.76 David Howe Yeah, that's Chris um, oh thesis right? oh. 12:47.47 alifeinruins It's yeah yeah, shout out Chris Rowe you're you're a fantastic human um, as we're like kind of winding down I did want to ask you? Um, do you have any now I was gonna ask him like um. Did you have any advice for either veterans or nontraditional students. Um, who want to get an archeology. Do you have any things tips tricks dance moves. 13:04.56 Josh So Chris has moved into an admin's position where I don't work directly for him but Chris is one of the best people I've ever worked with so you know I don't think I've ever seen Chris have a bad day. It is bizarre. Yeah, it'll be like he could just get his leg like taken off by a train and he'd be like gosh darn it. You guys want to get tacos. You know it's like he's just never had a bad day. Yeah. 13:59.26 Josh So for nontraditional students I know it sucks and it seems like you're too old or you're never gonna finish it but you definitely can in my and when I was in grad school. There was like a dude that was like 75 finishing his masters. So it's never too late. Um. 14:04.41 David Howe Yeah. 14:15.96 Josh Don't give up on your dreams just because it seems hard because you know here I am Mama made it. But for veterans um, one of the good things that comes out of being a veteran. You know there's a lot of crappy stuff that comes out of being a veteran but 1 of the good things about being a veteran is that is a leg up. 14:26.48 David Howe Yeah, um, that's good advice and I don't mean to take from you but I would also add to to that statement like when I was a younger person before that job I would say like I always just assumed veterans like they get priority because like you know they so. 14:34.94 Josh And the world of archeology. Um, you know, especially with like federal jobs. That's an automatic boost to get you ahead of the game in federal jobs so use it I've always been very hesitant about using a Veteran's discount or being like hey I'm a veteran thank me but in federal jobs use it. 14:43.74 David Howe Quote served the country area yada yada but then like and it was out of respect but like after working like having them work for me like they're the most hardworking people ever like they would finish something so quick that I had nothing left to give them and I was like bro just like watching Netflix like I don't know what to tell you. 14:54.57 Josh So it is it is definitely something that will benefit you. So if you're considering going into archaeology federal jobs where it's at think like 88% of archeology is is Crim 88% of archaeological employment CRm and a lot of that's in the federal sector. So man. 15:00.82 David Howe Um, and like I would always I see why Veterans get priority a lot in jobs like that. Um, unfortunately they're not treated as great as we'd like them to be in any and other areas but I could see why like it I would always pick a veteran over someone else. At this point I think yeah. 15:11.86 Josh Be a loud veteran. 15:19.77 David Howe Is Josh gone. 15:29.70 Josh E. 16:18.40 David Howe Yeah, ah yeah I like that. 16:19.88 alifeinruins Awesome! So yeah, yeah, Thank you Thank you for chatting with us. Um, we asked all our guests this. So Do you have any like ah books lit Articles Blogs Discord Channels um that you would recommend for. Ah, folks who are interested in kind of historic archeology or Veteran archeology stuff like that. 16:43.00 Josh Crazy crazy. Yep. 16:59.80 Josh You know, anything else I'd want to tell the world about archeology is yeah I'm I'm involved in a lot of public outreach with New South our parent company at the vcp I think it's super important if people know about archeology. Um. 17:12.38 David Howe That's a that's really good advice. Yeah um I I would also second that to I don't think anyone's really said that before on this podcast is like your local chapters are how you get in the door. Yeah. 17:14.83 Josh Think it's it's more involved in every day than people think it is I think a lot of people don't even know what archeology really is and how much it drives industrialization in the modern world. So anytime I can get a chance to show people archeology. 17:25.70 alifeinruins Absolutely and. 17:33.24 Josh It's usefulness and why you shouldn't just kind of shrug it off and be like hey I'm going to take this cool arrowhead from this random spot I like to jump on that. Um, and even to get to distill it a little bit more anthropology is the the more important piece of it. 17:34.25 David Howe Um. 17:34.73 alifeinruins Yeah, absolutely um, and another thing we have to ask you so because this is a life in ruins. Um, if you were like given the opportunity to do this all over. Would you choose still to live a life in ruins. 17:54.82 Josh Yeah. 18:01.54 David Howe Good that answer man up. 18:06.14 alifeinruins Yeah, thank you so much for yeah, coming on and and chatting with us. Um, this is the part of the show where we tell you to buy our stuff rate and review. 18:15.21 David Howe Oh yeah, rate read the podcast like ah yeah, you guys know what to do just write and review the podcast. Someone actually did this week. Thank you, We will will send you that sticker and ah yep, that's it for us. Be sure to write and repeat the podcast. 18:15.97 Josh So method and ste method and theory in historical archeology by Stan South is pro. It's a little bit of a wordy read, but it's worth it. Um I would check it out. But. 18:19.40 alifeinruins Yeah, we'll send you a sticker. 18:29.40 Josh Other than that you know, maybe not literature. You'd be surprised at how many volunteer archeology projects are going on around you. So if you're truly interested in it seek out your county's archeological society and they're probably hosting a dig soon and and you'll get to go out there and do stuff. 18:29.75 David Howe Follow us on our socials share us an email likerooms podcast gmail.com and we're out Conor. Do you have a joke. 18:37.14 alifeinruins Who Yeah I'm secretly converting into Norse Paganism Shhh I'm trying to keep it low key. 18:48.51 David Howe Oh yeah, oh my God Ah, that's good. 18:55.29 Josh Yeah, yeah, ad advocational archeology is a huge part volunteers make up so much of the work archeology does. 19:01.51 alifeinruins Ah, ah, and with that we are out for sure. 19:03.15 David Howe Ah, ah, we're we're out. 19:20.57 Josh Oh absolutely. Absolutely I don't think I was meant to be anywhere else. You know is a rough journey. Um probably got yelled at more than I should have if I was a little bit more responsible but I would never I would never change it. 19:39.70 Josh Yeah, absolutely. 20:22.78 Josh Ah God Damn it. 20:26.65 Josh I Hate how appropriate it was.