OK Boomer

Leaving a mark

With over 30 years of service as a police officer for Prophetstown, Bruce Franks had many experiences that left a mark upon him, some of them quite sad, others inspirational.  He shares these moving moments, his best and worst days as a first responder, his reaction to national events like the George Floyd murder, and his adjustment to retirement.  This is part II of our conversation with Chief Franks.

Franks for the Memories-  and your service.

“You’ve got to be willing to help people when they are at their worst.”  This firmly held belief by recently retired Prophetstown Police Chief Bruce Franks was enacted many times throughout his career.  Bruce will share with us stories about offering a hand to those he too often had to deal with that were mired in misery.  He’ll also speak about his tireless involvement in community affairs like the Fishing Derby and Light Up the Park, the difficulties and rewards of wearing a badge, how he managed to avoid becoming cynical, and other aspects of wearing a badge, vest, and a weapon.

This episode is part one of our wide-ranging conversation covering his three decades of service.  Part II will be available on the 15th of next month.

Listen at this website or wherever fine podcasts are hosted:  https://okboomer.libsyn.com/site

Other links:

Thomas Nance website for audiobooks and voiceover: https://tommytones.webnode.page/

Email:  ttaudioworks@gmail.com

How to Live - How to Die-- when you get to be my age, those topics become of interest. And so they are featured in this episode. The episode is in my occasional format of potpourri, an eclectic reading of various literary gems I've found worth sharing, many of them dealing with living and dying. But to be sure, there are plenty of humorous bits from Jimmy Ahmuhdoofous that will tickle you.

Once upon a time a Wauconda High School student, class of 2004, was floundering around, contemplating life as a painter, not terribly ambitious about anything.  He had a below average GPA and a job at Jewel.  He was enjoying life, perhaps a bit much.  But holy about face, Batman!  In a just a few short years, he was excelling in college, scoring a double major while holding down various jobs, all which led to his current position as a top-level executive at the Jim Beam corporation.  Talk about a pivot!  And he does talk about it and how persistence and passion catapulted him into a life that even today amazes him.  Join Boomer and Jimmy Ahmuhdoofous for an inspiring conversation on how Rob Allen turned his life around.

Naysayers:  Kayla, you're too short.  You're too small.  You can't play softball on an elite level.

Kayla:  Hold my Gatorade.

Small of stature, Kayla Wedl has proven herself in a spectacular way on the biggest of softball stages, including a stellar career at the University of Illinois-Chicago and now as a professional softball player for The New York Rise.  She shares with Boomer her memories at Wauconda High School (2016 graduate) and UIC.  She talks about her journey and the challenges it provided, how it has affected her on and off the diamond.

Kayla is just one of a dozen of WHS graduates featured on this podcast.  Check them out along with other people that Boomer interviews in his continuing series of "Tales From The Workplace."

Genesis Hey Krick

You don't have to resign yourself to an unfulfilled life, a life of despair with no sense of purpose.  There are tools available to give structure and meaning to your journey.  Genesis Hey Krick is a life coach, author, and motivational speaker who gives practical advice on how to examine where you are and how to pivot towards a more satisfying life.  She gives Boomer great suggestions on how to manage his time.  This is part two of our interview on how to transform your life.

Connect with Genesis:

Website: https://genesisspeaks.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/genesisspeaks/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/genesishey

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/genesisheykrick/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/genesisheykrick/

Do you wake up with joy and excitement as you contemplate the day ahead of you, or would you describe your life as stagnant?  Are you running on a hamster wheel and feeling trapped?  Are you being called to do a little bit more? 

Are you simply surviving?  Or are you thriving?  Are you, as stated in the title to a Garth Brooks hit song, “Standing Outside the Fire?”

Our guest, Genesis Hick-Krey, asks us to reflect upon these questions, to be open to self-discovery, to reconsider where you might direct your life.  And she offers practical advice on how to start this transformational journey.  It’s not a fluff ‘n stuff approach to change.

