Meet My Good Friend

This is a podcast where I interview random people that I meet to prove that everyone has a story to tell. It's StoryCorps + Humans of New York, I guess. So far I've met an IT guy, a jewelery merchandiser, a crazy conspiracy theorist, a hippie chick, a hairdresser, an astronomer, a stand-up comedian, and a traveling insurance adjuster. Who will I meet next?

Meet My Good Friend Megan 11/25/2015

Meet My Good Friend Megan I met Megan over a shot of Fireball, and that decision colored the rest of our conversation. There are plenty of laughs in this talk that goes from pet moose to Drew Carey and makes a stop at a basketball game between 2 beer glasses and 2 shot glasses. We also make a wildly inaccurate prediction about the weekend's Ohio State Buckeyes game. /episode/index/show/meetmygoodfriend/id/3975226

Meet My Good Friend Estlin 11/18/2015

Meet My Good Friend Estlin My good friend Estlin is a super interesting dude. He’s a big Bernie Sanders supporter and I met him after a Bernie rally in downtown Cleveland, but, unlike most Bernie fans, Estlin isn’t old enough to vote. At 14 years old he knows more about politics than I do about anything but 90s pop music. /episode/index/show/meetmygoodfriend/id/3959276

Meet My Good Friend Marlene 11/11/2015

Meet My Good Friend Marlene Marlene just passed the bar exam and will officially be an unemployed lawyer after her swearing-in ceremony in Columbus! Way to go Marlene! She sat down with me to talk about law school and what it takes to become a lawyer. We go over all sorts of lawyerly things like LSATs and a bunch of other law test acronyms. /episode/index/show/meetmygoodfriend/id/3942054

Meet My Good Friend Chuck 11/05/2015

Meet My Good Friend Chuck My good friend Chuck is an elevator troubleshooter from Denver, Colorado. You will learn tons about elevators and elevator repair. Most importantly you will learn that elevators are interesting enough to talk about for a half hour. Seriously! /episode/index/show/meetmygoodfriend/id/3923118

Meet My Good Friend Jered Robert 10/21/2015

Meet My Good Friend Jered Robert Learn about the life of a physical therapy doctoral student in this talk with my good friend Jered Robert. When he graduates he will be called “doctor” but as for right now he’s living at home, paying his own tuition, and touching smelly feet. The glamorous life of a grad student! /episode/index/show/meetmygoodfriend/id/3877563

Meet My Good Friend Sampler 10/16/2015

Meet My Good Friend Sampler This is a short sample of some of the interviews you can hear at . /episode/index/show/meetmygoodfriend/id/3867440

Meet My Good Friend Honeycomb 10/14/2015

Meet My Good Friend Honeycomb Michael “Honeycomb” Henighan is a blues musician who can play the flute, harmonica, and bass as well as sing. I met him at a jam session where musicians are randomly grouped together to play three songs for an audience. We discuss the jazz-like spontaneity that this format promotes and how they pull it off. For a special treat, find out if Michael is the only blues playing flautist. /episode/index/show/meetmygoodfriend/id/3863500

Meet My Good Friends Andrew and Zack 10/07/2015

Meet My Good Friends Andrew and Zack Here’s a special treat for you listeners this week: you get to meet two of my good friends! Andrew and Zack are both musicians so we spend a decent amount of time talking music. We talk about Andrew’s dad’s punk label Sonic Swirl and what it was like growing up around a bunch of punk bands. We talk about Zack’s musical family as well. /episode/index/show/meetmygoodfriend/id/3846329

Meet My Good Friend Amanda Lee 09/15/2015

Meet My Good Friend Amanda Lee This week you get to meet my good friend Amanda Lee. I recorded this interview last week and never got around to posting it because life can be exhausting between work, the kids, fantasy baseball playoffs and cleaning cat puke. When I finally sat down and listened to it I had forgotten how interesting Amanda is! /episode/index/show/meetmygoodfriend/id/3799978

Meet My Good Friend chris Pontius 09/02/2015

Meet My Good Friend chris Pontius A few guys from Jackass were in town to do a comedy show. I didn’t go to the show, but after it was over I went into the venue and they were chatting in the lobby with some fans. I stood off on the side debating my next move, and before I realized it all the fans had left. There I was in a room with Chris Pontius, Steve-O, Preston Lacy, Danger Ehren, Dave England and a few of their posse. I assumed that if I asked one of them for an interview I would be shut down immediately, but I decided just to go for it. I asked Chris Pontius and he said “Yeah” right away. /episode/index/show/meetmygoodfriend/id/3774088

