The Don't Assume Podcast: Recent Episodes
Dave Kimball
In this weekly pod we address the assumptions we all make about each other, whether those assumptions are based on how we look, where we live, or who we vote for. We’ll see which of those assumptions are right, and which are not. I’m a regular dude with regular friends, and, just like everyone else, you can make assumptions about me. Some would be right, and some would be dead wrong. I hope we’ll all leave each episode with something new to think about. Because, as the old saying goes, you know what assumin’ makes out of you and me!
I’ve been surprised by the number of people I know who have used or are currently using psychedelics in some form or another. Some people I know used them recreationally in their youth, but I know of multiple people who have used them as adults for therapeutic purposes. I also keep hearing about celebrities and people of influence who have used them in recent months. Famous comedian and podcaster Joe Rogan has been a major influence in that category, for sure, but the people I personally know aren’t following him. The resurgence in interest in psychedelics appears to be growing at a significant pace across the board.
Angela Allan is an associate marriage and family therapist with Sage Institute in the Bay Area of California. She and her counterparts at Sage Institute use the psychedelic effects of ketamine in their therapy to help patients address needs that are difficult to address. She said that treatment-resistant depression is one of the primary issues that can be treated by ketamine, but the benefits of psychedelics in treatment have yet to be fully realized. I just started my therapy journey, so I’m not sure psychedelics are right for me (or that I’m right for psychedelics). But I think it’s fascinating and hope you’ll find this conversation interesting as well!
#podcast #dontassume #psychedelics #therapy #ketamine
I saw the movie Backdraft as a kid, and it scarred me for life. I was a pretty emotional and frankly scared boy, and it has taken a lot of years of swallowing my emotions and putting on a mean face to convince myself I’m not still that tender and frightened little ginger. But I knew then just as clearly as I know now that I am not cut out for such harrowing work. I am not an adrenaline junky, I do not like blood or guts, and I’m certain the firesuit would spark my claustrophobia. Oh, and I have no desire to run into a burning building.
What I am, though, is incredibly grateful for people who are willing and able to be those everyday heroes. My friend Carson Niederhauser is one of those people. He gets excited about intubating people, wrapping mangled limbs, and putting his life on the line to put out fires. I had no idea that the competition to land firefighting jobs was as intense as it is, nor did I expect to be as moved in this conversation as I was. Firefighters deal with intense situations fueled by massive adrenaline dumps, and then they have to process those events when they quietly go home to their families. In reality, some don’t get the chance to do so.
Take a listen, thank a firefighter, and let us know what you think of Carson’s story!
#podcast #dontassume #firefighters #fire
I believe there is purpose to this life and that something awaits us after death. My personal religious dogma gives me some insight into what that may be, but even then the details are fuzzy. There have been a few times in my life where I believe I may have felt a deceased loved one near, but I’ve never seen a ghost, personally. I’ve known a few people who say they have, though. I’m a skeptic when it comes to the traditional portrayals of spooky spirits unable to move on to whatever comes next or anxious to keep the living out of the space they occupied while in their mortal forms. But do ghosts exist in some form in some places? I don’t know... maybe.
My friend Davin Abegg and I used to spook ourselves out all the time as kids. We took a lot of late-night walks around dark streets and fantasized about what might be lurking in the shadows. We watched scary movies and let our imaginations run wild. He said he does believe in ghosts and suggested this topic to kick off October, so I had to bring him in to talk about it.
Thankfully we found the perfect guests. Brandon Schexnayder and Alicia King run the podcast Ghost Tour wherein they interview historians from around the country who give tours of places purported to be haunted. Alicia is a historian herself who provides a ghost tour in Franklin, Tenn., and both are committed to telling factually accurate stories that respect the living who come on the tour and the deceased who may still be near. Check out their podcast and Brandon’s other show, Southern Gothic, at @southerngothicmedia on Instagram for some of the best storytelling you’ll hear!
#podcast #dontassume #ghosts #halloween #ghosttour
FIFTY EPISODES! What?!? For such a momentous occasion I had to have an awesome topic with maybe the coolest guest we’ve had yet. I love music, though I am not musically inclined. I played the trumpet in fifth grade for a bit, but dropped it when I got braces and had to choose between band and Spanish in junior high. But thankfully I’ve been able to make a few friends over the years who are musically inclined, and I’ve been able to peek behind the curtain of the music industry just a bit.
Dan Truman is one of those friends who has shared some of his industry insight and experiences with me. You may know Dan and/or his work from his 14-time Grammy nominated band Diamond Rio or his faith-based band Nashville Tribute Band or the various TV shows he’s written for or his solo work or or or or…. In this episode he talks about playing in front of international audiences and using a dryer in a garage to heat his band practice before they made it big. He speaks openly about record deals, rules for the tour bus, “selling out,” rubbing shoulders with megastars, and some of the best musicians you’ve never heard of. Don’t forget to like and subscribe and follow @dontassume podcast to stay up to date on the next 50 episodes!
#podcast #dontassume #music #musicians #diamondrio
This week’s topic is quintessential Don’t Assume territory because EVERYONE has an opinion about our subject, and practically no one I talked to in preparation for the episode had an opinion that was positive. We’re talking about salespeople. The pushy, manipulative, money-hungry, arrogant “sweet bros” who are always looking for the easy mark. That’s at least the picture that most of the people I talked to had in their minds when sharing with me their assumptions about “those people” (in all reality their actual friends and neighbors) that we encounter basically every day.
Bjorn Trejo has spent 20 years in the trade in both B2C and B2B sales, and he’s seen it all. He gets where the stereotypes come from, and he’s doing what he can to teach his sales teams that the relationship is more important than the product. No, really, it’s not just about closing the deal for Bjorn. To be successful, a salesperson needs thick skin. Bjorn showed his off by taking all of the assumptions we have about his industry head on and even making a case for all of us to be a little kinder to the next salesperson we encounter. Wait, was he just buttering me up?! Ack! Maybe I’M the mark! Check out this episode and let me know just how much trouble I’m in!
So I started my Year of Health this week. At the time of this recording I’m three days in, and I’ve already failed. Okay, failure is relative, but I haven’t yet done perfectly what I set out to do. Specifically I haven’t started my meditation yet, but I’m going to do it today! I also haven’t switched to the high intensity interval training workouts yet, but I’m starting that tomorrow! I have exercised, and I have done well on the diet side of things. At least dieting according to what I committed to do. I haven’t had any refined flour or sugar, it’s been all fresh fruits and vegetables… and meat.
Ali Essig, a certified plant-based nutritionist and this week’s guest, would say I still have some work to do if I truly want to be healthy. I told her that plant-based eaters had a reputation and that meat is delicious and that eating a plant-based diet is expensive and that vegan “cheeseburgers” are not cheeseburgers. I made the case for omnivores, and she made some compelling points as well. Is it really that expensive? Is it hard to get the nutrients one needs while eating only plants? Do I have to stop cold turkey, and will there never be joy in my life again if I switch? Ali answers all of those questions and more in this episode, but if you want to learn more check what she’s doing (AND GET 20% OFF HER PROGRAMS!) visit www.plantwhys.com/programs.
