The Juice with Jeff

The Juice with Jeff #235

On this episode of the podcast, Jill Brimeyer conducts and co-produces a fantastic, superb, outstanding, and really conversational interview with me in person. This is Jill's fourth time (third in person) on the podcast and we recorded this one outdoors at Campbell Recreational Area in Clive.

 

We begin the podcast with Jill and I sharing our thoughts and reflecting on how earlier this weekend we reached our baseline goal of having a minimum of at least 50 new episodes produced and recorded of The Juice with Jeff during 2024 in just six months and discussing how this year is definitely turning out to be THE BEST YEAR EVER for the show in multiple ways.
Then Jill and I play a game where Jill wrote a dozen or so original questions for it on note cards, and I am to draw one of the note cards at random with me answering the question on that card first, followed by Jill sharing her answer to that same question. We keep repeating the process until all the note cards have been chosen. These questions are:

 

What is one place that shaped who you are?

Does the idea of an infinite universe excite or scare you?

What question do you wish someone would ask you?

Would "Elementary School Jeff" be surprised at who "Adult Jeff" has become or at things he's done?

If you could ask and get an answer to one question in the universe, what is it?

What is something you loved as a child that now as an adult you can't stand?

What thing about you would surprise people?

What is one character trait you wish you had?

"Elementary School Jeff" gets home from school, what is his go to snack?

What's a belief you once had that you don't have anymore?

Have you ever: Rode a horse, been on a roller coaster, hiked a mountain, gotten in trouble when you were in school, been on TV, been in a police car, jumped on a pogo stick?

 

After the game, I perform several voice impersonations for Jill that I either have never done before publicly or have only done occasionally: Howdy Doody, Jack Webb (from Dragnet), Rod Serling (Twilight Zone and Night Gallery), Chuck Barris followed by mentioning about my longtime "crush" on the 1970's The Gong Show, and Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr singing the jingles for two local TV commercials.

 

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Sunday July 14, 2024 and it runs 1 hour and 5 minutes long. Our opening and closing theme music is provided by Oleg Kyrylkovv courtesy of Pixabay. Funding for this podcast is provided by RandomKid, Ann Kaatz LoBue, Fran Parr, Sarah Stokes, and Renee Whisnant. Enjoy!!

The Juice with Jeff #234

On this episode of the podcast, Bridget Carberry Montgomery conducts and co-produces a fantastic, superb, outstanding, and very conversational interview with me in person. This is Bridget's second time on the podcast and we recorded this one outdoors in front of Indian Hills Jr. High School.

 

Bridget and I have a really conversational interview where we discuss topics like: my feelings on our reaching the super special goal of having a bare minimum of at least 50 new episodes produced and recorded of the podcast during this year in conjunction with my turning 50 during October God willing, things about the podcast itself and how we've really ramped up things to make this year THE BEST YEAR EVER so far for The Juice with Jeff, how Bridget works at Indian Hills and the WDM Community School District and how I went to Indian Hills myself between 1988 to 1990, how things are significantly different physically now at both Indian Hills and Valley High School compared to when I went to IH and VHS between the late 1980's to mid 1990's, the books that Bridget and I have read, how Bridget is really active in the DSM community, I talk about my massive TV Show and Movie DVD Collection, and towards the end we do a brief political pitch. Then we wrap up the show with my thanking all 50+ people by name (in order of appearance) who have conducted and co-produced the interviews with me between January and now to get us to that 50 new episodes during one year mark. At the end of the podcast recording session, I presented Bridget with a Sparkling Apple Cider as a special gift for being the one to conduct the interview for the 50th new episode of this special year!!!

 

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Friday July 12, 2024 and it runs 1 hour and 7 minutes long. Our opening and closing theme music is provided by Oleg Kyrylkovv courtesy of Pixabay. Funding for this podcast is provided by RandomKid, Ann Kaatz LoBue, Fran Parr, Sarah Stokes, and Renee Whisnant. Enjoy!!

The Juice with Jeff #233

On this episode of the podcast, Sarah Trone Garriott conducts and co-produces a fantastic and superb interview with me in person. This is Sarah's second time on the podcast and we recorded this one outdoors at Walker Johnson Park in Urbandale.

 

Most of the questions Sarah asked me are in connection with how things have been going with the podcast but there were a couple particular questions during the interview that no one has ever asked me before in previous episodes of the show:

50 is a big birthday. What are you going to do to celebrate your 50th birthday?