Meet My Good Friend Stephan 08/26/2015

Meet My Good Friend Stephan This week you get to meet my good friend Stephan, a Haitian immigrant who has been living in the US for 11 years. We talk about the 2010 Haitian earthquake and how he lost a number of friends and a very close uncle. We go on a history tour of Haiti and learn about the slaves rebelling and taking over the country from the French. /episode/index/show/meetmygoodfriend/id/3759184

Meet My Good Friend Amanda 08/13/2015

Meet My Good Friend Amanda Meet my good friend Amanda. She grew up in New York City on the lower east side of Manhattan. Her home was blocks from The World Trade Center and as a third grader she saw the second tower fall on 9-11 after being evacuated from her school. This story is interesting enough for an entire episode by itself, but we don’t stop there! /episode/index/show/meetmygoodfriend/id/3732688

Meet My Good Friend Diane 08/05/2015

Meet My Good Friend Diane I met Diane after her team (Multiple Scoregasms) just won the world famous Mulberry’s Sports Bar Spring Intermediate Sixes Beach Volleyball Tournament! It was really nice of her to sit down with me while she was sandy and sweaty and celebrating with her friends. We talk a bunch about playing volleyball as well as her passion for sports in general. She coaches her son’s baseball, basketball, and football teams as well as playing volleyball herself AND holding down a 9 to 5. I’m tired after just typing it! /episode/index/show/meetmygoodfriend/id/3716841

Meet My Good Friend Eric 07/23/2015

Meet My Good Friend Eric I met Eric during karaoke night at a club in Cleveland. His favorite animal is a platypus because “They’re aquatic, and they’re like a beaver had sex with a duck.” I feel like that amazing description may be all you need to know about Eric before you listen, but I’ll tell you more anyway. /episode/index/show/meetmygoodfriend/id/3691515

Meet My Good Friend Another John 07/15/2015

Meet My Good Friend Another John Meet my good friend John. This John is a different John than the John you met last week. A quick warning: this episode is NSFW more than any other so far. If you’re listening at work or around children or small dogs, use caution. /episode/index/show/meetmygoodfriend/id/3675365

Meet My Good Friend John 07/08/2015

Meet My Good Friend John John is the guitarist for a band called Burlap to Cashmere. I met him after a show that I didn’t see and I had never heard of the band. After a 30 minute chat (and some research I did later) I found out that Burlap to Cashmere is a pretty well known act in both the worlds of Christian and secular music. In fact my brother had one of their CDs in his car stereo when it was stolen many years ago. I think John had a good time chatting with someone who had absolutely no idea who he was. /episode/index/show/meetmygoodfriend/id/3662396

Meet My Good Friend Kevin 07/01/2015

Meet My Good Friend Kevin My good friend Kevin is an amazing person. His job is to lend support to the families of homicide victims and this episode can get pretty heavy at times. For someone who deals with murder, funerals, domestic violence, and sudden infant death, Kevin has an awesome view of humanity and our ability to overcome the most horrible circumstances. He talks about the help he gives to those in need and how he takes care of himself so the seriousness of his work doesn’t drag him down. It’s really interesting stuff and I think you will enjoy meeting him. /episode/index/show/meetmygoodfriend/id/3648802

Meet My Good Friends Dave and Aubrey 06/24/2015

Meet My Good Friends Dave and Aubrey You lucky listeners get to meet two of my good friends for the price of one! Meet Dave and Aubrey, co-hosts of trivia night at in Cleveland. I wandered in there just as they were wrapping up the game for the evening and they were gracious enough to sit down with me for a chat. /episode/index/show/meetmygoodfriend/id/3634252