#podcast #dontassume #plantbased #vegan #vegetarian #plants
I’ve mentioned in previous episodes that my 40th year will be a focused year of health. I turn 39 this week, so now is the time. This episode is the kickoff of a year focused on improving myself in mind, body, and soul. It’s a preview to the types of episodes that will be coming at least once a month over the next year. I’m going to diet and exercise like I’ve never done before to improve my physical health. I’m going to meditate and study to improve the health of my soul. I’m actually going to face a giant fear of mine and work with a therapist to improve my mental health. And I’m going to bring you along on this journey, sharing my ups and downs.
I’ve got a lot to do, and I’m sure I’ll stumble along the way. But that’s where you, the listener, come in. Will you do me the favor of helping me remain accountable? Will you share your assumptions about healthy living with me? Will you engage with me? Will you share with me your stories, concerns, questions, fears, and triumphs? Will you make one small change, and just tell me about it? I’m at @dontassumepodcast on Facebook and Instagram, and dontassumepodcast@gmail.com via email. I’d love to hear your stories as I share mine!
#podcast #dontassume #health #diet #exercise #therapy #meditation
When I was in college and people would tell me they were interested in going to dental school, I never really understood it. I mean, they had to take a bunch of chemistry and biology classes just to be considered for dental school where they would go and take more chemistry and biology classes. Taking the DAT, the dental school admittance test, seemed so incredibly daunting for a guy skating by on his way with words. But dentistry was a solid career choice with stability and very good income. At least that was my assumption, a conclusion I came to based on several other assumptions and no real practical knowledge.
But thankfully there are people with real practical knowledge, on whom I can rely for my oral health. I assume dentistry would be a kind of boring and gross job, but I’m really grateful people like Dr. Tyler Rallison do it. I’m a new patient of Dr. Rallison, and he’s the first dentist I’ve seen in my whole life who actually did my teeth cleaning. I genuinely didn’t even know that dentists knew how to do that. I thought they were trained in other things because the hygienist does that. He did a great job on my teeth, and a great job on this episode letting us all in on the life of a dentist. Do they really make great money? What do they say about your grimy mouth when you’re not there? How does insurance affect your oral care, and are dentists real doctors? Tune in to find out that and so much more!
#podcast #dontassume #dentists #dentistry
The housing market where I live is bananas right now. There’s a severe home shortage, and experts are not projecting for it to get any better any time soon. It means great things for our home equity, not great things for property taxes. And I have wondered what this crazy market has meant for home flippers. I imagined it was difficult to even get homes to flip, and with all of the TV shows on flipping properties the market has to be super crowded… right? But there is some allure to the risk and adventure involved. I’ve always been excited by entrepreneurial endeavors, although too scared to chase most of the thoughts I’ve had.
But Caleb and Becky Rigby weren’t. At least Caleb wasn’t when he cashed in his 401k to buy his first flip before he even told Becky. They tell that story in this episode and give a good view into the life and effort involved in flipping houses. They’re still married, perhaps surprisingly, after that first deal and the more than 60 that have come in the roughly six years since then. They make a good team, and are open books when it comes to talking about the ups and downs they’ve had. Check out this very fun episode, then go see what Rigby Home Buyers are up to to learn more!
#podcast #dontassume #houseflipping #realestate #flippinghouses
What do you think goes on inside an airplane’s cockpit when you’re 30,000 feet in the air? When I’m actually flying I rarely if ever think about that, and I think that’s a good thing. I feel pretty safe up there, especially now that most airlines have pretty decent in-flight entertainment to distract passengers. But when I do stop to think about it, I picture the plane doing most of the work and the pilots shooting the breeze (although I really hope there are no literal shots or breezes up there). Or maybe they’re napping, or playing cards. Or maybe they’re studying. Haha, of course they’re not studying… right?
Well, my friend Gregg says he is. Gregg (last name withheld) flies for a well-known airline (also withheld because Gregg is not an official spokesperson for said airline), and he said he studies while the plane is in the air. And he’s not alone in that, he says, because pilots have jobs to do and the vast majority take those jobs seriously. [Phew, right?]. Gregg and I talked about the pilot life, the ups and downs - pun intended - and the good and the not as good about life on the road. If you’ve ever imagined the life of a pilot to be a glamorous jaunt around the globe like I have, this conversation with Gregg will help you sort out the truth from the myth and maybe, just maybe, inspire you to give it a go.
#podcast #dontassume #pilots #airlines
Thankfully I’ve never needed a personal injury lawyer. I’ve known several people who have needed the services provided by one, and I recognize that need may arise at any time for any of us. And while I’ve never needed to call one, I can tell you the slogans of the top firms in my area because they advertise like crazy. I think that advertising plays a part in the general stigma that follows PI lawyers. They have a reputation of being “bottom dwelling” lawyers who prey on the weak and injured. They’re called “ambulance chasers” among other unsavory names, and yet their job is to help people get the help they need and are legally owed. Shouldn’t they actually be seen as the good guys?
This week’s co-host, my good friend Chip Horman, had the same question for guest expert and personal injury lawyer Paul Hoybjerg. Paul represents individuals who have been injured in car/motorcycle/truck accidents, as well as victims of sexual abuse in Utah, Idaho & California. He has obtained multiple seven figure settlements for his clients, been the lead attorney on high-profile cases, and has appeared on NBC and Fox News. He was named a Rising Star by SuperLawyers and has been published in multiple states. Paul represents his profession extremely well through his evident passion for advocating for those who have been hurt by someone else.
Will Paul’s appearance change or fortify your opinion of PI lawyers? Either way you can contact him at (916) 633-3671, paul@hoybjerglaw.com or visit his website, hoybjerglaw.com for any needs that you may have.
Listen, I know we all have Covid fatigue. You just want to listen to something fun and interesting. Well, so do I. And it’s not every day that I get a chance to talk to an actual epidemiologist about the things I’ve heard and questions I have. Like how worried should we be about the Delta variant? Is this new MRNA technology really safe? How is the rest of the world handling this, and did this virus come from bats or a lab?
John Hustedt is not a TV pundit, but he is an epidemiologist based in Cambodia. We first met him in the first Covid episode we recorded before there was a vaccine and right after I was released from quarantine. He was gracious enough to come back for Round 2 of the conversation and was joined by his long-time friend and now three-time co-host, Sean Smith. You’ll even get to hear how Covid is bringing John back to the States after several years abroad.
Read some of his work here!
