FROM SILK SCREENS TO HEAT-PRESS DREAMS: A Creator’s Pivot

We test a cleaner camera setup, drop the filter, and talk frankly about staying podcast-first while platforms push soft speech. Then we pivot from messy screen printing to reliable heat press vinyl, fueled by a switch from Adobe to Affinity and a plan for small-batch shirts.

• Moving to QuickTime and a sharper camera while keeping audio-first focus
• Why self-censorship creeps in on big platforms and how to resist it
• Design workflow upgrades with Affinity and Canva for stable tools
• Real-world issues with inks, heat, fumes, and failed screens at home
• Choosing heat press vinyl for small runs and planning a path to DTF
• Practical steps for logos, Cricut cuts, weeding, and test pressing
• How pop culture nudges beliefs and the value of choosing your own stance
• Comedians, backlash, and the line between offense and honesty
• A low-drama plan to make shirts for family and local groups

Let me know what you think. See you guys next time, and God bless.

Transcript

New Camera, Same Unfiltered Voice

SPEAKER_01 0:08

You are listening to the objective jerk, and I am said jerk. What is going on, everybody? I hope making some noise. I hope you guys realize the amount of crap that I'm going through. So I'm trying to based off my wife and my kids too. They're suggestions that, you know, I try and take my podcast a little more seriously. So I got a better webcam that's not just the one that comes with the computer. And so yeah, so I kind of I couldn't get it to work with the the iMovie program, which is what I always used. So I gotta use QuickTime, which it kind of makes it into QuickTime anyway. So it's not really changing too much, but it is a little, so I gotta relearn. I had a good system down, and so this is kind of messing it all up, and then I'm trying to get situated, and then plus I got some video clips that are gonna go along with what I'm talking about, so I have to record and react, I guess, but I don't record the screen. I'm not cool enough. I'm not using OBS, I just don't want to, I don't know. So I just I record the video and then I'll start it. I line it up so it's like on the video with you know, so it's it works anyway. But I'm gonna be talking as much as I'm trying to improve I guess the video aspect of it, it's still all about for me, it's all about the podcast. So, you know, reacting to a video does nothing for a podcast if you're just listening to it. You know what I mean? I mean, granted, I have more people that watch the videos, I guess, than the podcast. I don't know, I just I don't know. The thing is, this is the thing. You want to hear the thing? This is the thing. YouTube is very, I mean, it's I think it's gotten a little better now, but you know, you can't say certain words, right? Your video doesn't get played or whatever, I guess. I am not good at filtering myself and editing myself as I speak. You know, I can't, I can't say a word to replace what I'm talking about. I mean, sometimes, but it's just, I don't know. And but I mean, I'm not, I understand some YouTubers that I'm trying to look at the camera. Some YouTubers that, you know, it's their bread and butter, man, it's their job. So I get it. But for me, it's not, it's a hobby. But I'm trying, you know, I'm trying. So, and then my son actually was like, hey, don't put the filter on, leave it as it is. And I'm like, oh man, I like the filter, but he, you know, so this one, I guess I'm not gonna put the filter on. See how that goes. So I'm curious to know. Now you guys can see my ugly face in detail with this nice camera. I could still put the comic filter on, I guess. I don't know. We'll see. Maybe I'll play around with it a little bit. I just I don't know. I guess I'm trying to like be unique, and so that's why I do it, but maybe it's pointless and stupid. I don't know. Anyway, so let's see. So I'm trying to set all this up, and it's getting there, I guess, but I don't know. I took some so I told you guys about the trying to do on top of me implementing more things, or I don't know, getting my hands more dirty with my podcast slash YouTube channel. I'm also like I used to do a little designing and graphic design and and vinyl production and vehicle wraps and and things like that. I've messed around with shirts, but I never did it for a job. I helped my wife do a little bit heat press stuff, and I believe I talked about it, so I'm not gonna whatever, but I keep looking. I need to look at the camera, look at the camera. But I'm gonna start, you know, making some like heat press vinyl shirts for my kids. Some stuff, you know. I've I don't know, I'm I'm artistic, but not all the time. So, but I got some my wife's pickleball group. I'm gonna make some shirts and see if maybe you know people will buy some there and just kind of go from there. That's what's the the idea. So, anyway, I talked about it before. I I'm using the the program Affinity, which is awesome. I hate Adobe, I hate it. I did talk about this, yeah. So, I mean, I have an episode where I talk about like it's Adobe sucks, I hate it. So I use an Affinity, and we I have Canvas, you know, but I just got done doing like a little class, like a little mini kind of introduction to Affinity and what it can do and how to use it and everything like that. It was like$10, it's like eight hours worth of instructional video, and then you get to do some stuff or whatever. So I didn't get to learn everything, but it was a good starting point because you know, I I like with Adobe, it was like I would use it for a project, and I would have to spend so much time like learn relearning and remembering