The Juice with Jeff’s Podcast

The Juice with Jeff #83

On this episode of the podcast, Andrea (Froehlich) McMaster conducts a fantastic and outstanding audio interview with me via Zoom filled with lots of two-way conversation throughout the interview. The topics that Andrea asked to talk about during the interview are: The proper role of social media, the history behind these podcasts and what led to my decision to have friends conduct these interviews with me, I went into detail with Andrea about the "Capstone" or more significant moments that I had with my being a Radio-TV Production major during my Drake University days, Andrea also shared her favorite moments from our days in the J School at Drake, and I also performed around 25 of my voice impersonations for Andrea.

This interview was recorded on Saturday March 20, 2021 and it's 1 hour and 8 minutes (68 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 #82

On this episode of the podcast, Renee (VanAmber) Whisnant conducts a really good audio interview with me thru Zoom filled with a good amount of two-way conversation throughout the interview. There are several different topics that Renee asks me to talk (and that I share relevant thoughts on) about including: Who I am now versus who I was back in our Drake University days and an example of what my current values are, my thoughts on the 2020 Elections, what is the most fulfilling thing about my job and what from Drake has helped me the most in what I do for a living, about my video production hobby and about how I use my audio production skills in putting together these "The Juice with Jeff" podcasts, and then Renee and I each talk about memories, etc.... we have about the years we were in the Broadcast News or Radio/TV Production wings of the J School at Drake University.

This interview was recorded on Friday March 19, 2021 and it definitely is a FEATURE LENGTH podcast as it runs 1 hour and 35 minutes (95 minutes). 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 #81

On this episode of the podcast, Kim Kivens conducts and co-produces a excellent and really fun audio interview with me thru Zoom filled with two-way conversation throughout the interview. There are several different topics that were brought up during the interview:

1. I talked with Kim about what Shabbat (the weekly Jewish Sabbath) observance was like during the summers I went to Camp Ramah in Wisconsin between 1989 and 1997, and how Shabbat was one of my very favorite parts of being at Ramah Wisconsin both during my camper and my staff years there.

2. Kim then shared her favorite memories and special highlights from the summers that she went to Ramah Wisconsin.

3. Then I talk deeply about the subject of Autism Acceptance and Neurodiversity.

4. And then during the remaining 25 minutes or so of the interview, I perform around 30 of my voice impersonations for Kim. There were even portions of the interview where Kim and I did some singing.

This was the 2nd time that Kim has been on the podcast with me during the course of "The Juice with Jeff" series. This interview was recorded on Friday March 5, 2021 and it runs around 1 hour and 13 minutes. 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 #80

On this episode of the podcast, Martha Scanlan conducts and co-produces a wonderful and really good audio interview with me via Zoom filled with quite a bit of two-way conversation throughout the interview. There are several different topics that Martha and I bring up including:

1. We start the podcast off with my talking with Martha about what the purposes of "The Juice with Jeff" podcast series are.

2.  I talked about with Martha about how my experiences in Valley High School helped me prepare for the future, as well as a summary of my educational background during my K thru 12th Grade years, and also how my social skills have developed throughout my life. I also clarify how I have the traits of both an "Introvert" and an "Extrovert".

3. Then Martha asks me to talk about how I have grown since our VHS days and how is life different for me now than I thought it would be when I was in a high school state of mind. I talked about the various things I've done since I graduated from VHS.

4. I then tell Martha about the various hobbies and interests I have outside of work.

5. I then talk with Martha about my favorite aspects of practicing Judaism, as well as my extremely high priority on behaving in an honest and ethical manner at all times, my feelings on politics, and how I believe it is absolutely essential/critical that we love, accept, embrace, and tolerate everyone as they are for who they are. I also talk about how the quality of my friendships is a whole lot more important than the quantity of friendships, and I also talk about having the right balance between having a positive/optimistic attitude and being realistic/honest about things.