#podcast #dontassume #covid #coronavirus
I’m pretty sure I had full blown diabetes some years back. I would get the shakes when I didn’t eat frequently enough, and had these weird dips I would fall into. I saw a doctor about it, and he said I was not diabetic. I came to find out later that while he did test my blood sugar on the day (which was in the normal range), he did not actually test my A1C. A person’s A1C number is the true indicator of diabetes. Regardless of my diagnosis at the time, I started eating a little better and exercising regularly. I dropped a few pounds and was feeling pretty good. I saw a doctor again a few years later and he told me I was right on the border of having diabetes and being pre-diabetic. Neither of those things are good, but I had probably already lowered my A1C a bit by that point. I went militant on my diet, lost a bunch of weight, and got out of the danger zone.
The same was not true of my friend Jenny Cash’s best friend. This young man received his diabetes diagnosis as an adolescent, was in top physical shape other than that, and passed away as a freshman in college from a diabetic coma. Jenny was gracious enough to co-host this episode as we talked to Matt Dinger, an advocate for diabetes care and a patient with type 1 diabetes himself. We learned about finger pricks, insulin pumps, daily manageability, and the increasing difficulty of paying for treatment. Diabetes is an illness that is on the rise, and one that is not readily visible. We hope you’ll learn a little something from our conversation, and check out T1International to learn even more!
Have you ever thought about what it would be like to live with a disability? Have you thought about what it would be like to be cognitively impaired? Or blind, deaf, or paralyzed? Have you ever thought about what it would be like to live with a disability that is a very real part of your life, but is difficult to detect by others? Well, to be honest, the thought had crossed my mind, but I’d never really taken time to think about it. I tried to be sensitive to people I met, but it frankly was not something I had thought a ton about.
I don’t know if my friend Scott Bell thought about it much while he was a nationally ranked Division I hurdler on a scholarship in college. I don’t know if he thought about it much the day before his accident at a reservoir that left him with the tough decision about whether or not to amputate his lower leg. I do know he’s thought about it a lot since as a member of the disabled community and as an employment counselor for other persons with disabilities. He was gracious enough to join our show to talk about his experience and those of the people with whom he works.
Dr. Gwendolyn Dolske of the Good Is in the Details podcast joined the episode as co-host this week after previously appearing as the guest expert on the college professors episode. Her experience as a professor at times serving people with disabilities brought great insight to the show.
We hope this episode will help you think about what it would be like to walk a mile in someone else’s prosthetic foot!
#podcast #dontassume #disabled #disabilities
This was a personal episode for me. I love being a dad. There are a few things I think I’m doing pretty well in that arena. Honestly, there are many more that I’m afraid I’m totally botching. My mom and siblings moved mountains to give me a great life and provide strong examples of healthy behavior to me as I grew up. I also had some examples of what not to do, but I don’t think I’m unique in that at all. But as a dad of four trying to raise productive members of society, I figured my own podcast would be a great place to air my insecurities to the world.
Owen, Lila, Liv, and Walter Kimball are the guests in this episode. They’re my kids, and I’m very proud of how they were able to articulate their thoughts. I think this conversation will be significantly different in five years, and then even more different five years after that. But right now, between the ages of 5-10, these four kids opened my eyes to some things about my parenting of which I was not aware. I think they made me feel a little better about some things, and corroborated my belief that I have significant work to do. This episode was not necessarily designed to provide insights into the given topic like most other episodes, rather some ideas on how to garner your own insights in your relationships with your kids and even your parents. I highly recommend the exercise, and hope to hear how it goes in your families.
#podcast #dontassume #kids #parenting
I’ve worked a lot of jobs, most of which did not require a college degree (or even a high school degree, for that matter). I worked on a cement crew, renovated the interiors of elevators, wore a cumberbund to RENT VHS tapes to people who DROVE to the STORE to pick them, sold newspapers, and worked the receiving side of a warehouse. And then I graduated high school. I spent that summer cleaning and inspecting sewer lines, and made an obscene amount of money for an 18-year-old kid. I then spent a bunch of that money to serve two years as a missionary, and went to college after that. Another slew of random jobs followed, and I didn’t make as much money per hour in any job as I did cleaning sewers for quite a few years. Even with a Master’s degree that promised professional success, it took years to top what I was making that summer.
My old friend Nate Denny now runs that sewer cleaning and inspection business and lives a happy and comfortable life. He suggested the topic for this episode because he wanted to dispel some of the assumptions and stigma regarding careers that don’t require university schooling. Spoiler alert: Nate makes a darn good case for rethinking how we talk about careers with our kids. Another old friend, JJ Crowder (check him out on the What’s Our Verdict? podcast), has spent 20 years in the corporate world without a formal degree himself, and is thriving. We three covered a little bit of philosophy, training, ambition, stigma, and dirt to get to the bottom of the assumptions we all make about what truly leads to a fulfilling and “successful” career.
#podcast #dontassume #college #trades #careers
I used to think I might want to be a high school teacher. There’s something about shaping young minds, staying hip to the latest trends (like not saying “hip to…”), and having the summers off, etc. But as I got older, I realized how much harder it must be than that. There’s drama. There are punk smart alecs who think they know everything (that was me… maybe still is). There is maximum effort for seemingly little thanks or reward. But what do I know? Is it really that bad, or really that great?
Nicole Cox has been teaching high school in Virginia for 15 years, the last six in an “alternative” high school. She didn’t begin her career as a teacher, but ended up there because of her passion for it. She spent two years as a high school student in Utah as one of my classmates, the only person to score higher than me on a 10-page paper in Lark Woodbury’s American History class. But it’s not like I remember it like it was a big deal or anything. My old friend and former roommate Andrew Reeves attended high school in Colorado as a self-described “late bloomer.” He eventually came into his own, and the two of us pressed Nicole on all of our assumptions about picking favorites, grading into the wee hours, and relaxing all summer long.
#podcast #dontassume #teachers #highschool
I’m 100% pro therapy. Physical therapy, emotional and psychological therapy. Just, all the therapies. It’s great to get help when needed, and there’s absolutely no shame in speaking up about one’s needs. AND, if I’m being honest, I’m terrified to actually do it myself. I’ve got all my issues wrapped up in boxes with chains and locks on them buried deep inside, and I’m afraid of how much opening them up will hurt. Stuff seeps out of them at times, and it’s not pleasant. A full-scale rummage might be too much to handle. At least that’s my thought process.
My sister Kellianne Prichert has been going through that process formally and formidably the last few years, and she swears by the benefits. She’s tried all kinds of modalities, therapies, and therapists, but one she’s never tried is hypnotherapy. She was the perfect co-host to help me interview Rhonda Spaziani, a licenced psychotherapist who uses hypnosis and hypnotherapy in her practice. We talked about the process, the benefits, the challenges, and the things to watch out for when considering therapy and therapists in general and hypnotherapy and its practitioners specifically. She even offered to hypnotize Kellianne and me after the show to see how we liked it. Take a listen to the episode to hear where we land!