Connect with Genesis:

Website: https://genesisspeaks.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/genesisspeaks/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/genesishey

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/genesisheykrick/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/genesisheykrick/

Surf Therapy-  Say what?  Say yes to an alternative therapy that successfully treats PTSD, chronic pain, depression, grief, autism, and much more.  Say WOW to the International Surf Therapy Organization (ISTO) that brings together 133 surf therapy groups all over the world to serve hundreds of thousands of clients a year to get into the water, get on a surfboard, and get on with their lives.

This is part II of our conversation with ISTO's Chairman of the Board, Brian School.  Brian explains how their deliberate and analytical approach to surf therapy is a rapidly growing treatment that is changing lives.

Surf Therapy is growing alternative therapy for a multitude of afflictions, including PTSD, chronic pain, autism, depression, grief, among others.  Brian Schoo, Chairman of the Board of the International Surf Therapy Organization, explains the vision of this non-profit and how he and his team hope to improve the lives of people by "hanging ten."  Brian's passion for this effort is highlighted by his recent resignation from the Nestle company where he was a top executive involved with global logistics and then eventually developing The Thrive Network, a branch of Nestle dedicated to mental health.  Enjoy listening to how this young man who grew up in the Midwest is now catching waves and changing lives.

In Potpourri IV, a litany of literary gems await you.  

This edition includes these goodies: philosophy by Charles Schultz, an interview with a cat, advice on how NOT to ruin your life and so much more.

Let the eargasm begin.

My audio holiday gift to you is the story of "A Christmas Rifle."  Ralphie, in the movie A Christmas Story," cries when he almost shoots his eye out with his treasured Red Ryder.  I cried a bit when I read "A Christmas Rifle" in a Facebook post.  I doubt that you'll fare differently.  May the blessings of this season be upon you and your family and may they be shared with others.  Length: 12 minutes

What type of person interacts with United States presidents, military leaders from the U.S. and other countries, along with various dignitaries and leaders throughout Latin America?  Who briefs Colin Powell on Latin America events, has face-to-face meetings with the "Angel of Death," learns hostage escape tactics and reports on coup d'é·tats?  Someone in the CIA?  Possibly.  But it's also Joanna Esty, a barrier breaking courageous lady who for more than a couple of decades was a linchpin in Latin America as a civilian employee of the Defense Intelligence Agency.  This is part two of our conversation.

How to not mix metaphors, details on Annie Sullivan's early life, panic attack hotties-  it's all here with much more in the third potpourri edition of OK Boomer where Boomer and Jimmy Ahmuhdoofous share a litany of literary jewels gleamed from the internet.  You'll laugh, be intrigued, maybe even a little inspired.  Works from Kurt Vonnegut, Jack London, and J.D. Salinger are featured.

"You can't pour from an empty cup."  That's one of the important themes presented in this romance novel "My Way To You" by J. Glassburn.  This 400 page book is set in a small town in western Illinois (where Jimmy Ahmuhdoofous is from) where she grew up.  Abbey is a mother of a young son who is finding her way in a new life.  She has left behind a broken marriage and is forging ahead in discovery about herself.  Her plans for the future are complicated by the sometimes enchanting and sometimes infuriating Sawyer, the still single boy wonder she once knew.   Despite tears and fears, she courageously moves forward, determined to make a life for herself and her son.

This second edition of Potpourri (a collection of unrelated literary extracts) includes Albert Einstein's response to an often posed question of him, "Do you believe in God?"  It concludes with chapter one of a book (maybe?) that Boomer is messing around with.  In between are plenty of humorous and occasionally thought provoking literary gems that Boomer and Jimmy Ahmuhdoofous trust you'll find intriguing.  Enjoy!

"What an opportunity for me to help somebody get their kids back, to repair relationships, to get a job, … so many benefits…"  That's how Mike Shears, Whiteside County Drug Court probation officer, describes his job.  In part II of our conversation, Mike talks about the successes, failures, and new areas of growth in the drug court program and Boomer describes what he observed in his two hour visit in drug court. Alternative/specialized courts are effectively improving how local judicial systems handle people who are likely to be repeat prisoners. 

