Welcome to Simple Joe. I’m glad you’re here.

Today on Simple Joe, I start the show by venting about how much I hate paper cuts and why they hurt more than they should, before easing into a reflective Friday episode focused on slowing down and heading into some well-earned downtime. We hear the weather for Jerusalem, Israel, and Cincinnati, Ohio, celebrate December 19 birthdays including Cicely Tyson, Maurice White, Jake Gyllenhaal, and more, and look back at historic moments like the publication of A Christmas Carol and Zanzibar’s independence. I also talk through National Hard Candy Day, National Emo Day, and Go Caroling Day, sharing a few personal stories along the way. The heart of the episode is a thoughtfully researched Top 10 list of gifts that create great memories, from starting traditions and surprise days off together to shared experiences, meaningful places, and my personal favorite, a photo book from the previous year, which has become one of the most meaningful gifts I receive. It’s a reminder that the best gifts aren’t expensive or complicated, they’re the ones that turn into stories, connection, and memories that last far longer than any object.

Email me at joe@thesimplejoe.com or send me a text at 513.399.6468. Just say hi, I would love to hear from you.

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Welcome to Simple Joe. I’m glad you’re here.

In today’s episode of Simple Joe, I start with one of my favorite kinds of stories, the kind where curiosity changes everything, like how the microwave oven was invented by accident when Percy Spencer noticed a candy bar melt in his pocket. From there, I share the weather for Sterling, Virginia and Cincinnati, Ohio, celebrate birthdays including Keith Richards, Steven Spielberg, Brad Pitt, and Billie Eilish, touch on moments in history like the Mayflower arriving at Plymouth Harbor and the debut of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and recognize National Bake Cookies Day. The heart of the episode, though, is a story that stopped me in my tracks, a skydiver in Australia who ended up dangling 15,000 feet in the air after their parachute caught on the tail of the plane they had just jumped from. I walk through what happened, how the pilot and emergency crews stayed calm under unimaginable pressure, and why experts believe this rare incident likely came down to timing, airflow, and early parachute deployment. It’s a story about fear, patience, trust, and steady decision making when things go wrong in ways no one expects, and a reminder that sometimes courage looks like hanging on while others do their job.

Email me at joe@thesimplejoe.com or send me a text at 513.399.6468. Just say hi, I would love to hear from you.

You can get Simple Joe T-Shirts and other cool stuff at thesimplejoe.com/store

Check out what I'm reading at thesimplejoe.com/reading

If you share the show on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, please use #simplejoeismyfriend; you might get a free t-shirt!

Welcome to Simple Joe. I’m glad you’re here.

Today’s episode of Simple Joe (Wednesday, December 17, 2025) comes to you from Cheyenne, Wyoming, where I kick things off with a mind-blowing fact about how fast your brain processes images, then roll into the 3-day weather for Cheyenne and Cincinnati before hitting birthdays like Eugene Levy, Bill Pullman, and Sarah Paulson. We also look back at the Wright brothers’ first powered flight and the debut of The Simpsons, celebrate Wright Brothers Day and National Maple Syrup Day, then dive deep into a Wildcard Wednesday topic that hits home for a lot of us: digital addiction, doomscrolling, dopamine, and how social media algorithms quietly steal our focus. I share how even “harmless” scrolling, like comedy clips, sports highlights, and faith content, can turn into hours on autopilot, and I talk honestly about a tool that’s helping me create friction and intention again, The Brick, which you can find at getbrick.app.

The Brick: getbrick.app

Email me at joe@thesimplejoe.com or send me a text at 513.399.6468. Just say hi, I would love to hear from you.

You can get Simple Joe T-Shirts and other cool stuff at thesimplejoe.com/store

Check out what I'm reading at thesimplejoe.com/reading

If you share the show on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, please use #simplejoeismyfriend; you might get a free t-shirt!