The Juice with Jeff’s Podcast

The Juice with Jeff #119

On this episode of the podcast, Jill (Bassman) Sarcone conducts/co-produces a fantastic interview with me in person. This is Jill's sixth time conducting the interview with me for these podcasts.

 

Jill and I had quite a bit of two way conversation based on several random questions that Jill brought up:

What are your favorite childhood memories?

 

What are your biggest pet peeves?

 

What personality trait has gotten you into the most trouble in your life?

 

What is the best piece of advice you have ever been offered?

 

Who talked you into doing these The Juice with Jeff podcasts?

 

If you could time travel, when would you go back to?

 

There are a bunch of topics that get brought up as I answer Jill's questions such as a couple fun memories from the Crossroads Park Elementary School days, my love of nature and how several of the in person interviews for the podcast have been recorded at Greenwood Park, how I have enjoyed playing around with and using audio equipment as early as the late 1980's, my general philosophy on several areas of life, and how these podcasts came to be. There are a couple moments where Jill shares her answers to these questions.

 

This episode of the podcast runs around 38 minutes long. As is the case with all of "The Juice with Jeff" podcasts, funding for this podcast is provided by Realty With Ahart and RandomKid. Enjoy!!

The Juice with Jeff #118

On this episode of the podcast, Sarah Graf conducts/co-produces a fantastic and superb interview with me in person. This is Sarah's third time conducting the interview with me for these podcasts.

 

 

For this episode, Sarah and I did something really special that has never been done before in the history of these podcasts: We went on a walking tour of a city park in the Des Moines area!!!

 

 

More specifically, Sarah and I recorded our podcast session together at Greenwood Park here in Des Moines. We went on a walking tour of the overwhelming majority of Greenwood Park that covered most areas of the park: The Sylvan Theatre/ Amphitheatre area, the Claire and Miles Mills Rose Garden area, the Greenwood Park Lagoon and waterfall areas and a small portion of the playground area (away from crowds).

 

 

We began the podcast sitting on a bench at the Sylvan Theatre Amphitheatre area, did the walking tour during the vast majority of the podcast, and finished the show back in the Sylvan Theatre Amphitheatre area.

 

 

The main topics we talked about during the podcast recording session were nature, the beauty of the parks we have available, the tidbits/details about Greenwood Park and it's facilities, how some of the facilities at Greenwood are part of the WPA/CCC projects that were constructed during the 1930's, the birds and various sounds of nature we heard, and everything that Sarah and I saw throughout our walking tour of the park.

 

 

There were times where we got into side discussions about various things like memories from the original location of the Science Center that used to be located in the Greenwood Park area, how Sarah participates in the annual RAGBRAI bike ride event every summer across Iowa, how the original location for the Science Center was on the east side of Greenwood Park and now that facility is a private secular K thru 8th grade school called Bergman Academy, and a few more tidbits about these The Juice with Jeff podcasts.

 

 

We had a significant amount of two way conversation throughout the entire podcast, with almost all of our dialogue being ad-libbed and on the fly with both of us sharing our thoughts about everything we saw and heard at Greenwood.

 

 

This episode of the podcast runs at 1 hour and 19 minutes long (79 minutes long). As is the case with all of "The Juice with Jeff" podcasts, funding for this podcast is provided by Realty With Ahart and RandomKid. Enjoy!!

The Juice with Jeff #117

On this episode of the podcast, Meghan Malloy conducts/co-produces a fantastic and superb interview with me in person. This is Meghan's second time conducting the interview with me for these podcasts.

 

 

Basically, Meghan and I divided our two way conversation into three primary segments during the podcast recording session with LOTS of two way conversation:

 

 

1. Besides our introductions, the first 15 minutes of the show are devoted to talking about Greenwood Park, other central Iowa parks, various state parks in Iowa and the experiences I've had in those, our love for nature, the buildings that were created as part of the Works Progress Administration/Civilian Conservation Corps during the 1930's. During this segment of the podcast, I shared with Meghan how three of the in person interviews for the podcast during 2022 have been recorded/produced at Greenwood Park.