6. Then I talk with Martha about the various things that I do to stay positive and keep my mental health in check.

7. And then Martha and I each share memories and favorite moments from our Valley High School (in West Des Moines) days.

This interview was recorded on Sunday February 28, 2021 and it runs around 1 hour and 15 minutes long (75 minutes). 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 #79

On this episode of the podcast, Michael Libbie conducts and co-produces an excellent and fun audio interview with me via Zoom filled with quite a bit of two-way conversation throughout the interview. There were a bunch of things that Michael asked me to talk about during the audio interview including:

1. How I was pretty active with the former Beth El Jacob Synagogue in Des Moines, IA for around 15 years or so and how there was period of time for a couple years (between 2006 and 2008) where I made the effort to attend the minyanim/prayer services at BEJ as much as I was able to. Today, Beth El Jacob has now merged with and is part of the Chabad Lubavitch of Iowa community.

NOTE: A "minyan" refers to the quorum of at least 10 Jewish adults that is required in order for certain parts of the service to be done (e.g. the "Barchu", the "Kedushah" part of the Amidah, the various forms of the "Kaddish", the Torah reading with people being called up for "Aliyahs".) In Orthodox synagogues, only men 13 years of age and older can be counted for a minyan. In Conservative and other non-Orthodox synagogues, women 12 years of age and older can also be counted for a minyan.

2. How in the past I have done event videotaping and video production for people in the Des Moines/central Iowa Jewish community as a hobby and side gig. Nowadays I still do event videotaping for people today occasionally. I talk with Michael about what kind of equipment I have been using for videotaping and editing events, both in the past and also what I will use nowadays.

3. I talk with Michael more about my audio production skills and about discuss the technical details on how I put together these "The Juice with Jeff" podcasts.

4. Michael also asks me to talk in more detail about my love of karaoke and singing for fun, about how I have a really cool karaoke system setup, and how I occasionally bring my karaoke system to the parties that friends have.

5. Michael asks me to talk about the Jewish music group that is led by Lenny Solomon called Shlock Rock, as well as how I am a fan of a good majority of Shlock Rock's music and in terms of how Lenny Solomon uses music to educate the Jewish commmunity about Judaism in a fun and entertaining way. Then Michael asks me to talk about the times that the performer Matisyahu came to Des Moines, and I tell Michael about the one Shabbat (the weekly Jewish Sabbath)  in 2009 that I got to meet and spend some time hanging around with Matisyahu in the synagogue I was praying at.

6. The last thing that Michael asks me to talk about with him is the close friendship/relationship that I had with Rabbi Marshall Berg and Rebbetsin Shirley Berg (both Of Blessed Memory) for quite a long time; and also how the Bergs have had a strong influence in my life in terms of how I practice Judaism.

This interview was recorded on Sunday February 28, 2021 and it runs around 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 #19

On this episode of the podcast, Brandy Angolano conducts and co-produces this very good interview with me. During the vast majority of the interview, Brandy and I share our memories and favorite moments from our years at Valley High School in West Des Moines, IA, along with the differences between the 1990's and today in terms of technology and communicating with friends. And during the last few minutes of the interview, I perform 20 of my voice impersonations for Brandy.

This interview was recorded on Friday October 12, 2018 and is around 31 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 #35

On this episode of the podcast, Michelle Samuelson conducts and co-produces a very fun interview with me in person. During the vast majority of the interview, Michelle and I share our memories and favorite moments from our years at Valley High School in West Des Moines, IA. Michelle and I also bring up a few things about relationships, lifestyle choices, and outlooks on life. And during the last few minutes of the interview, I perform 15 of my voice impersonations for Michelle.

This interview was recorded on Tuesday December 10, 2019. 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 #78

On this episode of the podcast, Laura Grisamore conducts and co-produces an excellent, outstanding, and extremely fun audio interview with me thru Zoom filled with lots of two-way conversation throughout the interview. There are over a dozen different things that Laura and I talk about during this episode of the show, with some of the topics being:

1. Winter weather in terms of snow and extremely cold temperatures.

2. Polar Bear Plunges

3. My Acromegaly and how I had to have those two major surgeries to remove a really large benign tumor in my pituitary gland back in January 2016, as well as dealing with medical expenses.