AND COOL NEW THEME MUSIC FOR THE PODCAST!! YAY YAY YAY.

"No one ever wakes up and says, 'You know, I think I want to be a drug addict,' " says Mike Shears, drug court officer.  That's part of the mind frame that shapes the drug court in Whiteside County, IL.  If you think that drug court, a specialized diversionary court program, is a dark place full of dreary proceedings that involve the dregs of society, you're wrong.  It's a place that regularly celebrates the successes of alcohol and drug addicted felons.  It's a place that transforms lives, mends relationships, and stops the revolving door of recividism- the act of felons being jailed and freed, only to repeat the same crimes as before.  Need some good news?  It's right here. 

In part two of the conversation with Joel Gibbs, a voice over artist extraordinaire, Gibbs explains how Sol Krupnick, currently a YouTube success and soon to be live performance, was created, neglected, and now resurrected.  Joel Gibbs is a multi-skilled artist who has won my admiration and inspires all of us in our later years to continue to create.

Laugh along with Boomer and Jimmy Ahmuhdoofous as Sol spins his take on various aspects of human behavior.

Joel Gibbs, a man of a thousand voices, presents Sol Krupnick, Gibbs' amalgamation of various Jewish comedians and various kibitzers.  Joel shares with Boomer and Jimmy Ahmuhdoofous how he "resurrected" Sol and where he plans to take him.  Enjoy some of the stories Sol performs, including details on his surgery down under, during this interview and on the YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thesolkrupnickchannel8467.  Subscribe to this channel and to the OK Boomer podcast so that you don't miss part 2 our conversation.

Enjoy a hodgepodge of literary delights as Boomer and his cohost Jimmy Ahmuhdoofous share delightful findings from the internet that will make you laugh (you'll love Jimmy's pirate joke), ponder, and maybe even tear up a bit.  It all culminates with their version of Abbott and Costello's "Who's On First?"

"It's just starting [the popularity explosion of pickleball].  TV contracts are being signed.  It's being viewed on the Tennis channel and on ESPN."- so says Mike Shears, an ambassador of pickleball for northwestern Illinois and beyond.  Perhaps the fastest growing sport in America, pickleball is being played by people of all ages and abilities.  Mike Shears gives Boomer and Jimmy Ahmahdoofus the lowdown on this high flying sport.

Shenanigans in shop class continues in part II of our interview with Tim "TR" Rennels, long time Industrial Arts teacher at Wauconda High School.  We also hit upon the value of a college education and discuss our roles as "Superagers" in retirement.  Jimmy Ahmahdoofous gives two thumbs up on this episode.  Apparently, it appeals to his juvenile sense of humor.

Fornication, Fire, Feces: these three elements show up when Tim "TR" Rennels reminisces about teaching high school shop for over thirty years.  Tim shares shenanigans from his three decades ot Wauconda High School along with successes and the transformation that vocational arts has undergone since the 1980s.  

You have to be concerned about long term brain damage.  This is a statement Golden Gloves boxing champion Devin Parrish addresses with honesty and thoughtfulness in the latest OK Boomer episode where we continue to converse with people who have interesting pursuits. Devin talks about financing a World Championship dream, how to use his feet in the ring, and perhaps most importantly how to use his mind on and off the canvas.  Currently ranked number 7 in the nation at his weight class, hear how Devin employs techniques like meditation and yoga to aid him in his quest to be a champion.

Have you ever met ANYONE who voiced to you that s/he has a goal of becoming a world champion?  Well, you can meet Devin Parrish in this episode and hear him talk about advancing from his current ranking of 7th in the nation as a light middleweight boxer to his goals of becoming an Olympic boxer and eventual world champion.  He discusses the challenges of boxing that he fights with: weight loss, concussions, finances, training, and more.  A 2017 graduate of Wauconda high school, Devin is on an exciting journey.

Chancellor Jackson, author of 14 Days in Beijing, preceeds Brittany Griner with a story similar to hers: incarceration in a foreign country for possession of an illegal substance.  Relive Chancellor's bewilderment, confusion, and concern upon being imprisoned without knowing what was going to happen to him.  You will enjoy a few of his lighter moments as when his Chinese cellmates wanted to know if the stereotypes of African men's intimates were true.