how to do stuff, right? And it just took forever trying to look and do whatever and this and that, and then I wouldn't use it, and then because it's a subscription and there's constant updates, and then the next time I open it up, it's like totally different. I'm like, where did this tool go? And this button, it was over here. Like, I thought you could, you know, it was just it was a hassle and a headache, and it just I was get so tired of it. So I tried doing this shirt thing, which is also a hobby, but I'm retired, you know. I got I got time to kill. But I was I was like a gatekeeping screen press ink shirt, you know what I mean? So I had a friend that he used to do that. I've played with it, but like I said, most of my screen printing was with like vinyl and signs and things like that. But that's kind of like what you know, making the screen and and putting the emulsion on, exposing it and getting the ink, all that kind of stuff. Like that's you know, that's what I did before I joined the army. And so that's where I was like, I want to do that, man. I want ink. Ink is better. Ink is better on the shirt, not some stupid sticker that you know. So I, you know, bought some shirts. I made my own shirt press thing. I got some screens, and pretty soon it was like, okay, this ain't gonna work because I was out in the garage, it gets so hot. So I moved it into this room right here that I'm in. So I had it set up, and I made a screen, and the font was too thin, so I had to redo it. But then, like, I was just like, man, you know what though? This ink, I was washing it out in my bathroom, and I'm just like, this is gonna smell. My wife gets migraines fairly easy with certain scents, and I was like, man, I don't want to be printing some shirts, and then she comes in and just like you know, I was like, crap, I can't know if I can do this here, and then I was trying to think of alternatives, so I set it aside and I'm like, I'll figure something out, and then I just kind of have it, and then I don't know how long ago it was, but it was kind of going through some clothes and or a box I had some of the kids' old shirts, and I came across this shirt that my wife made like in 2018, and it was with the vinyl with Cricut and Cricut Vinyl. It was this little logo. I helped make the logo, it was really simple. It was like from Fortnite, and the thing is like the shirt, she like a piece of vinyl got loose and was on there, so she pressed it, and it so it was like a defect, basically. But the kids could still wear it, you know, so they they would wear it whatever, it had like a little chunk or something. But I pulled this shirt out, so this was 2018 when she made this, and it's been worn and washed, and I pull it out, and I'm just like, man, this is still looks really good, it's holding up really well, you know. And I'm like, maybe I need to just get rid of the ink and just focus on heat press, do the vinyl, and then maybe if it progresses, I can go to DTF and right direct to trans, yeah, direct to film, I think is what DTF says. That's a printer that's more money, but you know, because I don't think because ink screen printing is like when you're doing you know hundreds and hundreds of print of shirts, I don't think I'm ever gonna get to that point. Maybe someday, but I doubt it. I mean, if it happens, it happens, awesome, I guess. But yeah, I'm just gonna do the vinyl and then maybe a DTF, and then that's probably where I'll be. So I'm not gonna do a channel on that stuff. I'm not, you know, I mean, you know, maybe for extra behind the scenes membership, whatever they call it. What is it? I don't know, I can show like what I'm doing or whatever. Maybe people will be interested. I don't know. But that's what's kind of going on with me right now. So I got some stuff in the mail. I'm gonna actually work on tomorrow's Sunday. I gotta go to mass. I mean, I don't got to, but I want to. I have a logo for my shirts. I might play around with it a little bit. I don't know. But probably Monday, I'm thinking. I might so I have an idea for my like just put the logo on the shirts, and then so I'm just gonna cut a bunch of those to kind of get get warmed up, get the cricket going, and get you know my weeding skills and everything, and get it all, and then maybe heat press some of those, see how they turn out, and then start doing some shirts. That's the goal. So, yeah, something to do, something to keep me occupied and not get bored. But anyway, so that's kind of what's going on with me. You know me, I gotta break it down because my life is so interesting, right? Anyway, but I don't know, maybe some people are interested. Let me know. But I'm gonna watch this video, right? I'm gonna set this up. So I've I kind of seen something of this. I've seen like parts of it. I've never watched the whole video, but as I set this up, I will talk. And I'm gonna try and talk so the audio listeners can can you know enjoy it, I guess. So this guy, he I don't know anything about him, but he's got a couple different videos. But this is the one that I saw. So basically, he's like completely decked out, almost to the point where it's like, dude, it's kind of obvious, but he's got like cat ears, he's got like the nose ring. I mean, he's just decked out, you know, rainbow suspenders. He's got a shirt that says, I love my emo mom, I think. And I love my fruity something pin. So he's just going all out, right? He's obviously trolling, but it is seems pretty funny. So, okay, video's up. I'm doing this for the video, so I can put it up there, and I'm gonna push play. Oh, I gotta record it first though. So let's see, get that going.

