Not in a Huff with Jackson Huff

This week we learn about the mostly unknown closed off world of life inside North Korea. I speak with UK citizen Zoe Stephens who has worked for a tour company for several years that takes people into the country and shows them life inside the hermit nation. This was an eye opening conversation that disproves quite a few myths about North Korea while also understanding the issues within the country as well. I learned so much and while I was not shocked to hear that the everyday citizen is normally amazing (which is often the case anywhere) I was surprised by some of the other things about North Korea Zoe teaches us. This was a really enlightening conversation looking at North Korea in a very different lens than most of us in the Western world know the country.

Disclaimer: This conversation is for learning purposes about a very unknown yet complicated place with a past and present that some would say is oppressive. While Zoe gives some opinions on the country and the myths she thinks it holds these are her opinions and should be looked at as such. This conversation should not be taken as the podcast giving an endorsement, agreement, opposition, or disagreement of what is said about North Korea.

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• Zoe's Travel Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoediscovers/

• Zoe's North Korea Travel Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoediscoversnk/

• Zoe's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/zoediscovers

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• Podcast's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notinahuffpodcast/

Please follow/subscribe to the podcast to get the new episodes when they come out each week and rate us on Apple Podcast and Spotify! :)

Have a comment? Email me at [email protected]

"Wait a minute...who are you?!" This week we learn the answer to that famous question from the Kazoo Kid himself, Brett Ambler. He tells us about how this video of a 8 year old boy playing the kazoo with his friends even happened back in 1989 and what it was like becoming an internet sensation when his antics from that 80's Connecticut summer went viral almost 30 years later in 2015. This was a fun conversation about the crazy world of internet meme's and how they take on a life of their own. Brett is a really amazing guy who is still in entertainment, takes the "Kazoo Man" jokes in stride, and embraces his quirky past.

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• Brett’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brett.ambler

• Full "You on Kazoo" video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1tL6rFsyAQ

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• Podcast's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notinahuffpodcast/

Please follow/subscribe to the podcast to get the new episodes when they come out each week and rate us on Apple Podcast and Spotify! :)

Have a comment? Email me at [email protected]

We blast off into the galaxy this week as we explore all things space with, Athena Brensberger. We speak about what got her into astrophysicist and how she has balanced a love of space exploration with a successful career in modeling. We talk fun facts about space, the new "privatization of space travel", and how we can stop losing our curiosity. She has an amazing ability to make these complex topics extremely digestible and fun to learn, so get your telescope ready and prepare for lift off!

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• Astroathen's Website: https://astroathens.com/

• Athena’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/astroathens

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• Podcast's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notinahuffpodcast/

Please follow/subscribe to the podcast to get the new episodes when they come out each week and rate us on Apple Podcast and Spotify! :)

Have a comment? Email me at [email protected]

This week I speak with Melissa Becraft who shares her journey in dance from a small South Carolina town to the bright lights of New York City. Like many stories it starts with shared apartments and almost giving up. But, almost isn’t giving up and her perseverance has taking her to some really amazing heights. We talk in this episode about what it means to be a Brooklynette the NBA Dance Team for the Brooklyn Nets and her new found fame as a viral dancer on TikTok. This was a fun one!

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• Melissa’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@melissabecraft

• Melissa’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissabecraft

• Melissa’s Brooklynette’s Bio: https://www.nba.com/nets/brooklynettes-dancers

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• Podcast's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notinahuffpodcast/

Please follow/subscribe to the podcast to get the new episodes when they come out each week and rate us on Apple Podcast and Spotify! :)

Have a comment? Email me at [email protected]

This week I speak with the amazingly talented Sarah Todd Hammer. We speak about her current work in disability advocacy, her writing, and her future plans. Her story in this arena starts as an 8 year girl in ballet class when she suddenly could no longer move her arms and legs. After being airlifted to the hospital and being sent home she woke up the next day paralyzed from the neck down. She shares this story and the road to recovery (which includes 2 months in the hospital). She tells us about AFM the condition that caused this to happen to her and one that was not even named yet when she was first misdiagnosed with something else. This was a fun one and I learned a lot of disability awareness and advocacy. I urge you to listen.