Jimmy Ahmahdoofous's New Year resolutions that include dog porn, my guest's experience as a harpy, your chance to be featured on the next episode-  it's all here in this episode with Kris Keppeler, an actor, writer, narrator, and more.

If you were born in the previous century, you might remember noted writers Erma Bombeck or Andy Rooney.  Enjoy Kris Keppeler's podcast Does This Happen To You? which has flavors of Bombeck and Rooney's narratives. 

Seasonal mirth abounds when Boomer and Jimmy Ahmahdoofous exchange Holiday memories which include bad Christmas presents, Jimmy's time as a mall Santa, and the suspicious lyrics to some Christmas song classics.  This is published four days early, just in case you need something to laugh at if you're snowbound in your house, a ditch, or, even worse, in your inlaw's house.  You're ride over hill and dale (poor Dale) doesn't have to be boring.

How did we get from pelting cars with snowballs to shooting cars on the interstate with high powered rifles?  Bob LeMent of Static Radio podcast discusses this and other fun holiday topics (parade massacres, nuclear station bombing, etc.) along with the wonders of living in the midwest.  This is part two of the conversation.

Boomer's guest, Bob LeMent of the podcast Static Radio, agrees that midwest living is the way to go, that those on the coast can keep their wild fires and hurricanes to themselves.  Gratitude for midwest values and for escaping lethal childhood ventures that include mechanized death are discussed in this episode.

Allegedly, Jesus told the Cubs organization, "Don't do anything until I get back."  That's part of the conversation with Andy as he, Boomer, and Jimmy Ahmahdoofous talk about the rivalry between the Cubs and Cardinals baseball teams and Andy's first book "90 Days in the 90s: A Rock N Roll Time Travel Story."   In addition to his new book, Frye has written articles for Rolling Stone, ESPN, and Forbes magazine.

Just in time for Halloween, Boomer and Jimmy take a break from interviewing people with interesting careers to hear the tale of terror from two grandparents in western Illinois that were kidnapped and held hostage in an attempt to extort money from them.  Part I related their abduction.  Part II brings you their escape from their kidnapper but not an escape from being victims as they struggle to find normalcy, to escape PTSD and the permanent scars left behind. 

Remember the scene in one of the Lethal Weapon movies where Danny Glover's character is awakened in the middle of the night by criminals who use duct tape to restrain and silence him and his wife while threatening them and their children?  It is a terrifying scene, even if it was enacted.  But this scene REALLY HAPPENED to two grandparents outside a small town in western Illinois: Larry and Connie Van Oosten were similarly abducted and held hostage for 48 hours.  Hear this story of evil and how they survived not only the initial terror, but the life changing after effects of this bizarre crime.

"Name dropping is really tacky.  Paul McCartney told me so," quips James Alcroft as he shares stories about his decades long success as a comedian in the 1980s and 1990s.  Having performed on the Tonight Show for both Carson and Leno and opened for Diana Ross,  Jamie has a lot of names to be dropped, including Bob Saget who was his competition for the role of Danny Turner in Full House.  Get inside stories on Saget, Paul Lynde, and others in this episode.

Between being jailed for marching for the legalization of marijuana and fathering current star singer Hayley Kiyoko (aka Lesbian Jesus), James Alcroft found his way onto the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and Jay Leno, put together a dynamic comedy team and received a heart and liver transplant. His conversation with Boomer and Jimmy Ahmahdoofous is definitely funnier than a heart attack.

Bill Cushing has held many an instrument in his days: a shovel for digging ditches, a weapon for service in theNavy, an ohmmeter for working as an electrician.  He now wields a pen as an award winning poet from Glendale, CA.  Bill discusses the advantages of having a diverse life, about not being locked into aspects of your life, and of course more of his writing.

How does a guy go from years in the navy and working as an electrician to teaching college and becoming an award winning poet?  Bill Cushing explains how he did it and some of his ventures on an incongruous road to becoming an award winning author-  and he shares it via his rotary phone in Glendale, California!