Episode 35 - Teenagers
I was a teenager once. Some of the time it was really hard, and some of the time it was really awesome and fun. Once during my long-Kurt-Cobain-hair phase I was with some people from my neighborhood helping a family move into a home they just purchased. I was lifting a washing machine down some stairs with one of the older fellas, and he commented on how surprised he was to see me there. He didn’t think kids who looked and dressed like me could be kind, hardworking, and articulate. So outwardly I chuckled, and inwardly I used some of that foul teenager language to tell the guy off. Perhaps I should have inverted those reactions, but there’s no use in regretting missed opportunities. I’m now just better prepared to tell the next guy off (insert winky-but-maybe-serious face).
In this episode, my older brother John (most of the world knows him by his first name, Carleton) Seeley and I talk to his two teenage boys about their experiences. Sal is 18, a recent high-school graduate, and is on his way to college in a few short months. Milo is just getting started in the teen years and is quickly approaching 14. It should be noted that we’re clearly lacking female perspectives in this episode, so maybe I should have titled it “Teenage Boys.” But one thing these kids made clear is that not all teenagers are made alike. So if I was going to get specific I should title it after them and them alone. But as is a common theme across all of the episodes of this show, listening to the unique experience of one can (hopefully) build a little empathy for all the other ones.
#podcast #dontassume #teenagers #teens
I’ve never been arrested. I’ve received several traffic tickets, but that’s the extent of my legal infractions… for which I’ve been caught. Duhn duhn DUHN! The night before my friend turned 18 he wanted to do a little light vandalising while he couldn’t be tried as an adult, so we put some duct tape on a local town sign that promptly fell off the next day. We were wild. But, seriously, there are bad and dangerous things that happen everywhere. In this episode I tell the story of the first time I called 911 after an encounter with an escaped criminal, but don’t tell the story of the time I watched the SWAT team surround my neighbor’s house. We’ll save that for another day.
My guest this week spent 20 years as a member of the largest police force in the world, the New York Police Department. Now he writes books about his experiences. Vic Ferrari drove a patrol car before moving to narcotics, car thefts, and other undercover detective work in one of the largest cities in the world. My guest host in this episode was me, Dave Kimball. I tried something new and flew solo this show, which I may or may not try again. I got to hear some great stories, dispel a few myths, and validate some assumptions as well. The most satisfying is that cops really do have ticket quotas for revenue generation. I KNEW IT!
#podcast #dontassume #police
If I had to do it all over again, I’d go to law school. Or if I were independently wealthy and could just do whatever I wanted with my time knowing my family was 100% taken care of, I’d seriously consider it. It’s not so much that I want to practice law. I do think that litigating in the courtroom could be fun, but I don’t really want to spend a ton of time on paperwork. But the logic one presumably learns in law school is fascinating. I love history and culture and the law is so ingrained in both that it really gets my motor running! But alas, ‘twas not and ‘tis not to be. But a boy can dream, right?
My friend Colin Rivera dreamed. He dreamed and then made his dream a reality. In the midst of a promising marketing career, he following his heart to D.C. and a T14 law school (apparently that’s a thing). He just finished his first year at Georgetown University, and he matriculated in a special curriculum that included all of the standard first-year law student stuff combined with the context of economics, sociology, and politics. I’m absolutely green with envy! He graciously took some time out of his busy schedule to speak with my nephew Matt Brown and me. Matt’s a stellar student currently considering the path he wants his life to take. Law school is a serious option for him, and we talked about the pros and cons of taking the dive. Join us in this episode to get a glimpse behind the curtain of a prestigious school and the beginnings of a promising career!
When I was in school I couldn’t handle discussions about any bodily function. If we talked about blood, or how our body digests food, or - heaven forbid - the reproductive system, I’d get all nervous and giggly and weak-kneed and have to put my head on the desk. I just don’t do gross very well. Add to that the fact that math and science classes were basically guaranteed homework every night, I strayed away from those and gravitated to language and art classes. It started young, and it’s been my M.O. ever since. I’m really glad there are good, smart people studying and practicing medicine, and I’m also really glad that I don’t have to do either.
My old friend Dr. Sam Sparks, D.O., on the other hand, took a different route. He actually liked science classes like some kind of freak and chose to study medicine. Again, I’m glad there are people like him who have extensive training to help us all fix what ails us, from broken bones to weird skin things. He graciously joined me and my uber-artistic friend Dallan Wright to discuss all of the assumptions we make about the doctors who treat us regularly, what they face, and how they got to where they are now.
#podcast #dontassume #medicine #doctors
It’s hard to throw a stone in any direction and not hit someone whose life has been affected by addiction in one way or another. Addiction runs rampant in our society, from alcohol and illicit drugs to pornography and gambling, addiction is a disease that rears its ugly head in myriad forms. Not only does it threaten the lives of those who suffer from it, but it also greatly impacts the people around them to varying, often severe, degrees. And then there’s the accompanying stigma. Not only does the addict have to fight her/his own brain to break an addiction, support can be hard to find externally due stereotypes, misinformation, and real relational struggles caused by addictive behaviors.
Casey Scott hates the word “alcoholic,” but admits that he is one. He was seemingly on top of the world at one point, a popular morning news man with charisma for days, a beautiful family, and a bright future. Little did the masses who watched him with delight in the morning know that he was struggling personally in the afternoons and evenings due to his addiction. He lost his marriage, he lost his job, and he lost control driving drunk and crashed into a family. Now he’s three years sober turning his “mess into his message” with a beautifully real and uplifting podcast titled Project Recovery. My friend, neighbor, and this week’s co-host Troye Davis was at the same golf tournament Casey was the morning before Casey’s accident. Troye’s questions and insights about addiction recovery were unique and poignant as we discussed the realities of the topic and how to make the process a little easier for all involved.
I was a bartender in college for a while. Really it should be “bartender” in quotes because I didn’t work at an actual “bar.” I was at Chevy’s Mexican Restaurant in Orem, Utah, and I was glorified server who had to make flavored lemonades and milkshakes for every table in the joint. But, at times when needed, I was the guy to pour the beer and make the margaritas. I also made a few Long Island Iced Teas, a Tequila Sunrise, and a Lemon Drop. That’s right, one of each in my entire time there. But I’m a huge Sam Malone, Coach, and Woody Boyd fan. And the kicker: I’ve never tasted a drop of alcohol, outside of recommended doses of NyQuil, in my life.
So what better way to actually learn about bartenders than to get the inside scoop from someone with actual, real world, non-Utah bar experience? Justin Benfaida, it turns out, is that guy. He has mastered bartending from a career perspective slinging drinks by night and running a garnish business by day. He also hosts an industry podcast titled Waiting on Fries with co-hosts specializing in hospitality management and ownership. Trent Dawson had to return to the show for his second co-hosting stint to help me ask more educated questions and share some of his own bar stories. We three talked about fake I.D.s, making money, bar fights, how to get the best service, and what your bartender actually thinks of your order. Pull up a stool, grab your favorite beverage (not necessarily alcoholic, alright?), and see if we covered your assumptions about your friendly neighborhood bartender.