You've got 50 new episodes already produced this year to go back and look at. I think it would be interesting if you do a "Highlights Reel" where you pick out some of your favorite moments or your favorite interviewers from those episodes. Does anything come to mind?

Is there anything in the news you have been paying close attention to?

 

How do you go about recruiting and setting up the interviews for your podcast, scheduling the friends that will be interviewing you for them, and making the plans for the friends who will be interviewing you?

Tell me about Dana Leman. Who is she, how did you get to know her, and how did she end up on your Juice with Jeff Board/Advisory Committee? 

What are you looking forward to during this summer?

To wrap up the podcast, I made it clear to Sarah despite the challenges and difficulties posed by Covid remaining widespread, the reconstruction happening on my street, etc.... we have made things work out so that we are ending up having the best year ever on The Juice with Jeff podcasts both in terms of total number of episodes already produced this year, the super high number of interviews which have already been done in person this year, etc... 

 

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Sunday July 7, 2024 and it runs about 55 minutes long. Our opening and closing theme music is provided by Oleg Kyrylkovv courtesy of Pixabay. Funding for this podcast is provided by RandomKid, Ann Kaatz LoBue, Fran Parr, Sarah Stokes, and Renee Whisnant. Enjoy!!

The Juice with Jeff #232

On this episode of the podcast, Lara Liss conducts and co-produces a fantastic, superb, and outstanding interview with me thru Zoom. This is Lara's first time on the podcast.

 

After Lara and I make our introductions, here are the questions that Lara asks me on this episode of the podcast:

1. Given that it's your 50th birthday year and you're working toward having at least 50 new episodes produced/recorded of your podcast at the minimum this year, as you reflect on your life to this point; have you changed your approach to life at all? Is there anything in terms of lessons learned as you look as what's to come in the next 50 years hopefully?

2.  Lara starts off her next question by mentioning how she loves that I have come up with doing these The Juice with Jeff podcasts and refers to it as a "Passion Project", especially with the special goal of having a bare minimum of at least 50 new episodes produced and recorded of the show during this year in conjunction with my upcoming 50th birthday. Do you have advice for others or thoughts to share on how you came across your passion project and what led you to discover that this is something you want to invest your time and thoughts into?

3.  About your work in sleep medicine and the subject of sleep, do you have any thoughts on this topic you want to share with your audience?

4.  On the subject of the healthcare industry, do you think that healthcare is improving in that data is helping us learn more about people's health or do you think there is an overwhelming amount of data that's coming thru?

5.  What are your thoughts on AI or other technologies, whether in the healthcare space or in society overall?

6.  What is your earliest memory of computers and related technology use during our elementary/jr. high/high school days?

7. Have you seen technology have an impact in your life, and is it for good, challenges, or both?  What would you highlight from the increased presence of technology in our lifetime?

8.  Do you have any interaction with technology where you've gone back to the older forms and other types of old school technology?

9.  What are your top favorite movies/films?

10.  What is your favorite song from our VHS era/the early to mid 1990's?

11. What is your go-to "Catchphrase(s)"?

12.  Do you have a favorite or go-to recipe that you'd like to share?

13.  Who were your favorite teachers from our Crossroads Park Elementary, Indian Hills Jr. High, and Valley High School days?

14.  If you would have a postcard of VHS with a pic that represented Valley High to you, what image would you put on that postcard?

15.  Do you prefer cats or dogs?

16.  What can you share about the history of VHS that the podcast audience would be interested in hearing?

There is quite a lot of two way conversation during the interview and Lara shares her thoughts on most of the questions she asked me.

 

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Sunday June 30, 2024 and it runs 1 hour and 10 minutes long. Our opening and closing theme music is provided by Oleg Kyrylkovv courtesy of Pixabay. Funding for this podcast is provided by RandomKid, Ann Kaatz LoBue, Fran Parr, Sarah Stokes, and Renee Whisnant. Enjoy!!

The Juice with Jeff #231

On this episode of the podcast, Ann Morris conducts and co-produces a fantastic and pretty unique interview with me thru Zoom. This is Ann's fifth time on the podcast.

 

The questions that Ann asks me are mostly based on an "If you were in a perfect world...." theme

1. Let's say we're in a perfect world; what are some places you'd like to visit and why? When I finish answering this question, I ask Ann to talk about the trips she makes to Ghana every year.

2. Continuing on a perfect world theme, what are other things you would like to do (besides traveling to certain places) if you could and why?