Imagine what it must be like to compete on the national level as an athlete.  Imagine what would be like to compete on the national level as a wrestler.  How about a female wrestler?  A real Beauty AND a Beast, Keira Dafnis continues sharing a bit of her brief 17 years on planet earth as a wrestler and in thoughtful discussion about diversity, her own asexuality, and whether young people can be optimistic about the future.

How many resumes can list winning a beauty pageant and a wrestling tournament? At least one and it belongs to Keira Dafnis, a female wrestler who will continue her grappling in college.  Only seventeen, she is an accomplished wrestler on both the state (Illinois) and national level.  Her beauty pageant winning face regularly sports the badges of honor that a wrestling match produces: bruises, cuts, scrapes.  Listen to Keira talk about the various challenges in her young life, not just about the uniqueness in being part of a male dominated sport. 

"We cant' let ourselves think about what and who we are leaving behind or it will break us.  My daily routine was in every sense life giving.  And what will make me feel that way when I return to the States?"

Christine Herbert, Peace Corp volunteer and author of The Color of the Elephant, a book that recounts her African Peace Corp experience, answers this question and others in part 2 of her conversation with Boomer and Jimmy Ahmahdoofous.

Naked, afraid, and alone . . . well, she wasn't naked, but Christine Herbert did have some scary moments (poisonous snakes, floods) spending two years in the African nation of Zambia, thousands of miles away from friends, family, and even people of her race.  No electricity in her mud hut was just one element of her experience that molded an unexpected transformation that challenged the way she understoond the world.  She captures two years of wonder in her book "The Color of the Elephant" and shares the laughter, the mud, and the tears in her interview with Boomer and Jimmy Ahmahdoofuous.

Beware the worm!  Has a worm ever sent someone to the ER?  It sent Jake O'Donnell when he was performing the worm during a pub crawl in Madrid.  Jake chronicles this story and other seminal moments of becoming a man in his book "Walk Like a Man(iac) and in part 2 of his conversation with Boomer.

Are you a fan of movies like the Hangover and Jackass series?  How about David Sedaris or Dave Barry?  If so, prepare to be a fan of Jake O'Donnell, author of Walk Like a Man(iac).  Jake dares to bare his pre and post pubescent soul as he reflects upon the many "firsts" of his journey towards adulthood and beyond.  He does this with great deprecating humor and detail, allowing us to laugh along with him about experiences most males (and most females) can identify: first kisses, first brushes with the law, first alcohol, first Mrs. Robinson.  It's funny, it's awkward, it's real.  O'Donnell shares some these seminal moments with Boomer and makes Jimmy Ahmahdoofus feel less uncomfortable about his own youthful transgressions.

Joel Gibbs is a veteran voice over artist who has tickled your ears with over 40,000 audio projects heard globally. He truly has done it all and often with celebrity voices. Allegedly, he emerged on the birthing table with a Bugs Bunny quip, "What's up, doc?" In this episode, Joel tells about a 20 minute practical joke that involved his mimicry of Paul McCartney.

Enroute to her next load pickup, semi owner/operator Misty Danner Johnson shares her experiences over the road, including how to avoid the danger of retread explosions, why she loves traveling across America hauling up to 80,000 pounds of freight, and whether she'd recommend the life of a trucker to others.

New York City . . .  where all the things I can't afford are so convenient.

However true that may be, NYC tour guide Christina Ray Stanton can help you plan your best tour of the Big Apple and entertain you with stories about clients like the Russian oligarch family.

"We [casino workers]get people wasted, take their money away from them, and then the casino owners want us to take an ethics class.  Who's teaching that class, Britney Spear's dad?"

That's part of the hiarious conversation with Keith Lyle (don't miss part 1), a standup comedian who previously spent 25 years working in Las Vegas casinos.  Keith also shares stories about customers who defecated at his craps table and about a celebrity who was taken from his table in handcuffs.