#podcast #dontassume #bartenders
A lot of people go to college for seven years. They’re called doctors, according to the classic cinematic masterpiece Tommy Boy. That movie introduced me to a few assumptions before I actually attended school; like college is all about partying, and D’s get degrees. But my collegiate experience was drastically different from Tommy Callahan’s thanks in large part to the unique university culture where I studied and the various professors that shaped my education. I had some truly inspirational and thought provoking instructors. I also had a few legendarily lack-luster professors, and a whole lot who found themselves somewhere in the middle of that scale. For the most part my professors were good, although I’ve judged them on the assumptions I made about them and their profession.
My brother-in-law Ryan Gardner and I met in our college town when we lived across the street from each other. Even though we attended the same university, our assumptions didn’t exactly always line up in this conversation in a really interesting way. Thankfully Dr. Gwendolyn Dolske, professor of philosophy at Cal Poly Pomona and host of the Good Is in the Details **podcast, was gracious enough to come on the show and let us pose to her all of the assumptions we had. I’ll apologize now for the number of times I brought up business school in this episode. She and Ryan were cool about not calling me out for the excessive mentions… typical b-school guy. [Facepalm]. Dealing with the wide variety of student attitudes professors encounter is one of the many things for which professors don’t get enough credit!
podcast #dontassume #college #university #professor**
Whether we like to admit it or not, food as at the center of our lives. Maybe that’s me projecting a bit, but we all gotta eat! Even for those who don’t let food control their lives and actually have a healthy relationship with what they put in their faces, food has to be something heavily considered in daily life. If you don’t want food to control you, you have to plan ahead perhaps just as much as those who are its slaves. We need food to stay alive, but food is also such a key component to truly living. Family and love and culture and entertainment and mental health and and and are all wrapped up in what we eat.
This week we’re talking with Chef Marcus Amison of the Your Food Looks Funny podcast. He was raised in the midwest but has Mississippi roots. He grew up connecting with people from myriad cultures, and that is all reflected in what he plates today. He’s classically trained and works for a large hotelier, navigating the art, science, and business of successful kitchens. Sean Smith returns to co-host this week as we talk about the life and times, ups and downs of chefs. Join us as we dive into the kitchen hierarchy, storytelling through food, and a few nasty injuries.
#podcast #dontassume #chef #kitchen
When I set out to start this podcast, I called Richie T. Steadman. He’s been running his own podcast for 10 years, he produces podcasts for others, and helps all kinds of people get their shows off the ground. Once I started really diving in, I’ve been able to meet interesting people all over the world. Alex Whiteley is one of them. He, too, has been running various podcasts for many years and has had the opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the coolest people on the planet because of it.
So this episode is a little different from what you normally hear. Instead of a co-host who’s as ignorant as I am coming on to help me interview an expert, I figured I’d just bring on a couple of experts, namely Richie and Alex, to help me and anyone else interested in jumping into this arena. Instead of the traditional three segments, this episode is just an hour-long conversation about the ups and downs, ins and outs of podcasting. Do you have an idea you want to explore? Are you interested in why anyone would want to do this at all? Well then this is the episode for you!
#Podcast #dontassume
There are two things in life that I all but refuse to miss: food and sleep. Some folks can just forget to eat lunch. That is a wholly foreign concept to me. Just as baffling is the elusive “all-nighter” people sometimes pull in order to study, work, party, or otherwise torture themselves for insufficient reasons. No homework was ever more important than eight hours of sleep. Sometimes a good time will get me to skip out on an hour or two, but four-hour nights of sleep are not welcome in my life.
Yet as I get older and achier, it’s harder to get a full eight hours. Among the seemingly myriad obstacles to restful slumber is the absence of restful slumber for my children. This week’s co-host Sean Smith is in the same boat in many ways. He’s more of a night owl than I am, but sleep has eluded him at times for a variety of reasons as well. Enter Malia Jacobson, sleep journalist and creator of The Sleep Well Stay Well Podcast. She helps both Sean and me address some actionable items in our lives that could help us get better rest. And she has great suggestions for helping kids do the same! Follow her at @bymaliajacobsen for great tips!
#Podcast #dontassume #sleepwell #sleep
Being gay is not a choice. People don’t choose to be the “L,” or the “B,” or anywhere in the “GTQIA+” either. I was afraid to tell my parents and friends that I had a crush the girl down the street because I didn’t want to be teased about it. I never had to face the fear of coming clean about my crush and being thrown out of my home or ostracized from my religious community for it. In fairness, I believe more people are more understanding when loved ones express their sexual identity than they used to be, particularly in religious communities. Nonetheless coming out is still a scary prospect for many people, and some still face harsh repercussions for doing so.
Admittedly, I have not always been a supporter of “gay rights.” I talk about that in this episode to my own embarrassment. However this conversation can’t be about me. It also can’t be about my friend and co-host Trent Dawson. Trent is another straight man who has evolved in his support for his LGBTQIA+ friends and neighbors, although he’s been more supportive than I was. It has to be about keeping our family and friends safe and showing love and kindness to all, regardless of political or personal differences.
Trent and I had the honor of speaking with Tony Viramontes, a gay man in a conservative pocket of California and Director of Prevention Services for the LGBTQ Center Orange County. Tony tells us his story of coming out and shares some of the harrowing stories of others who have done so. Gay youth face immense dangers and are in dire need of support, as Tony outlines in his comments in this episode.
#Podcast #dontassume # LGBT #LGBTQ #comingout
I’m terrified of heights. Like, I don’t like ladders. Even just 6-foot ones. I’m not so terrified that I won’t go up one, but I’ll only go so far. But my fear manifests itself in weird ways. Like I went to the tops of the Eiffel Tower and St. Louis Arch and was just fine. They just seemed surreal. That’s why I think I might be able to skydive. It might just be so surreal that I could get up there, and then someone could push me out of the plane. Maybe.
My brother Hayden Seeley is back for another co-hosting spot on the show, and he’s just as terrified of heights as I am if not more so. He tried to bungee jump twice and had to walk down seven flight of stairs after chickening out… twice. Our guest, Josh Evans, was afraid of heights at one point in his life. But then he went bungee jumping to conquer that fear and didn’t chicken out. As a matter of fact, it led to him jumping out of a plane roughly 7,000 times. Only twice has he had to use his emergency shoot, and he did have to save a guy’s life mid-air, but that’s all in the episode. So are all of our assumptions about safety, pants peeing, cost, and so much more when it comes to skydiving.
Check out the links below to see Josh save a guy’s life, do some wind-tunnel acrobatics, and hear an episode of his own podcast where he tells yet another crazy story!