 

 

2. Beginning at around the 16 minute mark: The next 30 minutes of the podcast recording session is devoted to talking about the history of various places related to Des Moines, other central Iowa communities and suburbs, two of the synagogues that were part of Des Moines' history and the people related to them. I also chat with Meghan about the 10 or so books I have from a company called Arcadia Publishing that talk about the history of various cities and towns in Iowa (including several books that I just ordered from this particular company). When I talk about two books I ordered that talk about small towns in northern Wisconsin, I spent five minutes talking a bit about the 7-1/2 summers I was part of the Camp Ramah in Wisconsin community. I approach this from both from a nature perspective and also in relation to how being at Ramah Wisconsin has helped changed my Jewish life significantly. And we also bring up the Iowa State Fair and the fun experiences we've had with that.

 

 

3. Starting at the 48 minute mark, we spend around 20 minutes talking about Bar and Bat Mitzvahs. I introduced this segment of the podcast by doing a "This American Life" style introduction with my Ira Glass voice impersonation. Meghan and I shared the experience that we had when we had our own Bar and Bat Mitzvahs. I even performed for Meghan two excepts from the Haftarah (Taken from the Book of Judges) that I did during my Bar Mitzvah weekend (back in August 1988), and during the final line of that excerpt I did my voice impersonation of Cantor Pinchas Spiro o.b.m. (he was the Cantor at Tifereth Israel Synagogue in Des Moines between the early 1970's until his retirement in 1996).

 

 

4. During the last seven minutes of the podcast, we talk about a few more items and tidbits related to Des Moines history.

 

 

We recorded our podcast outdoors in the Sylvan Theatre area of Greenwood Park in Des Moines, IA on May 29, 2022. This episode of the podcast runs at 1 hour and 15 minutes long (75 minutes long). As is the case with all of "The Juice with Jeff" podcasts, funding for this podcast is provided by Realty With Ahart and RandomKid. Enjoy!!

The Juice with Jeff #116

On this episode of the podcast, Jill Brimeyer conducts/co-produces a fantastic and superb interview with me in person. This is Jill's second time conducting the interview with me for these podcasts.

 

After Jill and I spend the first five minutes giving our introductions and express our excitement at how we're finally able to do an interview for the show IN PERSON, we then proceed to have a two-way conversation where Jill uses the Vertellis/Vertell?s Complete card game series where the slogan is "Less Small Talk, More Genuine Conversations" to guide her in the questions that she asks me. Here are the topics that Jill brings up and asks me questions on from the Vertellis card game during the course of the epic podcast: 

 

1.  Of which personal achievement are you most proud of?

During this segment, I talk with Jill about the progress I've made over the years on my social skills, a little bit about my being autistic, about my basic values, and how I stress quality over quantity in terms of my friendships. Then I share with Jill about the history of these The Juice with Jeff  podcasts, how they came to be, the technical details on how these podcasts are produced, and on how I've accomplished quite a lot with these podcasts over these last five years. And I also tell Jill about how I've been recording personal memories with friends (albeit usually on a private basis) onto audio cassettes or onto videotapes long before the podcasts started. This part of the show lasts around 18 minutes. 

 

2. What was your most memorable day?

During this question, I talked with Jill about both my Valley High School graduation (Spring 1994) and my Drake University graduation (end of 1998), and I explained in great detail how things with my Drake graduation went.  I also talk about how every time I get to have a friend interview me for these podcasts it's a memorable day for me; especially whenever I'm able to get together with friends in person for the interviews. And I share with Jill how I've been dealing with having these podcasts recorded/produced throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. I also share with Jill how whenever I have eaten out at a local restaurant or even just picking up from local restaurants, it's also a memorable day for me. This segment of the show lasts nine minutes.

 

3. What are your earliest memories?

During this part of the show, I talk with Jill about my elementary school years, the several years during my elementary school years where I participated in a local Jewish day camp in Des Moines called Camp Shalom (which is now called Engman Camp Shalom). And I also talk about a mutli-purpose facility and activity center in the Des Moines Jewish community called Caspe Terrace. This part of the show lasts around 11 minutes.