4. Thoughts on the 2020 Election, as well as our thoughts on the Inauguration for President Biden and Vice President Harris that took place on January 20, 2021. 

5.  How it's extremely important and critical that we love, accept, tolerate, and embrace all people of all colors/races, all religions, all sexual orientations, all nationalities, etc...

6.  The problem with Toxic Positivity

7.  Both my take and Laura's take on restaurants and eating out in general; and how we've dealing with food whenever we have felt like "Eating out" during the Covid-19 pandemic. I also talk about the cooking skills I have within certain limits.

8.  I talk about some of the traveling experiences I've had in the past, and where I would be interested in traveling to at some point in time.

9. I talk a little bit about my Camp Ramah in Wisconsin days, and then I also talk in a relatively abbreviated way about my Judaism and how I try my best to be a religiously observant Jew both in terms of the ritual and ethical aspects of Judaism; and how I consider it my top priority to be ethical, honest in all aspects of life, and to treat everyone with kindness and respect.

10. Laura talks about a business that she owns and operates in Park Rapids, MN with three other people called Studio 176.  Laura's business is an art gallery that features Laura's work along with the work of the three other people who operate the business with Laura.

This interview was recorded on Friday February 5, 2021 and it definitely is a EPIC FEATURE LENGTH podcast as it runs 2 hours and 30 minutes (150 minutes). In fact, this is the absolute lengthiest/longest episode of the podcast to date!! 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 #77

On this episode of the podcast, Christa Anderson Beeler conducts and co-produces a fantastic and super fun audio interview with me thru Zoom filled with quite a bit of two-way conversation throughout the interview. There were multiple topics that were brought up and interwoven with each other during the interview including:  A record breaking 10 to 15 inch snowfall event we had here in Des Moines earlier in the week, how Christa's dog and my two dogs handle the snow, walking outdoors during the winter, weekend plans, audio quality for this podcast episode on both my end and Christa's end, how I cook for a typical Shabbat (weekly Jewish Sabbath), how it's extremely important for us to accept and embrace everyone for who they are, when positivity can become "excessive" or "toxic positivity", Christa talks about and promotes her "Life Full of Sparkle" organization and brand, I talk a little more about my podcast in terms of how I use the audio production skills I learned during my Valley High School and Drake University days, and we finish the interview with both me and Christa talking about our days attending the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Drake University.

This interview was recorded on Friday January 29, 2021 and it runs 54 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 #76

On this episode of the podcast, Kelie (Harms) Gray conducts and co-produces a fantastic and really fun audio interview with me thru Zoom filled with quite a bit of two-way conversation throughout the interview. There were a bunch of things that were discussed during the audio interview including:

1. My thoughts on the November 2020 Election, and also on the Inauguration of President Biden and Vice President Harris that took place on January 20, 2021. The first 15 minutes of the podcast are spent talking about these two things.

2. Then I talk with Kelie for around 15 minutes about my intense love and passion for music, what types of music I enjoy most, and how critical and extremely important music is in my life on a daily basis. I also tell Kelie about the karaoke system that I have and how I occasionally bring this karaoke system to parties that friends host.

3. Then I discuss with Kelie for around 10 minutes about several other things that help me stay positive as much as realistically possible and also help me keep my mental health in check. We also talk in more detail about the entire "The Juice with Jeff" podcast series and about how awesome technology is (including the use of Zoom).

4. Then Kelie and I each talk for a total of around 8 minutes about the weather (what is was like during the recording session for this podcast) in our respective communities, along with a couple georgraphical things about where we each live.

5. And then for the remaining 7 minutes of the podcast, Kelie and I each share a couple memories from our days at Valley High School in West Des Moines, IA during the first half of the 1990's. We then close the podcast with some closing comments.

NOTE: There were 3 moments during the recording session of this podcast where I ended up saying things which are incorrect. So when I did the post-production work on this episode, I did voiceovers where I made corrections to what I originally said. As a result, you may notice some difference in the audio quality during these voiceovers as opposed to the rest of the podcast.

This interview was recorded on Friday January 22, 2021 and it runs around 56 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!