On this episode of Off the Clock, I’m joined by my workout buddy, Beer Pong Tournament co-champion, and all-around ray of sunshine Peaches ‘n Diesel. Here’s some of what we talk about:

• First question: In your pantheon of accomplishments, where does Beer Pong Champion rank?
• getting Big Shot into a costume to drink with strangers
• how I potentially rigged the lethal lottery tournament draft like the 1985 NBA draft lottery
• just how many DMs she gets in a day (which – OHMYGOD)
• does she ever feel resentful of the online persona she’s built for herself
• what are her biggest triggers and/or insecurities about being a creator?
• which social media platform has the meanest commentors and how we’ve lost a lot of civility in this society
• how do we break down the barriers of society and start talking to each other again? (hint: costumes!)
• the pitfalls of tattoo location as you age and some general light tattoo talk
• how we define weird and we answer the question of whether we find ourselves “weird”
• goats, alpacas, yoga, and making yourself happy in moments of sadness
• what are our most used emojis?
• the endgame for Peaches n Diesel, brand deals, and misplaced self-righteousness from an audience
• what’s Serena Williams like? (Peaches has met her)
• are we prepared to defend our championship? (YES!)

Find Peaches 'n Diesel on Instagram.

Theme song by Sorry Sweetheart.

Logo by Nebulus Visions.

Produced by Deft Communications.

Engage with the show on Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.

Recorded at my house.

On this episode of Off the Clock, I’m joined by my friend Dana, a fellow punk rock radio DJ, trans rights advocate, and all-around great hang. Here’s some of what we talk about:

First question: What was the band, song or album that turned you into a punk rock fan?

• our early music tastes and migrating from pop into other genres
• old war stories from college radio including the origin of Jonny X
• not being a morning person and dealing with sleep deprivation
• how long we’ve wanted to meet each other and then a lot of mutual admiration society energy
• how apparently the bassist from Murder by Death bartends at a bar near my house (!)
• her process of coming out, the pandemic, Laura Jane Grace and her path back into radio
• we talk about the current cultural spotlight on transgendered people, grooming, and being a “fully customized human being”
• which bands we’ve been keeping our eye on and her station’s Indiefest coming up
• Dana’s extreme extroversion and the cocktail that’s named after her
• how weird having notoriety in your community is
• how finding the highest expression of yourself leads to greater success
• what she would like to see out of society to make it better

Theme song by Sorry Sweetheart.

Logo by Nebulus Visions.

Produced by Deft Communications.

Engage with the show on Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.

Recorded at my house.

Pictured in the photo from left: Dana, my daughter, my pal Jason, some photobomber, me, Bret & Justin from the Frickashinas

#OTCQuickies are mini solo episodes where I address a question or a topic in service of trying to be a good dude in the world. Today's topic is:

End of Pride Month: A Quick Word of Support for My Pals

We live in a world that is currently either trying to take away rights from the LGBTQ+ community, sitting idly by as that happens, or just silent out of fear, apathy, or ignorance. I just want to use my platform to tell you that at least one straight, cis, white guy supports you, and does so loud and proud!

Theme song by Sorry Sweetheart.

Logo by Nebulus Visions.

Produced by Deft Communications.

Engage with the show on Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.

On this episode of Off the Clock, I’m joined by my friend Courtney, who is my old business travel buddy, a great friend, and drop dead hilarious. Here’s some of what we talk about:

First question (admittedly, a gimme): What does the term “reverse date” mean to you?

• the insane reason Courtney was worried about having kids
• our friendship and how as corporate trainers we developed the chemistry of an old vaudeville team
• why powdered eggs are superior in a catering buffet to real eggs
• my theory that everyone loves a woman who tells a good dirty joke
• (there’s a break in the action where a lifeguard makes an actual save in the pool)
• how synchronized swimming in many ways hasn’t changed in probably 100 years and is a valid survival skill
• how we’re both charming and engaging, but how we cannot carry a relationship on our own and need others to raise their game and be funny too
• the time Courtney’s dog Jeffrey greeted Sen. Bernie Sanders a little too enthusiastically
• Courtney’s incredible resume and the fact that she carries a (metaphorical) switchblade on her at all times
• the patriarchy and the irritating unearned entitlement of many in the management class
• doing jobs that teach you how to deal with jerks
• being obsequious with restaurant servers to cosmically balance out how many crappy customers they deal with
• self-awareness, tactical vests, fingerless gloves, and playing drinking games
• what would she tell the men of the world that would make the world better?
• holy hell do we laugh in this episode. this is very fast-paced, so funny, and totally full of love. what a great time!