 

4. During your elementary school years, what did you do during recess?

I answer Jill's question and then I share several specific memories from my Crossroads Park Elementary School years, including two specific trips my class made during my fourth grade (a bike ride from Crossroads Park Elementary to a park in Waukee) and sixth grade years (a 2 day 1 night trip to Springbrook State Park for a Conservation Educational program). I then talk about how during both of my Junior High school years, the middle school/junior high school age Jewish students from throughout Iowa participated in a Shabbaton/Sabbath weekend program which both times took place at Springbrook State Park. And this leads to my sharing with Jill how much I love state parks, nature, and about the moments I get to see animals such as Canadian Geese and Mallard ducks. This segment ends with me sharing how I feel about Zoos. This part of the show lasts 12 minutes.

 

5. What was the best book, movie, or TV series you read or saw? And one we might not expect?

 

I talk with Jill about my love for the Harry Potter book series and the movies on DVD that go along with it, a big book with a compilation of MAD Magazine comics from between the 1950's and 1990's, several movies that specialize in puns and parodies type humor, several animated cartoons including Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, and the Mystery Science Theatre 3000 TV series. This part of the discussion lasts 12 minutes.

 

6. There are moments where Jill shares her answers and thoughts on the above five questions. And then Jill shares a few things about her interests and hobbies. Her thoughts on creativity and art then lead to me talking a little more about my passion and intense interest in Mister Rogers' Neighborhood and Fred Rogers o.b.m. and how Mister Rogers relates to being creative and how it promotes being spontaneous and artsy. About 15 minutes or so are devoted to this part of the podcast.

 

And then for most of the remaining 13 minutes of the podcast, I perform the following voice impersonations for Jill: Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the late Jim Morrison doing the Toys R Us jingle like The Doors would have done it, Senator Mitch McConnell, Senator Chuck Schumer, VP Kamala Harris, President Joe Biden, and Mister Rogers. Jill and I then share some closing thoughts before we wrap up the podcast.

 

We recorded our podcast outdoors at Crossroads Park (not the school) in West Des Moines, IA on May 15, 2022. This episode of the podcast is FEATURE LENGTH and it runs at an EPIC 1 hour and 38 minutes long (98 minutes long), which makes this one of the longest episodes to have ever been produced of the show and it's the SECOND LONGEST in person episode to be produced to date. As is the case with all of "The Juice with Jeff" podcasts, funding for this podcast is provided by Realty With Ahart and RandomKid. Enjoy!!

The Juice with Jeff #114

On this episode of the podcast, Lauren Campbell conducts/co-produces an fantastic and superb interview with me in person. this is Lauren's second time conducting the interview with me for these podcasts.

 

Lauren and I give our introductions during the first three minutes of the show. The podcast itself can be divided into four sections.

 

1. Beginning at the three minute mark and lasting for about 23 minutes, Lauren brings up the subject of "Memories of summer vacations from when we were kids". She asks me what my favorite memories and highlights are from when I was on summer vacation during my childhood and teenage years. I talk with Lauren in great detail about a bunch of things I did during my summer breaks from school (as a child, teenager, and university student): family trips where my family would go by car or plane to various places throughout the United States where relatives were living in, several summers during my elementary years where I got special tutoring a few times a week at the home of a special education teacher I worked with named Ruth McKibbin o.b.m., several summers where I participated in a Jewish day camp in the Des Moines area called Camp Shalom (now called Engman Camp Shalom), how during much of the summer of 1988 I was preparing for my official Bar Mitzvah celebration weekend, a little bit about the summers that I went to Camp Ramah in Wisconsin as a camper (for 4 years during the late 1980's and early 1990's) and then working on their business office staff during the mid 1990's for 3-1/2 summers. When I talked about Ramah Wisconsin, I told a story about how I traveled to and from camp at the start and end of those summers and how Ramah played a huge role in changing my life from the Jewish side of things.