3. In a perfect world, what would you like to learn more about?

4. What is your ethnic heritage nationality wise?

5. What makes you laugh?

6. Do you like wildlife?

For a couple of the above questions, I "turn around" and ask Ann those same questions.

 

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Friday June 28th, 2024 and it runs 38 minutes long. Our opening and closing theme music is provided by Oleg Kyrylkovv courtesy of Pixabay. Funding for this podcast is provided by RandomKid, Ann Kaatz LoBue, Fran Parr, Sarah Stokes, and Renee Whisnant. Enjoy!!

The Juice with Jeff #230

On this episode of the podcast, Angie Tessau and Katey Hartzell conduct and co-produce a fantastic, superb, outstanding, and very fun interview with me in person. This is Angie's second time (first in person) and Katey's fifth time (third in person) on the podcast and we recorded this one outdoors at Campbell Recreational Area in Clive.

 

Here are the topics that Angie and Katey ask me questions on.

1. Tell us why your podcast is so meaningful for you? There are several points during the interview where I talk about the podcast and how this is a really special year for the show.

2. Angie, Katey, and I have been friends with each other for 41 years; what is my first memory (where did I first meet) of Angie and Katey? During my answer to this question I talk in a summary form how things went for me at Crossroads Park Elementary, Indian Hills Jr. High, and Valley High Schools.

3.  Is there a question you wish one of your interviewers/co-producers would ask that really hasn't been asked on the show before? For this one I select as the question "What would your ideal dream job be?"

4.  What are your thoughts on our recent crazy and unusual weather patterns?

5.  Knowing what you know now at your age and your older self, what would you tell your younger self what things you do differently?

6.  What is your favorite song to sing? During my answer I bring up how in the past I had a karaoke system setup and how I used to do event video production as a side gig until about several years ago. I also talk about my favorite types of Rock/Pop/R&B music and groups.

 

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Sunday June 23, 2024 and it runs about 55 minutes long. Our opening and closing theme music is provided by Oleg Kyrylkovv courtesy of Pixabay. Funding for this podcast is provided by RandomKid, Ann Kaatz LoBue, Fran Parr, Sarah Stokes, and Renee Whisnant. Enjoy!!

The Juice with Jeff #229

On this episode of the podcast, Jennifer and Lee Konfrst conduct and co-produce a fantastic, outstanding, superb, and quite conversational interview with me in person. This is Jennifer's second time and Lee's debut/first time on the podcast and we recorded this one inside Lauren Campbell's photography studio in the Windsor Heights area.

 

The podcast is basically divided into three parts:

1.. Jennifer and I have an in depth conversation on Iowa politics, education, and living in Des Moines.

2. Then Lee and I have a conversation about how we're both Drake J-School graduates, first by my talking about what the Meredith Hall basement was like when we were students there during the 1990's and then I talked about how I got to go on an in-depth tour back in October last year with Sandy Henry on the renovation and significant changes in Meredith Hall and especially with the basement and audio/TV production facilities. We also talked more about these The Juice with Jeff podcasts.

3.  We wrap up the show with Jennifer asking me to share any favorite memories from our Drake J-School days.

 

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Friday June 21, 2024 and it runs about 52 minutes long. Our opening and closing theme music is provided by Oleg Kyrylkovv courtesy of Pixabay. Funding for this podcast is provided by RandomKid, Ann Kaatz LoBue, Fran Parr, Sarah Stokes, and Renee Whisnant. Enjoy!!

The Juice with Jeff #228

On this episode of the podcast, Natalie Jones conducts and co-produces a fantastic and very unique interview with me thru Zoom. This is Natalie's second time on the podcast and without question her best interview ever with me for the show!!

 

Most of the questions that Natalie asked me during the interview either have never been asked by anyone else before on the podcast or they were framed in a different way from what others have asked on the show. After sharing my thoughts on how things are going with this year's episodes of the podcast and our opening comments, Natalie asked me the following questions:

1. How did you get 44 new episodes produced and recorded of the podcast already this year with only half of the year going by?

2. I know that you take walks during your breaks at work. What does your daily movement do for you and how did it start for you? I then ask Natalie to talk about her being passionate about getting physical movement during her day.

3. Is there a challenge you have overcome over this year that you have grown from?

4. What do you want people to know about you or what do you want to be known for?

5. About the food you prepare when you cook: Do you have a favorite recipe that you enjoy making the most?  If there is a meal that you haven't made in a long time that you would like to make?  Is there a meal you've never made before that you would like to make or try? Then I ask Natalie to share her thoughts on this multi part question.

