The Constant Struggle

E96: Hunker Mode Activated

Happy New Year #Strugglies! A new year is upon us, and for your friendly neighbourhood podcast hosts; Nick Watson (@fivestergram) and Brie Watson (@briewats0n), that means fresh new Lighthouse Words!  (or “Words-of-the-Year.”) YAY!!!!! Brie’s frankly happy to be done with last year’s word & Nick’s new word has its very own mascot. Intrigued? Take a listen & check in with your trying-to-be-creative-in-this-busy-late-stage-capitalist-nightmare buddies as we update you on the Tank Fillers & of course the Struggles as we head into 2026 with space heaters to reignite the creative fire.

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E95 – Chill with Moments of Crazy Intensity

What’s next? That’s the question of the episode in this edition of #StrugglePod. You’ll have to tune in for a bit more context. Co-hosts Nick Watson (@fivestergram) and Brie Watson (@briewats0n) are entering the dark, chilly, Canadian Winter, putting up their Ws where they can (dress for the job you want!) and bemoaning the struggles (passing out in a high school gymnasium.) Please enjoy this fun new episode from your favourite struggling siblings. 

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E93: Busy Summer Blues

Host Nick Watson (@fivestergram) and Brie Watson (@briewats0n) reflect after respectively busy summers: one filled with parental obligations and the other with increased tourism volume. But with Back to School season comes a renewed sense of responsibility towards our creative endeavours, and in some cases, brand new projects and directions. Tune in to see where these creative siblings are headed next.

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E92: Hamilton Fringe Preview: The Cast of What If? Keeps it Tight

Host Nick Watson (@fivestergram) graciously allows his co-host Brie and her cast-mates: Dan Dingwall, Dina Senior & Heather Eyman, on this episode to chat about their upcoming production at the Hamilton Fringe Festival: What If? Improvising Your Alternate Universe. 

Tune in as the cast dig into the rehearsal process for an improvised Fringe production, shouting out to their absent cast-mates Bradley Doyle, David Lahti & Natasha Bromfield, and share their hopes for the festival which, for many of the cast, will be performing in their first ever Fringe Festival.

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E91 – The Double Mulligan

Hosts Nick (@fivestergram) & Brie Watson (@briewats0n) are in it pretty deep at the time this episode was recorded. With feelings of stagnation, injury and loss, our two humble hosts are really feeling the name of the podcast. Although recording in the same room for the first time since Covid has added a level of irreverence towards life that might just help them get back on track. The hosts review March and April, check in on their lighthouse words, constant struggles and tank fillers. Will the check in be enough to get back on the creative horse?

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E90 – The Call is Coming from Inside the Brain

Host Nick Watson (@fivestergram) is in a real pickle this episode as he and co-host Brie Watson (@briewats0n) find solutions to the doom scrolling rabbit hole that is US politics on YouTube. (There are two surprisingly easy solutions.) As the hosts review the second month of 2025, they continue to check in on their lighthouse words and constant struggles. It’s not all heavy though, each host brings up a number of tank fillers to help them get through that cold lil’ February. Like Conan hosting the Oscars, there is a beacon of hope! 

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E89 – The Constant Meh

Hosts Nick Watson (@fivestergram) and Brie Watson (@briewats0n) discuss their tank-fillers & drainers in the creative department of their ongoing struggle to make literature and comedy, (respectively.) They’re a month into 2025 and are checking in on the progress following their respective Lighthouse words. Are they still being guided in the right direction? Or did the longest January in history have other plans for our noble hosts?  

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E88 – Notebooks and Candles

Hosts Nick Watson (@fivestergram) and Brie Watson (@briewats0n) kick off the new year by sticking to their new podcasting format and so far crushing this New Year Pod Resolution. They’ve also carefully prepared their 2025 Lighthouse Word, or Word-of-the-Year and strongly recommend you do too!

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E87 – New Format on the Block

Hosts Nick Watson (@fivestergram) and Brie Watson (@briewats0n) are back after an unplanned hiatus to chat plans for the podcast going forward including new segments like: what’s filling the tank, what’s draining the bucket and what are we working on as 2024 comes to a close.

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E86 – Zane Caplanksy: A Dish, a Dream and a Lotta Hustle

Our guest in this episode is mustard and smoked-meat wizard Zane Caplansky, founder of Caplanksy’s Deli & purveyor of fine mustards. When Nick had the idea of interviewing a chef to discuss the artistic elements of food and cooking, Zane immediately came to mind. As it turns out, the struggles associated with balancing artisanal meats and mustards and attempting to find balance in life are huge. Six-figure-legal-fees huge.

And yet, Zane is probably the most optimistic and hopeful guests we’ve had the pleasure of speaking with – and in the current political climate, that doesn’t seem so easy to do, right? So, grab some pickles, dip ’em in some tasty Caplansky mustard & enjoy our journey strugglin’ on with Zane Caplanksy.

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