 

2. Then at the 26 minute mark, Lauren shares her answer on the question of "What are your favorite memories, special highlights, etc.... from your summer vacations during childhood and teenage years?" One of the things she mentioned during this segment is about a park in the Windsor Heights suburb of Des Moines called Colby Park. I shared some history I know about Colby Park and I talked about how I videotaped several events for a family in the Orthodox section of the Des Moines Jewish community that were held at the indoor Windsor Heights Community Center building that is part of the Colby Park complex. During this part I talked about how for an 18 year period between 2000 to 2018 I did event video production and videography for members of Beth El Jacob Synagogue (the congregation no longer has it's own building and has merged with Chabad Lubavitch of Iowa in DSM) and Chabad Lubavitch of Iowa and a brief overview of the video production equipment that I used for videotaping and video production from both the videotaping and video editing side of things. This segment lasts for around 18 minutes.

 

At the 44 minute mark, Lauren shares a piece of trivia about the site that Camp Shalom used for several decades (between the late 1960's up until around 2000ish), and then I talk about what Engman Camp Shalom is like today and also about the multi-purpose Jewish community center in Waukee called Caspe Terrace that was built in 2001.

 

And then during the last six minutes of the podcast, Lauren asks the question "Your employer decides that all of the employees in your company will have 10 to 12 weeks off from work and that time will be paid (just like what kids and teenagers get in the vast majority of schools in the US with a 3 month summer vacation). How would you spend that time?"I share my thoughts on this subject and then Lauren gives her answer to this question.

 

We recorded our podcast outdoors at the Campbell Recreation Area in Clive, IA. This episode of the podcast runs nearly 56 minutes long. As is the case with all of "The Juice with Jeff" podcasts, funding for this podcast is provided by Realty With Ahart and RandomKid. Enjoy!!

The Juice with Jeff #115

On this episode of the podcast, Zander Leman and David Trumble conduct/co-produce a great and awesome interview with me thru Zoom.

 

After we give our introductions, the first thing that David and Zander ask me to talk about is "What are my favorite karaoke songs to sing"? I talk about my answer to this question, along with sharing several occasions where I've facilitated karaoke for parties that friends have hosted as well as several parties that I have helped plan where the use of my karaoke equipment was part of them. We spend about four to five minutes talking about karaoke.

 

Then I spent about a couple minutes sharing with David and Zander my thoughts on the pandemic, how I've been dealing with it, and how I'm handling things with it now. David then asks me to talk about how these The Juice with Jeff podcasts began and I share the history on how the podcast got off the ground along with talking about the goals with the podcasts. We spend 12 minutes talking about the history of The Juice with Jeff podcasts.

 

Then Zander asks me to share my thoughts on how do I handle our Neurotypical society with my being autistic. I spend about eight minutes sharing my thoughts with Zander and David on this question along with how I have had to end a significant number of friendships over the last several years with people who turn out to be OK with and consider acceptable various evil/harmful/horrific things like racism, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, misogyny, ableism, sexism, anti-semitism, etc.... as well as those who don't care about public health mitigation measures and those who go around spreading lies, disinformation, and conspiracy theories concerning the Covid-19 pandemic/vaccines/masks. I happen to perform my Trump voice impersonation during this part of the podcast. 

 

And during the last six minutes of the show, David asks me what my favorite cartoons and animated movies are and I share my thoughts on this. I then perform the following voices for David and Zander: Fat Albert, Mushmouth, Yogi Bear, Boo Boo, Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd, Tweety, and Sylvester.

 

This podcast was recorded on May 12, 2022 and it runs around 35 minutes. As is the case with all of "The Juice with Jeff" podcasts, funding for this podcast is provided by Realty With Ahart and RandomKid. Enjoy!!

 

 

 

The Juice with Jeff #113

On this episode of the podcast, Kara Sparks conducts/co-produces an excellent, fantastic, and outstanding interview with me in person.
 

After Kara and I spent the first two minutes doing our introductions, we spent about 32 minutes talking about these The Juice with Jeff podcasts. I went into significant detail with Kara in talking about the history of the podcast, how I made the decision to start these podcasts, shared a whole assortment of tidbits about the podcast, my goals with the podcasts, and I also talked with Kara the significant amount of experience I've had with audio and TV/video production throughout my life. 