Hypoxic skydiver freefall save
https://youtu.be/W0BrpFALBYo
Indoor skydiving
https://youtu.be/zDRDYVwYbw0
The Content Clearinghouse, Josh's Plane Exploded episode
https://open.spotify.com/episode/40LehQroEi26WNFPujNu26?si=FUVJpRfQQ2ma_GrjK_Jrzw
I have a friend who likes to jokingly say that he’s my best friend, but I’m not his. Like I like him more than he likes me, and he brings more value to our relationship than I do. I love the British. I love their TV shows, literature, history, military alliance, culture, and idiosyncrasies. But do they love us as much as we love them?
In this week’s episode, my sister Jenna Seeley and I talk to my long-lost friend Sam Norton. Jenna was on assignment for work in London for three months at one point and is as well versed as any average American traveler would be with our neighbors across the pond. Sam’s a Londoner now, but was raised in Birmingham. He’s the ideal guest for this episode because of his familiarity with America, its peoples, and its culture. He has interacted with Americans and American culture significantly more than the average Brit through his travels, occupation, and personal relationships. He gets Americans and was quite patient when I asked him why the English don’t celebrate the Fourth of July like we do. Like, shouldn’t they be happy to have such successful offspring?
#podcast #british #england
Passover 2021 begins March 27 and ends April 4. This is a milestone episode because for the first time we have a repeat co-host AND a repeat guest! THE Cory Mon, the man behind the theme song is back to help me tackle this fun topic. And who better to discuss Passover than THE Rabbi Bonnie Sharfman?!? We three first discussed Chanukah together in perhaps the most uplifting episode of the podcast to date, and this episode certainly rivals its precursor. Not only do we talk about the symbolism of the seder meal and whether or not the Easter Bunny makes an appearance at Jewish homes, we also get to critique the epic Hollywood production of The Ten Commandments.
While we touched on anti-semitism in the Chanukah episode, we unfortunately had occasion in this one to discuss it again on the heels of a comment made by Miami Heat player Meyers Leonard. His anti-semitic remark made headlines in recent days, but the sharpness of his word choice had already been etched in the lives of Rabbi Sharfman and other Jews ages ago. This most recent case only serves to exacerbate the problem, but hopefully this episode will prevent it from happening in the future, even if only for one person.
#podcast #passover
Not everyone will agree with everything said in this episode, and I’m okay with that. Honestly, I’m still rolling over in my head many of the things that were brought up. I think that’s the mark of a great conversation, an indication that we did what we set out to do when we started this podcast.
This week’s co-host is my niece Toni Rallison, a military spouse who recently returned from three years of deployment in Japan. Her husband is an officer in the Air Force who served as a dentist. Toni shared what it’s like for military families overseas, touching on the benefits and struggles of raising a young family while serving. Her insight into daily military life answered many of my questions and raised several more. I could talk to her for hours about her experiences and motivations.
Kenny King, a retired veteran, is quite likely the most interesting guest the podcast as seen so far. As a senior in high school in the Bay Area of California, Kenny watched the twin towers fall on TV with the rest of the nation. He spent two years of religious service in Italy after high school and experienced Iraqi families thanking him on the street for what the U.S. had done for his country. He got a degree, joined the big tech industry, and gave it all up at the age of 27 to enlist in the military hoping for an opportunity to serve his country. He went on to learn several languages, build life-long relationships, make literal life-or-death decisions, and suffer a horrific injury that turned his world upside down. Kenny’s passion now is serving wounded veterans and helping them out of the depths of despair. Follow him at @greypigeonyoga, and check out vetcave.org and theheroeshaven.com to learn more about how you can help support.
I have two aunts that were adopted at birth. I also have some cousins who were adopted as babies, and others who were adopted as older children. The motives people have to enlarge their families are varied, as are the motives of those who place children in the care of others. Both endeavors are quite often noble and selfless actions. I’ve thought about adopting children ever since I was one. It was something that I’d ponder, oddly, at a very young age. While I have not (yet…?) done so, it’s still something that lingers in my mind and heart.
This episode is not a referendum on the choices individuals and families make regarding adoption from the side of the birth family or the adopted family. Rather this is an exploration of the feelings of connection that come with being a family, whether or not one joins that family biologically. My co-host is my thoughtful and hilarious friend Bob Ahlander. Though he too grew his family the old-fashioned way, he once traveled to a foreign country to help a relative bring home adopted twin boys. This week’s guest is Bill Hobson, Executive Producer and host of the radio show and podcast The Big Impact (bigimpactradio.com), where he tells uplifting stories of incredible people each week. Bill himself is adopted, as is his younger sister. Bill talks openly about his feelings regarding his adoptive parents and the love they unconditionally showed him. He also talks about the many members of his extended family who are also adopted, and what the meaning of “family” truly is.
Why do true crime stories fascinate us so much? From a young age I was watching America’s Most Wanted and Unsolved Mysteries. Dateline murder stories were intriguing as I got a little older, and The First 48 was a staple of mine in college for a while. Adulthood brought on the first season of the Serial podcast with the story of Adnan Syed and Hae Min Lee, a story so popular that those names are known in households across the country. The slew of Netflix documentary series and countless podcasts devoted to the subject are clear evidence that we as a culture have a fascination with true crime beyond the scripted fiction mysteries on the small and big screens. Are we just a depraved people? Am I, unbeknownst to me, a latent psychopath because murder stories captivate me?
This week we talk with Melissa Morgan, host of the Just the Tip-sters podcast to tackle these very questions. Her interest in true crime was taken to the next level when a member of her own community went missing, and she was part of the search party. Now, after three years of her show, she has shed light on hundreds of other cases, many of them unsolved, urging listeners to send in tips if they have any information that could help solve the cases. One of my oldest friends, David Abegg, co-hosts this episode. Of all the people I know, I know I can count on Dav to show me something off-beat, weird, or out of the norm. We three had a blast diving into the subject of true crime and its prevalence in our society. Let us know what you think about the topic and why you think it’s so ubiquitous today.
Episode 18 - Bodybuilding
I’m fascinated by people who are willing to dedicate themselves, mind, body, and soul, to building something. Not everyone has the tenacity to push themselves to the very limits. Bodybuilding is one of those endeavors that takes a person’s mind, body, and soul to really excel. I’m at the gym several hours every week, and I’m nowhere near comfortable taking my shirt off at the public pool, let alone ripped enough to compete on stage. So this week I invited the biggest guy at my gym, Clement “C” Marcelin, into the studio to talk about what it takes to get his body into competition shape. C competes in professional bodybuilding events and is the alpha at my local gym not only because of his physical prowess, but he’s also just the coolest dude there on any given day. This week’s guest host is my friend and neighbor Mark Chandler. Mark’s the best basketball player in our neighborhood and certainly an athlete, but he’s far from as fit as C is. Few people are. We asked C all of our burning questions, from diet and steroid use to just how it feels to get all oiled up for the stage. Whether you actually want to get toned enough to compete, or just get enough energy to get off the couch, this week’s episode has some great tips, inspiration, and even a fairly awkward question you won’t want to miss!