SPEAKER_00 12:58

Two, one, and it's recording. So here we go. Alright, so he's knocking on the door.

SPEAKER_01 13:09

I can play the audio maybe with the podcast. So he's playing he looks he looks like what you would think.

SPEAKER_00 13:24

Oh man. Yeah, most liberals can't make a decision. Yeah. Exactly.

Pivot To Heat Press Vinyl And DTF

SPEAKER_01 15:29

This dude just woke up and he's like, man. It's probably his wife doing it.

SPEAKER_00 15:37

He put him back up after he left, probably.

SPEAKER_01 15:40

No ice. Or it's probably like a like a liberal teenager. I don't know, who knows? He's just a dad and probably don't care.

SPEAKER_00 15:48

He's just trying to be. What's that? Okay.

SPEAKER_01 16:02

I stopped that video. Now I need to go here. Okay, I gotta I gotta do some things, man. I can't multitask here. Okay, let me close it. So I just wanted to show that. So that guy's name is Josh Cider, but it's S-E-I-T-E-R E I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 16:24

Like, it seems like that's his name, but I don't know. Yeah, that says on TikTok, but anyway.

Planning Logos, Cricut Workflow, And Practice Runs

Setting Up A Reaction Video Without OBS

SPEAKER_01 16:32

I just I just thought that was pretty funny. But the thing is, is like, oh man, I closed out my my light. This is my light. I don't have a light ring or whatever you call it. But that dude, that's kind of most liberals, that's their exact. And you know, the guy's probably not even a liberal, he's just a normal dude that is influenced by, you know, the movies. All the liberal that's why liberals took over Hollywood and music and everything, you know, because I used to be the same way, man. I used to be the same way. I didn't really care, but I was just like, I want to be nice. I don't, I don't know, I'm not confrontational, you know, just whatever, my friends. Because I told the story, but I'm gonna share it again, damn it. So there was a time when I was straight up liberal. Well, no, I mean, not really, but anyway. So I was in junior high and I Pro Jam. So I was a big Pearl Jam fan, you know. So this is the 90s, obviously. And I remember watching oh, I caught the end of Pro Jam Unplugged. Let's put a thumbtack in there real quick. Put a tack in it. So I I wanted to watch this Pro Jam Unplugged on MTV, and I only caught like the last two songs that they played, I think. Because Porch was the last song. Any Pear Jam fans out there? And I never was able to watch the whole thing. Every time it was on, I would always catch it like the same place, right at the end. Took years, a decade even before I finally I think it was on YouTube. I finally watched the whole the whole you know concert or whatever. But anyway, so I was a big Pearl Jam fan. I still like some of their stuff now, but I do kind of get whiffs of anti-Christian kind of things, or you know, so it's kind of hard for me to listen to anymore. But anyway, so I was a fan. This is you know, teenager when music basically is your identity and everything. And so I caught this unplugged episode, and it was like this instrumental for Porch, the song Porch. And so, what's his nuts? Eddie Vetter, he's doing whatever, and so he's doing some stuff while they're all jamming and he's standing on the stool and doing whatever. But so he busts out a marker and he writes on his arm, pro choice, right? So I'm watching it and I'm just like, I'm just soaking it in, you know, whatever. And then I don't know if it was the next day, but it was pretty soon after that. I was in pottery class. You know, where you had you got to make stuff out of pottery and you put it in the tray, the teacher would put in a kiln and you get it back and all that good stuff. And there was this girl who I had a little crush on. I was trying to think of what her name was, but I don't remember. Anyway, and they, you know, we're all doing our pottery, you know, it's a square table, and there's five, six of us, or whatever. So I'm working on my thing, and then she's asked, she's like, Blake, what what are you? Are you are you pro-life or pro-choice? I