Meet My Good Friend Jared 06/17/2015

Meet My Good Friend Jared I would like you to meet my good friend Jared, singer and guitarist for The Sour Notes. The Sour Notes are a psych-pop band from Austin, Texas who are currently on a 2 week tour. I met Jared at Now That’s Class in Cleveland where they had just performed with local act Sammy Slims. Their tour is based around a stop in Toronto, Canada for the North by Northeast festival. We talk about life on the road for a band with no money, how they plan and schedule their own tours, and how they do all this despite holding down day jobs.We talk about the creative process of songwriting, home recording, and what the mixing and mastering phases entail. Finally we listen to a bit of their song Big Dreams from their 2012 release Last Looks. Google “The Sour Notes Austin” and check out their music, but not before you listen to my interview right now. Meet my good friend Jared. /episode/index/show/meetmygoodfriend/id/3620405

Meet My Good Friend Adam 06/10/2015

Meet My Good Friend Adam Meet my good friend Adam, assistant to the general manager at the Town Hall restaurant in the Ohio City neighborhood of Cleveland. I met him while I was on the hunt to interview a vegan as it was vegan night at the restaurant, but it turns out he is a carnivore who just happens to know a lot about vegan and vegetarian dishes. After talking about the vegan lifestyle we move on to a discussion about the duties of an assistant GM at a restaurant and the restaurant industry in general. We talk about learning to appreciate a dish for what it is (even if you personally dislike it) and what its like as a restaurant professional to go to other establishments for a meal. Learn how Adam transitioned from being a server at a drive in burger joint to an assistant GM at this Cleveland spot that offers vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, and non-GMO food. Listen right now and learn how to tip properly and most importantly how to avoid a condition called Leaky Gut! Meet my good friend Adam. /episode/index/show/meetmygoodfriend/id/3606940

Meet My Good Friend Conner 06/03/2015

Meet My Good Friend Conner Conner is a swing dancer and a swing dance instructor. In this interview we learn about the syncopated rhythms of swing music and what differentiates swing dance from other forms of dancing. Learn how The Charleston evolved into The Lindy Hop on the east coast and The Balboa on the west coast. Conner describes how some of the complicated aerial moves of swing are similar to wrestling moves. We go on a brief tangent about carbon to carbon bonds and organic electronics, as well as how Conner’s future as a scientist balances with his love of dancing. When the interview is over you will find yourself Googling Frankie Manning, Maxie Dorf, and “playing in the pocket”. Jitterbug into this great talk with my good friend Conner. /episode/index/show/meetmygoodfriend/id/3593437

Meet My Good Friend Ziad 05/27/2015

Meet My Good Friend Ziad I met my good friend Ziad at the swanky rooftop bar above The 9 in downtown Cleveland. He is visiting from New York where he is a manager of guest relations at Madison Square Garden and Radio City Music Hall. We talk about what it’s like growing up in Brooklyn with immigrant parents, fun shows he gets to see at The Garden/Radio City, commuting by subway, and a little bit about the Knicks and Rangers. Also learn about how Ziad’s father was kicked out of Palestine as a youth, but now owns a house there. We discuss relations between Israel and Palestine without trying to get overly political. Major shoutout to Ziad’s family member (sister or niece?) who was celebrating a birthday at Azure Sun Lounge. She let me take Ziad away from the party (in a roped-off VIP section) to be interviewed, and I am super grateful for that. Happy birthday! /episode/index/show/meetmygoodfriend/id/3578169

Meet My Good Friend KTCV 05/20/2015

Meet My Good Friend KTCV Katie (KTCV) is a bartender at a “geek bar” that caters to nerdy beer lovers. Side Quest offers fun theme nights such as Mario Mondays (where the entire bar is converted into an arcade) and Beginners D&D sessions. We find out how much Katie knows about Settlers of Catan/Dominion/Agricola (not much) and what she knows about Mallrats/Tank Girl/Empire Records (LOTS).Katie explains how she self-diagnosed a broken foot after falling down the stairs (sober?) and how she earned a $98 tip from a patron. We discuss her band Lady Face that is sadly breaking up and we play a few rounds of Trivial Pursuit Baby Boomers Edition. I can’t wait for you to meet my good friend KTCV! /episode/index/show/meetmygoodfriend/id/3565418