 

Then for about 12 minutes, Kara brought up the subject of other podcasts. After she mentions the podcasts she listens to, she asks me to talk about other podcasts that I frequently listen to. I tell Kara that there are two or three specific podcasts that I tune in to every time new episodes are produced: 

a. The Osterholm Update Covid-19: Where an excellent epidemiologist named Dr. Michael Osterholm and host Chris Dall talk about where we're at with the Covid-19 pandemic both in the U.S. and also throughout the rest of the world. Dr. Osterholm shares his insights and analysis on various things related to the pandemic and where he thinks we may be headed with it. When I talk about Dr. Osterholm with Kara, I also share my thoughts on where we are with the pandemic and how I handle things and "live my life" with it.

b. Two audio and video (looking directly at the camera) podcasts that are hosted and written by Farron Cousins on YouTube (and other social media and podcast sites) called Farron Balanced and The Ring of Fire. Several episodes are recorded daily on each of these two channels and each podcast/video Farron does generally lasts anywhere from 3 to 10 minutes.

 

Then for about 10 or so minutes, Kara asks me to talk about the friends who conduct/co-produce the interviews with me for The Juice with Jeff and asks me how many other VHS classmates/friends have done the interviews, and I share with her the names of those friends from our VHS days who have conducted/co-produced the interviews with me.

And for the last topic on the podcast, Kara and I spend the last 15 minutes or so each sharing a few favorite memories and special moments from our VHS days and our thoughts on what the VHS campus looks like nowadays. We then end the podcast reflecting on our close friendship and how we will remain really good friends for the rest of our lives.

 

We recorded our podcast outdoors at Greenwood Park in Des Moines.
This episode of the podcast runs 72 minutes/1 hour 12 minutes long. As is the case with all of "The Juice with Jeff" podcasts, funding for this podcast is provided by Realty With Ahart and RandomKid. Enjoy!!

The Juice with Jeff #112

On this episode of the podcast, Sarah Trone Garriott conducts/co-produces an excellent interview with me in person.

 

Sarah and I had a very free flowing chat which was filled with lots of two-way conversation throughout the podcast. Here are the topics which Sarah and I brought up during this episode:

 

Sarah starts the podcast with her intro and welcoming everyone to the show.

 

Sarah and I then have a short discussion on how the weather in Iowa during March/April/May can be like a roller coaster.

 

Then Sarah talks about the several jobs and roles that she has in the Des Moines and central Iowa community.

 

Sarah and I talk in more detail about the goals and purposes of these The Juice with Jeff podcasts.

 

Sarah brings up the subject of using improv comedy as part of faith and community outreach, and I share with her how Judaism believes that the use of clean humor does have a valuable and important place in Jewish practice and tradition.

 

I talk with Sarah about how Judaism and Jewish tradition believe in the importance of following the middle path and also on how Judaism considers having excellent character traits to be extremely important and essential.

 

One way I share with Sarah the importance of following "the middle path" is how on one hand, there are times where mourning is proper and important, but at the same time we should not be mourning excessively or more than necessary.

 

I share with Sarah my thoughts on what values I consider critical and essential, and I also talk with her about how I've been handling the Covid-19 pandemic both during its earlier phases and how I'm handling it now.

 

Both Sarah and I bring up the importance of having that delicate balance with practicing both self care and also about how important it is for us to care about others.

 

Then Sarah asks me to share my thoughts on how my synagogue has been using creativity in operating during the pandemic. I share with her how I'm not able to go to synagogue much (pandemic or not) since I do not live within walking distance of my synagogue and I try my best to be Shomer Shabbat (fully observant of what the Torah, Hazal/the Talmudic sages, and Jewish Law requires in terms of the do's and do not's of keeping Shabbat).

 

I share with her how in mid-March 2022 (for the first time in two years), I was able to go inside my synagogue for their Purim festivities and how I dressed up as Fred Rogers, o.b.m. I offered a "Reader's Digest" version on how I became passionate and more interested in everything related to Fred Rogers and Mister Rogers' Neighborhood and how another really good friend named Jami Bassman Ahart helped me put together the Mister Rogers Wardrobe that I have for whenever I feel like dressing up like Fred Rogers.