#podcast #selfimprovement #podcastersofinstagram #conversation #bodybuilding #diet #exercise #doyouevenlift #weightlifting #exercise
Who do you envision when you hear the word “artist?” Is that person an angsty goth whose work is so esoteric that only the work’s creator actually “gets” it, or a down-to-earth realist whose illustrations capture the most human of emotions? Do you envision a recording artist? Or a painter? Or tattoo artist? What are the artists in your community like, and what are they doing to build their presence there? The Pandy has wreaked havoc on several elements of our culture, and arts are no exception. Art programs are being dropped across the nation due to budget constraints, and thousands of opportunities to display and appreciate art have been postponed or cancelled due to social distancing requirements. One primary assumption I had going into this recording is that the greatest art comes from the greatest conflict or pain. Perhaps some of the world’s best work will come from this awful situation. Co-host Tracy Keck is an editor by trade and works with writers crafting their expressions of art. Guest expert Adam Romano is a tattoo artist, fine artist, and community builder. Another assumption we all had going into this conversation is that supporting the arts in our own local communities takes effort, but is totally worth it. After listening to this episode I assume you’ll agree!
#podcast #art #artist #community #communityart #fineart #tattoo #selfimprovement
Where would you go on vacation if time and money weren’t factors? Have you ever been somewhere foreign and experienced something totally unexpected? Have you ever been treated exceptionally or poorly because you are an American abroad? American culture permeates the world through our movies, music, and politics. There are millions of people outside our borders who love what we bring to the world. AND, Americans do have a reputation for being rude travelers. There are millions of people who don’t love what America and Americans bring to their lands. This week’s co-host, Jason Deelstra, is nothing short of a world traveler. In addition to two years lived in Korea, he’s visited the South Pacific, Australia, several European countries, and several Asian countries as well. He’s seen how Americans are treated far and wide. Our guest expert has experiences that few people have, though. Wade Hansen studied the Middle East in college, was stationed there during his time in the Air Force, and now lives as a civilian with his family in Saudi Arabia. We talk about the benefits of seeing the world and what to expect abroad, including some fascinating stories you only get outside our borders.
Did you know, the average American will buy six houses in her/his lifetime? That’s the stat this week’s guest Lori Fleming quotes. She has numerous accreditations, sits on state and local real estate boards, and touts 26 years of experience helping people buy and sell their homes. This week’s co-host, my friend Derek Cornia, may or may not be in the market for a new home, but there are so many factors in play that it’s hard to know when to pull the trigger on such a big decision. Lori says she’s seen guys like Derek before, and has had to play more than just the role of real estate agent. She’s been the counselor, accountant, babysitter, and divorce lawyer for hundreds of people, all while they navigate some of the biggest financial decisions of their lives. The market is booming in Utah, where we live, right now, and it’s a hyper competitive landscape. However the principles she shares are true, and the anecdotes are hilarious, no matter where you live. What assumptions do you have about real estate agents and the work they do? Listen in to see how this particularly energetic agent tells her story!
Guns are a controversial topic. They carry lethal force, and yet owning them is specifically protected by the Constitution of the United States. This discussion is not about the merits of the Second Amendment, per se, although that discussion deserves its own episode (which will certainly happen). Rather this discussion is about what guns are and should used for. It’s about gun enthusiasts, and where their passion comes from. It’s about gun safety, and how to be responsible when in the presence of guns, whether by choice or not. The episode’s co-host, my dear friend Chip Horman, is considering purchasing his first gun. Neither of us have spent much time around them. In this episode we learn that I’m what the pros call a “recoil sissy.” The episode’s expert, Steve McIntosh of Run and Gun, gives us a ton of insight into how to approach the notion of gun ownership and use safely and responsibly. Steve’s a competitive shooter, a lifelong hunter, a concealed carrier, and a server of wounded veterans. Whether or not you own a gun or believe a person should be able to own a gun, this episode gives insight into how and why many do.
Do you travel a lot, for work or for pleasure? Has your work or life ever revolved around travel? Doesn’t it look like flight attendants have a pretty cool lifestyle, galavanting around the world while getting paid to do it? Or do you think it looks like a miserable existence, waiting on the rudest people in tight quarters and never getting time at home? Well, according to guest Pablo Perfecto (yes, that’s his given government name), both of those things are partially right. My brother- and sister-in-law, Jeff and Alysse Whitaker, and I chatted with Pablo about what life as a flight attendant is really like, if they get to see the world as much as one might think, how disgusting some passengers are, and if the “mile high club” is a real thing. (Spoiler alert: it is, and he shares stories.) He also gives some tips to get in good with your in-flight crew and take your flight experience to the next level!
This one is personal for me. In this episode, I talk about three people in my life that I lost to opioids, including my own father. My dad didn’t die from an overdose, but he contracted a disease sharing needles, and that eventually led to his demise. Two of my friends in college also passed away directly or indirectly from opioid abuse. I know people need pain relief options, but I do all I can to keep opioids out of my home even when prescribed. There are 1,000 different angles we could take when talking about this topic, and this likely won’t be the only episode we do on it. This conversation focuses on addiction and addicts. Guest Andrew Hager is living in recovery from a decades-long addiction. His addiction led him to criminal behavior, prison, the death of one of his own children, and eventually to a ministry helping others to sobriety. His story is fascinating, and he’s doing a lot of good in the world. How should we be viewing and treating those who are not yet sober?
O.J. Simpson is not a Jew. Adam Sandler taught me that. He also taught me that the holiday that I thought was the Jewish equivalent to Christmas was celebrated over “eight craaaaazy nights.” As I grew up I learned a little about the menorah and latkes, but my highly religious community is not highly diverse. When my niece converted to Judaism, I learned only a tiny bit about that process and that, surprisingly, Chanukah is not the Jewish Christmas. I mean, it’s not the most significant holiday to Jews, like Christmas is to Christians. In this, perhaps my favorite episode so far, the man behind the Don’t Assume Podcast theme song, Cory Mon, and I talk about just how much we don’t know about Chanukah and what our Jewish friends celebrate. My niece’s spiritual leader, Rabbi Bonnie Sharfman, was kind enough to educate Cory and me on history, food, Jewish celebrations, and the salvation of our souls.
I love the Marvel movies. Superhero stuff is so fun and timeless. The stories, though fantastical, are relatable at their cores. And even though I never miss a superhero movie release, I have never actually read the comics from which those movies originate. I’ve seen the cosplayers flock to the convention center near my office, but I’ve never actually been to an event. I love and read all kinds of books, but that’s one genre I’ve never dabbled in. Now that my son is getting the bug, I need to learn more about this comic book world and see what I can do to expand not only my worldview, but my boy’s. My neighbor, Troye Davis, is extremely well read, particularly in English literature, and he’s a former professional bull rider. We talked with Tim Young, host of the Deconstructing Comics (http://deconstructingcomics.com/) and To the Batpoles (https://tothebatpoles.libsyn.com/) podcasts about the world of comic books, what to expect there, and how superheroes are just the tip of the iceberg.