Theme song by Sorry Sweetheart.

Logo by Nebulus Visions.

Produced by Deft Communications.

Engage with the show on Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.

Recorded at my swim club on a gorgeous day.

On this episode of Off the Clock, I’m joined by my friends Adam, Mike, Austin and Aaron, who comprise the band Bad Year out of Milwaukee. In May, they were on tour and swung through Denver. I invited them to my house for tacos before the show. Here’s some of what we talk about:

First question (admittedly, a gimme): What was your favorite dinner while on tour?

• the origin of our connection and the incredibly thoughtful messages over Instagram that led to this new friendship
• what does their self-selected descriptor “accessible punk rock” mean?
• what other bands do they get compared to?
• how do you create the music scene you want to be a part of?
• how to tour the country as four dudes in an SUV and not kill each other
• how often do they get invited by randos out on the road to come have dinner in someone’s home?
• why being on tour is actually easier in some ways than “real life.”
• Mike got engaged on the tour to a stranger in Santa Monica (note: I could not tell which elements of this story were real, or if the entire thing is made up)\
• why it’s important for your band to pick a lane in terms of style and aesthetic
• I annoy the band by asking them the prosaic ass question of “what is the process of writing a song like for you?”

Find Bad Year at their website. Stream their new song “Black Skies.”

Theme song by Sorry Sweetheart.

Logo by Nebulus Visions.

Produced by Deft Communications.

Engage with the show on Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.

Recorded over Google Meet. Dinner was at my house a month and a half or so prior.

#OTCQuickies are mini solo episodes where I address a question or a topic in service of trying to be a good dude in the world. Today's topic is:

How do you get along with women so well?

It's a question I get often because I work extensively with women, have a lot of platonic female friends, and enjoy myself with ease in predominantly female social situations. The answer to this question is shockingly simple, but something a lot of men have trouble with. Download this episode and hear my secrets!

Theme song by Sorry Sweetheart.

Logo by Nebulus Visions.

Produced by Deft Communications.

Engage with the show on Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.

On this episode of Off the Clock, I’m joined by my friends Alan and Victor. They’re both multi-hyphenate creators, lifelong best friends, and recently collaborated for the first time professionally on the short film Always Most of the Time. Here’s some of what we talk about:

First question: What is the thing that has surprised you most about making a movie together?

• why I, as a white man, am frequently uncomfortable having conversations about race and what to do about it (hint: show up with curiosity, not prescriptions)
• the male loneliness epidemic and how to fix it?
• the importance of a film editor – a great editor can elevate a mediocre film and a lousy editor can make a good movie terrible
• writing a story from the perspective of someone who wronged you and the deep empathy that implies
• how friends work through disagreements on a creative project without torpedoing the project or the friendship
• the origin of their friendship and a pushup contest that wasn’t
• culturally why men (and the unique perspective of black men on this issue) are frequently sizing each other up – also! New York vs Atlanta
• why for Victor and I that our marriage is like the easiest thing in our lives, but also how much work we put into it
• taking a “Hippocratic Oath” of friendship

Check out Always Most of the Time at Victor's website. Find Alan here.

Theme song by Sorry Sweetheart.

Logo by Nebulus Visions.

Produced by Deft Communications.

Engage with the show on Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.

Recorded over Google Meet.

On this episode of Off the Clock, I’m joined by my friend Jeff, a wine enthusiast, the person I text the most with about the Nuggets and The King of Thornton. Here’s some of what we talk about:

First question: Who is your favorite Denver Nugget and why is it LaPhonso Ellis?

• is Jeff introverted? no, he just doesn’t care. let him explain.
• trying to describe wine without sounding like a pretentious douche – although we were drinking out of crystal, so idk
• a whole bunch of Denver Metro nostalgia featuring Thornton, Englewood, Applewood, and Arvada
• the self-assuredness to even do a podcast, much less do it successfully
• what percentage of each of the two of us is gay. the proportions might surprise you.
• why growing up when he did was the worst time to grow up and realize you’re gay.
• Karl Malone vs John Starks (or remembering some guys) (or how our 90s basketball taste differs)
• how many Jeffs we have in our lives, how it seems to be dying out and what the names are like now
• more music obsession including deep cuts from Bob Dylan, Frampton Comes Alive!, “Take It On the Run” by REO Speedwagon and more
• Bill Simmons (again), hating self-promotion, and selling out.

Find Jeff at his shows CSG Podcast and The GenX Show.

Theme song by Sorry Sweetheart.

Logo by Nebulus Visions.

Produced by Deft Communications.

Engage with the show on Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.

Recorded at my house over a bottle of Orin Swift’s Abstract.