Meet My Good Friend Lisa AKA Agent Carter 05/12/2015

Meet My Good Friend Lisa AKA Agent Carter I met my good friend Lisa on Free Comic Book Day at the local comic book store. She was cosplaying Agent Carter from Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D and the Agent Carter TV series. We talk comic book and cosplay culture even though I have no idea what I’m talking about. Learn about Lisa’s five different Princess Leia costumes and the time she was complimented by Carrie Fisher. Other nerdy and geeky stuff we talk about:•The 501st Star Wars bad guy costuming group•The Green Lantern comics are the best, but the movie was the worst•Collecting She-Ra action figures “on the card”•Wizard Con, Steel City Con, and Motor City Con•Free Comic Book Day•World War Z•My Little Pony•The Ghostbusters rebootAlso you will find out that Lisa drives around town in a Scion xB that has been modified to look like the Ectomobile from Ghostbusters! You can see pics of the Ecto xB, Lisa as Agent Carter, and Lisa’s husband as The Winter Soldier on or Let’s get to it! Meet my good friend Lisa! /episode/index/show/meetmygoodfriend/id/3549169

Meet My Good Friend Jenna 05/06/2015

Meet My Good Friend Jenna Jenna is the producer of Dan Savage’s Hump! dirty film festival.Hump! is billed as “The Pacific Northwest’s biggest and best amateur-produced porn festival,” but Hump! also travels the country with a collection of 18 of the best films from the past 10 years of Hump! The fact that the name of the festival ends in an exclamation point is making this description difficult for me to write and I think I’ll be blocked from iTunes if I list the names of the films shown at the festival, so just listen in already.Jenna and I talk about who makes porn to be shown on the big screen, and who watches it. We discuss the rules that the audience must obey and the limited instances of indecent exposure (from the audience. There's LOTS of it on screen). To find out where and when you can see Hump!, visit humptour.comMy good friend Jenna is here to teach you all about Hump! /episode/index/show/meetmygoodfriend/id/3536732

Meet My Good Friend Sweet Baby Rei 04/28/2015

Meet My Good Friend Sweet Baby Rei Sweet Baby Rei is a tiny but tough skater with the Burning River Roller Derby. In this interview you will learn all about roller derbies and and how derby=teamwork. Learn about things called blockers and jammers and panties and 187 knee pads. Find out if I pass the WFTDA (Women's Flat Track Derby Association) written test and become an honorary member of the Burning River squad (spoiler: I don't). Find out the worst injury Sweet Baby Rei has seen on the track. Meet my good friend who is part barbecue sauce, part Sailor Moon. Meet Sweet Baby Rei! /episode/index/show/meetmygoodfriend/id/3519163

Meet My Good Friend Tim 04/22/2015

Meet My Good Friend Tim Meet Tim. He is from Boston and travelled in to Cleveland to watch the Celtics lose to the Cleveland Cavaliers in game 1 of the opening round of the NBA playoffs. We talk basketball, baseball, football, and Tim’s love of watching sporting events in various cities. You will also learn what an insurance claims adjuster does, which includes, but is not limited to “I do my job.”The real meat and potatoes of the talk is about the City of Boston and it’s various landmarks and peculiarities. For example, did you know that the entire city of Boston shuts down for a holiday called Patriots' Day where they run marathons for some reason and everyone wears Bill Belichick sleeveless hoodies?I’m pleased to introduce you to my good friend Tim. /episode/index/show/meetmygoodfriend/id/3507481

Meet My Good Friend Matt 04/15/2015

Meet My Good Friend Matt Matt Brady is a standup comedian and purveyor of video games and other stuff online. Find out what it's like to make a living by making people laugh (and by selling super Nintendos). Please meet my good friend Matt! /episode/index/show/meetmygoodfriend/id/3493830

Meet My Good Friend Nick 04/08/2015

Meet My Good Friend Nick Let's just call Nick an Astronomer. You wanna know about space, you gotta know about the planets. You wanna know about the planets, you gotta listen to Nick right now. Please meet my good friend Nick! /episode/index/show/meetmygoodfriend/id/3479509

Meet My Good Friend Taylor 03/31/2015

Meet My Good Friend Taylor Meet my good friend Taylor. She is a hairstylist/beautician/aesthetician. If you listen to this episode you will automatically be a registered beautician in the state of Ohio! It’s that easy! Or not.Learn about balayage which is a cutting-edge word for hair painting.Do you know that there are 3 types of hair bonds? You will!Learn to say the colors of the rainbow in reverse-ROYGBIV order. Learn about shampooing and something called dry shampoo (baby powder on crack).Please, meet Taylor and learn HAIR! /episode/index/show/meetmygoodfriend/id/3461519

Meet My Good Friend

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