I'm afraid of whales, and so should you be. They’re huge. They dominate their domain; a domain in which we don’t belong. That’s at least the core assumption I started with when I engaged co-host Scottie Whitaker, who is my brother-in-law, and Andrew Levin, who is a marine biologist and the CEO of Speak Up for Blue. Scottie and Andrew reacted as do most people with whom I regale with my whale rhetoric, with scepticism. But after talking about killer whales dining on great white shark livers, I think I may have swayed them and potentially even YOU. We also talked about whether or not urine actually cures jellyfish stings, how awfully rude dolphins are, the major issues of plastics and climate change threatening our oceans, and just how much we don’t know about the great big blue.
I killed a mouse once. I caught it in an old Cool Whip container and shook the bejezus out of it. It was exhilarating and terrifying, and it made me feel bad for the mouse. I live in an area where hunting is a big deal, but I’ve never been. Lots of people have lots of opinions about hunting and hunters, and guest host and producer extraordinaire Richie Steadman and I talk about a lot of them in this episode. Guest expert Zac Griffith is not the average casual hunter, he’s more than that. He’s the on-the-mountain-365-days-a-year hunter. He’s the eat-sleep-breathe hunter, and yet he still may not be exactly what you think. From big-game hunting to pot-gutting to trophy-hunting, and from red-necks to conservationists, we tackle it all in this episode!
I am a firm believer that everyone should spend some time working in food service because of the window it gives a person into how people are and should be treated. Restaurant employees see all walks of life and are treated all kinds of ways. But do they really retaliate when a customer is rude? Like, do they spit in your food? And who really makes the most tips on a given shift? And do servers get mad when you just order water? My own personal restaurant experience was with casual, dine-in restaurants, and co-host Ryan Gardener’s was in fast food. We break it down with guest Kellianne Pritchert, a 25-year restaurant veteran and nationally recognized corporate trainer, who shares her experience in everything from small-town diners to fine dining and national chains.
I got the ‘Rona. The ‘Vid. The 19. Even worse, I spread it through carelessness. I thought the slight cough I had was no big deal because I felt fine, even though it felt just slightly different from what I was used to. I was wrong. The day I started showing symptoms I passed it to two people outside my home and two immediate family members, and very well could have passed it to several more. One of those people is this week’s co-host Clint Burgi. We had lunch together that day, but luckily he didn’t get it. It’s such a weird disease. Clint and I talk about that with guest John Hustedt, an epidemiologist with the World Health Organization living in Cambodia. He gives great insight into how pandemics get started, what we know about the current one, and what we can do to mitigate its effects.
We’ve all had to confront the idea of systemic racism in our country this year. Some people believe it doesn’t exist. Some are just awakening to the oppression our Black friends and neighbors have been subjected to their whole lives. Some are clamoring that we should have made greater strides much sooner than we are trying to make them now. I’ll never truly be able to empathize with my friend and this week’s co-host, Jonas Manuel. I’ll never truly be able to put myself in his shoes, but this conversation is open and honest. Guest Talis Shelbourne is a journalist for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and has covered important issues of race in her state. She covered the police shooting of Jacob Blake and the two
Have you ever been offered an opportunity that seemed too good to be true? Has a friend or an acquaintance sat down with you at your kitchen table and talked to you about the unbelievable benefits of essential oils or make up or calling cards or Amway or whatever it may be? Network marketing, or multi-level marketing companies, have a certain stigma about them. Some of that stigma is certainly earned, but is it really all a big scam? This week’s guest host Hayden Seeley has certainly had his experiences with such companies. Guest Carly Reeves is one of the most successful women in a well-known network marketing company, and she answers all the questions Dave and Hayden put to her. The model has certainly worked for her, but could it really work for you too?
Why do people live on the streets? Is every homeless person just an addict that we should be wary of? Aren’t there services that can help? Can’t they just pull themselves up by their own bootstraps? Dave and this week’s co-host, Arthur Van Wagenen, address their own attitudes towards the indigent and their own philosophies on how, when, and who to help. Guest Merideth Spriggs, Chief Kindness Officer of Caridad Charity in Las Vegas then shares her own story of finding herself homeless, with a Master’s degree, and nowhere to turn. Merideth’s insight into the problems, and how the rest of us can help, will fascinate you. They may even inspire you to look at the people you pass by just a little differently.
Spoiler alert, Dave got a tattoo this year, his first one. Spoiler alert number 2, his 70-year-old mom got one first, as did his wife. The general attitude in our society towards tattoos and those who have them has changed dramatically in recent history, although there are still a lot of assumptions people make about those who proudly rock their skin art. There are assumptions people make about people who give tattoos, the pain of getting a tattoo, and the cost of the artwork. Join Dave and his mom, Leslie Jones, as they talk about their experience with long-time tattoo artist and shop owner Nate Drew of Lost Art Tattoo. Nate’s experiences tattooing all over the country have supplied him with keen wisdom and great stories for this week’s episode!
Red or blue, left, right, or center, everyone has an opinion about the current state of affairs in our country and the trajectory we’re on as a nation. Are we improving, or are we doomed? Is America’s great experiment a resounding success, or have we failed miserably? Dave and this week’s co-host, Erin Hallstrom, address those questions from the framework of their backgrounds in politics and their personal political evolutions. Guest Neil Brandvold, an international photo-journalist, then opens their eyes to the way America is truly seen around the world. What he says may surprise you, red or blue, left, right, or center.
My name is Dave Kimball, and this is the Don’t Assume Podcast. In this weekly pod we’ll address the assumptions we make about each other, whether those assumptions are based on how we look, where we live, or who we vote for, and we’ll see which of those assumptions are right, and which are not. I’m a regular dude with regular friends. I live on a cul-de-sac with my wife of more than a decade and my four kids. I’m a well educated white guy with a good job. I like books, comedy, and sports, distrust politicians, and do all I can to make sure my kids don’t grow up to be jerks. And just like everyone else, you can make assumptions about me and how I got to this place, living the life I do. Some of your assumptions would be right, and some would be wrong. Join me every week as a rotating cast of friends and I challenge assumptions about ourselves and the things we care about, try to make sense of the world, find common ground with the unlikeliest of people, and ask the questions everyone is thinking but is too afraid to ask for themselves. I hope you’ll at least leave each episode with something new to think about.Because, as the old saying goes, you know what assumin’ makes out of you and me.Subscribe to the podcast wherever it is you like to listen, and follow us at @dontassumepodcast on Instagram and Facebook, and @dontassumepod on Twitter. Tell us what assumptions you want us to tackle, and we’ll put it on the board!