"It's like asking Tiger Woods to teach Driver's Education."  That's how standup comedian Keith Lyle describes some of his ethics training as a casino worker back in the day.  Lyle, who also has had small parts in movies like "The Hangover," shares his stories as a craps dealer in Las Vegas.

"If your arms stay down, I'll be a part of this conversation," says 40 year career official Tom Starr to amped coaches who want a piece of him during a high school sports contest.  That technique for deescalating conflict is just some of the wisdom Tom imparts in this episode that explores highlights from his volleyball/softball/basketball officiating career along with discussion about the crisis in high school sports officiating.

"You've officiated four different high school sports?  You officiated them for 40 years?  Four heaven's sake!!"

Not only has Keith Medema officiated for four decades, in three of those four sports he was selected to officiate state final contests.  Hear about some of those games, his ambulance ride from the football field to a hospital, the play that made ESPN's top play of the week, and more in this final episode of 2021.

As a high school wrestling official on the way to a contest, how do you handle your car breaking down?  Hitchhike?  Here about this , the nuances of stalling, the confrontation with a Harvard coach, the difficulty of officiating, and what it's like to be as a "judge, jury, and executioner."  Boomer and Jimmy Ahmadoofous continue their conversation with acclaimed high school wrestling official Anthony Clarke.

Boomer and Jimmy Ahmahdoofus explore the diversity of high school wrestling and the challenges in officiating it with veteran official Anthony Clarke.  Tony also describes the time his head coach wept at the conclusion of a high school match and the time a coach asked to be ejected from a wrestling meet.

Chuck Norris and Superman wrestled ... the loser had to wear his underwear over his pants for the rest of his life.

In this part 1 episode of Tales From the Workplace, Boomer and Jimmy Ahmadoofus continue to chat with high school sports officials, this time with wrestling referee Anthony Clarke.  A 38 year veteran of paroling the wrestling mats, Anthony talks about rule changes, the evolution of the sport, the levels of athlete participation, and more.

I wanted to have a career in sports when I was young, but I had to give it up. I'm only six feet tall, so I couldn't play basketball. I'm only 190 pounds, so I couldn't play football. And I have 20-20 vision, so I couldn't be a referee.

OK, that might be funny, but this isn't:

"...harassment has grown so rampant that more than 70 percent of new referees in all sports quit the job within three years, according to the National Association of Sports Officials. The chief cause for the attrition, based on a survey conducted by the association, was pervasive abuse from parents and coaches." (New York Times)

In this episode, Boomer starts a s series of interviews with officials of different sports that explores the national shortage of sports officials and their experiences officiating on the playing field.

My beauty doesn't come through in photos. Or in person.

So says Shaun Eli, professional comedian, in part 2 of his interview with Boomer.  Shaun continues addressing how humor develops, how he crafts his performance, deals with difficult audience members, and whether or not comedians in general are cursed with troubled interpersonal relationships. 

"I wanted to date my doctor, but she said it was unethical for doctors to date patients.  I get it, especially for pediatricians and veterinarians," says Shaun Eli, writer for Jay Leno and other comedians.  Laugh along as Shaun talks to Boomer about how jokes evolve, how do comedians come up with new humor, and how to handle different and difficult audiences.

Why does your 20 something son refuse to leave your basement?  Could a psychic explain this dilemma by identifying how your past lives crossed?  Corbie Mitleid, professional psychic, shares this experience along with other past life revelations, and gives a Boomer a Tarot card reading concerning his future!! 

A psychic walks into a bar . . . . . . she should have seen it coming.

How can you tell the difference between a Swami Salami charlatan and an authentic intuitive psychic?  Corbie Mitleid, author of THE PSYCHIC YELLOW BRICK ROAD: How to Find the Real Wizards and Avoid the Flying Monkeys, explains the difference to “the friendly skeptic” Boomer.  Mitleid, a professional psychic, shares stories from her work of 50 years as an authentic intuitive in an engaging, sincere manner.  She, Boomer, and Jimmy have some fun discussing her serious work, including the use of numerous audio clips from the movie “The Wizard of Oz.” 

Your ride to work doesn’t have to be boring.