 

There is one point during the conversation where I was able to sneak in my voice impersonation of Iowa governor Kim Reynolds.

 

We recorded our podcast outdoors at the Campbell Park Recreational Area in Clive. It was a pretty windy day outside, so there are times where it will sound windy during the podcast.

 

This episode of the podcast runs around 43 minutes long. As is the case with all of "The Juice with Jeff" podcasts, funding for this podcast is provided by Realty With Ahart and RandomKid. Enjoy!!

The Juice with Jeff #111

On this episode of the podcast, Renee (VanAmber) Whisnant conducts a really good audio interview with me thru Zoom; and this is her 2nd time on The Juice with Jeff.

 

Renee does ask me to talk about several different topics:

Will I be going to the Drake Relays this year or not?

Have I ever been involved with the Drake Relays during my Drake years?

Have I ever been back on the Drake University campus since my December 1998 graduation?

How is Passover 2022 going for me?

What is my favorite childhood/young adult memories from Passover?

 

I share my thoughts with Renee on all of these subjects. When Renee asks me to talk with her about how Passover is going, I actually explain more about what Passover is about, the basics of keeping kosher both during the year and during Passover, and how I aim/strive to do my best to live an observant Jewish life while I follow the "middle road" path without any unnecessary extras. I had quite lot to say about this subject and there are even a couple moments where I get...let's just say quite "fiery" and headstrong.

 

This interview was recorded on Friday April 22, 2022 and it runs 59 minutes long. As is the case with all of the "The Juice with Jeff" podcasts, funding for this podcast is provided by Realty With Ahart and RandomKid. Enjoy!

The Juice with Jeff #109

On this episode of the podcast, Libby Buchmeier conducts/co-produces a fantastic and superb interview with me in person.

 

There are a whole bunch of topics that discussed and brought up during the podcast including (in no particular order): the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, self-care, music, the "Mad for Decades" compilation book filled with the some of the best skits/stories that were published in Mad Magazine between the1950's thru 1990's, the Harry Potter series of books and movies, the Mel Brooks line of movies that are filled with hilarious puns and parodies, my pets and Libby's pets, our favorite types of jazz and classical music, my absolute love for "Jazz Rock"/"Horn-driven" rock and groups that are perfect examples of this genre such as Chicago and Blood Sweat and Tears, a little bit of politcs, National Public Radio/Iowa Public Radio/the WOI Radio stations (and I throw in my Don Forsling o.b.m. voice impersonation for Libby during this part of the conversation), and the importance of accepting and loving people as they are for who they are. Libby and I have a significant amount of two-way conversation on all of these topics throughout the podcast.

 

After a 90 minute deep conversation on all of the topics addressed above, I spend the last 15 minutes of the show giving an EPIC powerful performance for Libby of my following voice impersonations for Libby: Fat Albert, Mushmouth, Michael Buffer/"Let's Get Ready to Rumble!" Barry White o.b.m., Audrey II from "Little Shop of Horrors", Forrest Gump, Tom Bodett, Ira Glass, Susan Stamberg, Korva Coleman, Lakshmi Singh, Jack Speer, Giles Snyder, Bert and Ernie, The Count, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, Dr. Fauci, Senator Chuck Schumer, Senator Mitch McConnell, my unique take of the late Jim Morrison performing the "Toys R' Us" jingle, Bob Edwards (former NPR's Morning Edition host), and I conclude with the Fred Rogers o.b.m. medley (Mister Rogers, King Friday, Lady Elaine Fairchilde, Daniel Tiger, X the Owl, and Henrietta Pussycat).

 

Not only is this one of the longest episodes of The Juice with Jeff that we've ever done, but it is now officially the LONGEST IN PERSON EPISODE that we have ever done so far!! We recorded this episode of the podcast outdoors at Greenwood Park in the Des Moines area, specially in the area with their stage/amphitheater setup. This interview was recorded on April 10, 2022, and it lasts for an EPIC 99 minutes/1 hour 39 minutes. As is the case with all of "The Juice with Jeff" podcasts, funding for this podcast is provided by Realty With Ahart and RandomKid. Enjoy!!