had no idea what it was, what it meant, uh nothing. But I remember Pearl Jam and Eddie Vetter writing pro-choice on his arm. So I'm like, you know, she's she's a girl, she wears pear jam shirts and other stuff, and you know what I mean? So just like pro choice. And she's like, oh, right, she was all happy about it, you know. And I didn't know, I didn't know, you know. And that's just kind of that's a a lot of people. A lot of people are like that. They don't really follow, they don't know, they don't care. You know, there was some a lot of schools that were taking kids, junior high kids, and doing like outdoor field trip things or around the school protesting ice, right? Some schools, I guess, did it the right way. They put a note, I don't know how, you know, whatever, but there were some videos of parents that didn't know were not happy about it, and their kids were like, we didn't really get a choice. I mean, it was like, what am I gonna do? Sit here in the classroom and study, or am I gonna go outside with all my friends and what you know? And I made a comment on that on my Facebook, and then I had like a friend of mine who's like, you know, dude, where do you get where do you get your news, man? You're crazy. I love you, but you're crazy. And I'm just like, man, he's one of those people, you know. You know, he's not really, and you know, I'm envious of that. You know, ignorance is bliss, it truly is. Cause it's it sucks knowing and seeing all this crap. And I told him that too. It's like, dude, I'm not even gonna try and explain it to you. I'm not gonna say nothing, just I would just say, don't worry about it, forget it. Envious that you don't know, you know, basically. Cause it, you know, it's true. And then this video right here. Now, did this guy did he do a couple videos and record them, and none of them went that well, and that was the best, and he picked the best one out of 30 or whatever? Yeah, probably. It's not like every single person, you know, but it just kind of really shows a lot of how liberal mindsets are, you know. They're just going with what's cool. They're go, I don't know, they're just following, they're sheep, man. They really are. And when you see, you know, when you go to the protests and people quiz them on what's going on, most of them are a lot of them are paid. And that's just a fact. They've got so much evidence of trucks shipping in signs, people talking about them getting paid. There's there's there's websites, there's you know, people bringing food. Like it's it's a you know it is a funded and it's like a job now, you know? And then you have people who don't really know, but it's like, yay, yeah, you know, down with ice, and uh but they don't it's like dude, do you not realize the shit storm that Biden left with all these immigrants, illegal immigrants that flooded the country? The drugs, the fentanyl, how many people, women were murdered, you know what I mean? It's like and they just make up all this crap this kid was was hell, he was arrested. And it's like they were going to the father to maybe arrest him or question him, and then he jumped out of the car and went in his house and left this kid in the car. You know, it's like it's it's just so annoying. And man, I wish I just kind of wish I didn't I didn't know this stuff. And I I do try to kind of cut back on it, and I have. But you know, some of the ice stuff with the with the with the with the the good, what's her name? Whatever. The chick that got shot in the face, she was an idiot, you know, and it's just it's kind of ridiculous. Speaking of that, there's a comedian. Oh man, what's his name? I should have had this up. I was gonna show a different video, but I just thought of this. This guy's kind of funny. Well, he's not he's honestly not funny, he's just a based individual. Like, I think he's just talking into the microphone as if he was just hanging out with his buddies. You know what I mean? Like it's oh there. This is him right here. Let's see. Okay, Ben Bacus. Bacus? Bankus? Bank bank ass. He's I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 24:27