Lt. Commander James Keith discusses his experiences in Afghanistan with a difficult Air Force Colonel, IEDs, PTSD, and whether today's students should consider a career in the military.

Is making a career or just joining the military a good idea for you or your child? Can the military prepare you for a career in civilian life?How can PSTD be dealt with? Why did James fear his wife would exact a choke-slam upon him?  The 1990 Wauconda HS graduate answers these questions and many others in this episode as Lt. Keith shares his experiences of being in the military for over three decades. 

A century old business, Thicksten's popcorn keeps it fresh and draws in customers from miles around.  Hear on-the-street interviews with customers, about a marriage proposal in the popcorn stand, and corny jokes from Jimmy Ahmadoofous. 

What U.S. business is older than Ford, Walgreens, or JC Penney? Answer: Thicksten’s Popcorn, established in 1900 and thriving today on the main street of Prophetstown, Illinois. Hear part one of the century old success story from current owner Joanie Stewart (Thicksten) in the latest episode of OK Boomer: Tales from the Workplace, punctuated with Jimmy Ahmadoofus's on the street interviews of happy patrons.

Most people have never "slopped" hogs, nor have they earned a Super Bowl ring.  These are just a few of the experiences the new U of Illinois head football coach Bret Bielema shares in this podcast.  Also, his older brother Bart reminisces on shared childhood ventures.

Boomer and Jimmy Ahmadoofus continue their conversation with Chris Faczek, whose visual effects resume includes Star Trek: Picard, Dark Crystal, Marvel's Runaways, and Westworld.  Chris elaborates on some of his specific creations, a typical day in his Hollywood life, and how youngsters can enter the world of visual effects.

Four years after high school how does one end up in Hollywood, eventually becoming the visual effects leader on blockbusters like Star Trek: Picard and Space Jam 2?  You can try the route Chris Faczek took, Wauconda High School 2004 graduate, that involved risk taking and a broken-down car in the desert.  He takes Boomer and Jimmy Ahmadoofus behind the scenes of hit productions like Marvel’s Runaways, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., The Blacklist, and more.

From the footlights of Wauconda high school cafetorium to  Chicago theatres to the ears of America: Tom Taylorson reflects on his arrival as a prominent member of the voice over industry, how he develops his craft, and what a typical work day looks like for him.  Enjoy his thoughts on being "the man behind the curtain" for hundreds of audiobooks, national TV commercials for brands like Coca-Cola, and video games like Persona 5 Strikers, Mortal Kombat, and Mass Effect Andromeda.

A '95 graduate of Wauconda High School, Tom Taylorson (Tom Taylor) has blazed a trail across the voiceover industry by narrating commercials for Coca-Cola, video games such as Watch Dogs and Mass Effect Andromeda, hundreds of audiobooks in various genres including many from the Marvel universe.  In part 1 of this interview, Tom talks about his craft along with  the ups and downs of the voiceover industry.

Working with teenagers is rarely boring.  Working with teenagers who also wrestle intensifies the shenanigan level.  Listen to coaches Nance, Rennels, Costa, and Rohlwing reflect upon antics that involve dead squirrels, digital penetration, inadvertent nudity, and cow molestation.  It all happened at Wauconda high school.   No animals were hurt in the stories retold, nor anyone arrested (that we know of).

In part 1 of Matside Mayhem, coaches Nance, Rennels, Costa, and Rohlwing swap stories about matside antics they witnessed over three decades of Wauconda Wrestling.  Stories of prank phone calls, parental dope smoking, concussions, profanity laced barrage from opposing coach, and more are shared among these three veteran coaches.

"Well, he may have had to change his drawers before it was all over," said Chuck Swanson as he regaled Boomer with his stories of truck driving for over 60 years.  Get on the road with Chuck, Boomer, and Jimmy Omadufous for this version of  Tales from the Workplace.

"Can I give you a lap dance?" Former Uber driver Brad Harris fielded this offer from an Uber client.  An early side hustle for Brad, Uber driving brought him in contact with exotic dancers, lost British families, and inebriated clients of all sorts.  Brad shares these stories and more with Boomer and his co-host Jimmy Omadufous.