6. Over the last 7 years you've done these audio interviews/The Juice with Jeff, what has been the most frustrating part of your podcasts? What has been the most exciting part of your podcasts?

7. Do people get paid to do podcasts? 

8. Do you like to travel? What's a place in the world you would like to see the most? Say you were able to travel to a lighthouse and be a lighthouse keeper and bring one person with you so you weren't totally isolated; is there someone close enough to in your life that you would like to bring?

9. You do a lot of writing on FB, etc ... Do you have any aspirations with your writing?.

10.  How are things going at DSM Sleep Specialists these days?

11. Do you do something special for your birthday every year?  Is there something unique for your 50th that you want to do this year?

12. The interviews that you do with the friends that you or your other friends have recruited, have you ever met those people before?

13. Do you love karaoke?

14.  Do you have anyone special in your life?

Before we wrap up the podcast, I ask Natalie to share anything that's new or fun in her life since we did our last interview together back in December 2022.

 

This episode of the podcast was recorded on the night of Thursday June 20th, 2024 and it runs 1 hour and 2 minutes long. Our opening and closing theme music is provided by Oleg Kyrylkovv courtesy of Pixabay. Funding for this podcast is provided by RandomKid, Ann Kaatz LoBue, Fran Parr, Sarah Stokes, and Renee Whisnant. Enjoy!!

The Juice with Jeff #227

On this episode of the podcast, Ann Kaatz LoBue conducts and co-produces a fantastic, outstanding, and very unique interview with me thru Zoom. This is Ann's fifth time on the podcast and without question her best interview ever with me for the show!!

 

Ann did something really unique for this episode by doing a trivia game and asking me questions divided into three parts:

1. First she asked me a whole bunch of trivia questions related to Fred Rogers o.b.m. and Mister Rogers Neighborhood.

2. Then she asks me a whole bunch of trivia questions related to The Blues Brothers. On both the Mister Rogers and The Blues Brothers portions of Ann's trivia game, I got the answers to almost all of the questions correct!!

 

Then Ann asks me a bunch of questions related to the number 50. These questions were much more challenging for me and I didn't do so well on half the questions. Those questions were:

a.  Of which metal is 50 the atomic number?

b.  Who directed the movie "51st Dates"?

c.  Which of the Canadian provinces on its creation had a boundary that ran

along the 50 degrees 30 minutes line of latitude?

d.  An image of what U.S. president appears on the 50 dollar bill?

e. Which book in the Old Testament of The Bible has 50 chapters in it?

f.  Who said "The man who views the world at 50 the same way he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life?"

g. Who said "You take all the experience and judgement of men over 50 out of the world and there wouldn't be enough left to run it?"

h. Who said "Looking 50 is great if you are 60?"

i. Who said "At age 50, everyone has the face he deserves?"

 

Then Ann asks me what I'm looking forward to as I turn 50? And then we spend the last 9 minutes of the interview talking about and reflecting on these The Juice with Jeff podcasts.

 

This episode of the podcast was recorded on the night of Thursday June 13th, 2024 and it runs 1 hour and 17 minutes long. Our opening and closing theme music is provided by Oleg Kyrylkovv courtesy of Pixabay. Funding for this podcast is provided by RandomKid, Ann Kaatz LoBue, Fran Parr, Sarah Stokes, and Renee Whisnant. Enjoy!!

The Juice with Jeff #226

On this episode of the podcast, Shirley Beedon conducts and co-produces a fantastic, superb, outstanding, and really unique interview with me in person. This is Shirley's very first time on the podcast and we recorded this one at Raccoon River Park in West Des Moines. A very special shout-out and thanks goes out to Dana Leman for recruiting Dave and Melissa to join The Juice with Jeff family of interviewers and co-producers!!

 

This was a really special episode with nearly all of the questions being based on the Q Friends card game.

 

The questions Shirley asked me are:

 

Can you describe your best friend when you were five years old?

 

What performer do you want to see that you have not seen before?

 

Could you describe a favorite teacher(s) you had during school?

 

Describe a time when you fought for something?

 

Please explain to me what the Juicys Awards event is?

 

Describe two things that you own and really enjoy, and why you enjoy them?

 

This episode of the podcast was recorded on the night of Sunday June 9th, 2024 and it runs 40 minutes long. Our opening and closing theme music is provided by Oleg Kyrylkovv courtesy of Pixabay. Funding for this podcast is provided by RandomKid, Ann Kaatz LoBue, Fran Parr, Sarah Stokes, and Renee Whisnant. Enjoy!!