But he's I guess Canadian. I've been watching some of his stuff. But let's see, maybe I'll play this one too. But you can you'll you can hear. I'll do the audio for these videos, just so you know. I think this is it right here. Uh I don't know if that's it. Hold on. He talks about it. I want to make sure I got the right one. I don't want to like. Oh, I think this is it. Okay, let me see. I'm gonna let's see. So I'll record this one as well. I really hope that let's minimize that. Let's see. Record this again, like this guy's not it's like he's not really writing jokes.

SPEAKER_01 25:30

He's just he's locker room talking bullshit, you know, basically. But it's in today's day and age, man, it's refreshing. So, all right, here we go.

Cultural Influence And Following The Crowd

SPEAKER_00 25:41

So I got the video up and I'm gonna push record three, two, one, and they're all see. This might not be it. He's laughing. Exactly. Thanksgiving. Maybe, let's see. Come on. Just that's lack of faith and too much prescription. Oh, that was it. Oh man, that was I think it was during that it was during that one, but so he did Oh man, I don't want to ruin it, because I'm not I'm not a comedian, obviously. I think it was that one though, dude.

SPEAKER_01 29:11

Or it was that it was I think it was that exact comedy, whatever that's one I just watched. Okay, yeah, so damn it. Now I can't find it. I wonder if they took it off. But so he, you know, he was saying, like, oh yeah, her name's Renee Good. I'm like, well, she got in the face, that's good, or something like that. And he had a bunch of like sold-out comedy shows get canceled and stuff like that. But this guy's he's growing pretty big, though. He's getting and there's not much to his routine though, but you know, it's like we haven't had this in forever. And it's like I said, it's kind of refreshing. Again, Ben Bankass. Bankus?

SPEAKER_00 30:00

I keep saying bank ass, but it's bankus, I think. Starcassole. I thought of another word.

SPEAKER_01 30:09

I'm always trying to make a word. What time am I at? Where am I at? I'm at a half hour. I got a new word. Check it out. Starcassole. Starcass hole, sarcastic asshole. What do you think? Is that gonna be a shirt? Starcasshole. Anyway, that's kind of it, man. That's what's going on with me. Check out that video of the guy. Well, I mean, if you watched my video, you saw it, but he's got other ones. Josh Cider, spelled with an S. And then you got Ben Bankus. He's Canadian, but he's just like a dude that would show up at the barbecue, drink some beer, and talk some shit. That's what it reminds me of, you know. Some some of the guys I knew in the army, you know, stuff like that. But anyway, that's it, man. You know, I just wanted to kind of do like a little test run with my new camera and everything set up, and you know, so hopefully it works out good. Let me know what you think. See you guys next time, and God bless. All right, thank you. Bye.