Should I go to the ER during this damnpenic? Is there an alternative to the ER? How effective is the rapid test for COVID?  These and other issues are addressed from the perspective of medical assistant Kacy Kerkering-Hintz, who deals with the coronavirus and other medical issues in northern Georgia.

"If I'd had this class 10 years ago, I probably wouldn't be divorced." That's the type of high level feedback clients deliver to Dave as he travels all over this country, and internationally, presenting and teaching essential communication skills.

Elephants, buffalo, 8 feet long snakes, camels, wolves, the cute puppy who befriends a Clydesdale horse in Superbowl commercials, the Aflac duck: these are some of the animals that David Meyers trains.  Listen to Dave speak about how he works with a diverse group of animals on the sets of shows like "Big Bang Theory." 

In part 2 of an interview of Russ Mayer, Mayer describes how he takes in wild mustangs from western states and gentles them in his southern Illinois facility, often allowing them to escape starvation, or being euthanized.

"Odds are, son, if you stick with this job, you'll likely kill someone." This sobering statement was delivered to Russell Mayer as he became an engineer for the Chicago Northwestern railroad.  Russell shares how that prediction nearly came true one night along with stories on derailments and cow tipping.  Join Russ, Boomer, and Jimmy Omadufus for a ride on the rails.

Matt Nance, IT professional, delivers advice on how to become an IT professional while not accruing thousands of dollars in loans.  He also shares stories of ineptitude that we can all identify with.

Boomer, with spastic insight from Jimmy Omadoufus, interviews a flight attendant who shares stories about Grandma getting booted off an airplane, hotel stalkers, and more.

Boomer continues his conversations with folks in interesting vocations, such as in this episode with Matt Schwind, former DeeJay and current manager of Ruhl and Ruhl Realty in Bettendorf, Iowa.  You might remember Matt from his on air time with radio station KiiK in the late 80s and early 90s.  He entertains Boomer with harrowing times in both jobs that include ghosts, miscues, and lightning strikes.

Joshua Patterson's musical success starts with living off of Pot Belly restaurant sandwiches to his current role in the ultra successful Chicagoland area band "Semple Band".  He discusses his role as a male cheerleader in high school and the many roles he now plays as a full time musician.

Boomer continues his recounting of faculty antics at the high school he formerly taught at, including an interview with current administrator Stephanie Fike who early on learned not to prank Boomer lest she be pranked herself.

In part 2 of Teachers Gone Goofy, Boomer recalls accounts of faculty members involved with shenanigans at Wauconda High School.  Guest Scott Cittadino, current assistant superintendent of District 118, shares his memory of pranking and being pranked.

Guest Kerry Kolhbacher, former colleague of Boomer, shares pranking lore from teaching days at Wauconda high school, where male coaches bonded through humorous jokes played upon each other.

Boomer continues his exploration of Illinois towns with odd names, including Hometown, Goofy Ridge, and Polo.  He interviews locals to get their take on living in an unusually named village.  Stories of 76 lb. beavers, raccoon meatloaf and drunken bar owners highlight the conversations.

Boomer has his first interviews with people who live in oddly named towns, including the 91-year-old honorary mayor of Roachtown, Illinois.

April 2020

With his usual humor, Boomer makes practical points about the art of advice giving (or not giving).

Jimmy Omadufous shares his new lyrics to old favorites and favorite pandemic memes

Food shows, Deep State Pizza, and another side of Benedict Arnold: Sounds like fun!

Boomer shares a childhood experience that could have ended with him being a dead chicken . . . and some fun chicken trivia.

Boomer interviews his third grade grandson who shares his thoughts on his sister, Donald Trump, and President's day.

Boomer notes the bad publicity lawyers have brought upon their profession in the wake of recent news.  Jimmy Omadufus joins Boomer for this episode.

Boomer farts; his kids fart; his grandkids fart; all funny.

Boomer laments the difficulty of understanding today's modern washing machine.

This episode ponders why so many people are excited about searching their ancestry.