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• Sarah Todd's website: https://www.sarahtoddhammer.com/

• Sarah Todd's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahtoddhammer/

• All Things "Positively Opposite" Podcast: https://linktr.ee/PositivelyOpposite

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• Podcast's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notinahuffpodcast/

Please follow/subscribe to the podcast to get the new episodes when they come out each week and rate us on Apple Podcast and Spotify! :)

Have a comment? Email me at [email protected]

This week we put pen to paper and ink to skin learning about the world of tattooing with famous New York City tattoo artist, Dan Henk. He tells us about his journey from army brat to the cover of the tattoo worlds biggest magazines. Like any good journey there are stops along the way and we talk about starting out in shops with crazy customers, getting stabbed in Washington DC, and a bout with a growing brain tumor (spoiler: he won). We also talk about his foray into writing as well with his most recent book being a post-apocalyptic thriller. This was a fun one for listeners like me who do not have a single tattoo or for someone who is fully tatted up that just wants to hear some stories from life as an artist.

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• Dan Henk's website: https://danhenk.com/

• Dan's Instagram: instagram.com/deadguyllc

• The Abyss Tattoo Studio: https://abyssartstudio.com/

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• Podcast's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notinahuffpodcast/

Please follow/subscribe to the podcast to get the new episodes when they come out each week and rate us on Apple Podcast and Spotify! :)

Have a comment? Email me at [email protected]

This week we step into the world of Irish dancing with professional, Claudia Morrison. We talk about what created her passion for the dance, the differences between the different forms (competitive, production, etc.), and the folklore behind why you cannot move your arms and upper body! We also discussion the productions who have brought the dance mainstream like Riverdance and if they are helpful or not to the sport. This was a fun one where we dive into the Made in Ireland costumes, sky high wigs, and dancing in bars at 8 years old. Join us for the little jig!

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• Claudia's Instagram: https://instagram.com/cm_irish_dance

• Trinity Irish Dance Company Website: https://trinityirishdancecompany.com/

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• Podcast's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notinahuffpodcast/

Please follow/subscribe to the podcast to get the new episodes when they come out each week and rate us on Apple Podcast and Spotify! :)

Have a comment? Email me at [email protected]

This week we learn the road to the Miss USA pageant with the 2020 Miss Indiana USA winner, Alexis Lete. We talk about her life growing up in the Midwest, playing D1 volleyball for GEORGE WASHINGTON (not Georgetown like I mistakenly said and was rightly shutdown for), and her journey in pageants. We learn a lot about the pageant world and the difference between Miss America and Miss USA. We learn some misconceptions about pageants and why that is the case. Lete also tells me about her new cryptocurrency podcast and more about the growing crypto world. This was a fun one and I learned ALOT.

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• Lete's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lillete/

• All Things Crypto Cast Podcast: https://linktr.ee/CryptoCast

• Lete's Wonder Woman TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wonderwomannooneaskedfor

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• Podcast's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notinahuffpodcast/

Please follow/subscribe to the podcast to get the new episodes when they come out each week and rate us on Apple Podcast and Spotify! :)

Have a comment? Email me at [email protected]

This week we journey onto the Wonderland Trail with author Christine Reed who discusses her book "Alone in Wonderland". We talk about her decision to uproot her life and become a self proclaimed "outdoor woman" and "dirt bag" to live in a van and hike some of America's most famous trails oftentimes solo. We discuss this decision, what she learned from her journey thus far, and what the future holds for her in both writing and in life.

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• Christine's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruggedoutdoorswoman

• Link to Alone in Wonderland: https://www.amazon.com/Alone-Wonderland-Christine-Reed/dp/173484180X/ref=sr

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• Podcast's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notinahuffpodcast/

Please follow/subscribe to the podcast to get the new episodes when they come out each week and rate us on Apple Podcast and Spotify! :)

Have a comment? Email me at [email protected]

This week we pirouette into the world of ballet. We speak with someone who has made a career and life out of doing exactly what half the young girls dream of being a ballerina! I catch up with Yoshiko Kamikusa of the Indianapolis Ballet all about the interesting world of ballet. We talk about being a ballet dancer, how she became a professional, the life of a full time person in the performance arts, just how expensive the shoes are, as well as the need for more boys to want to be a ballet dancer. This was a fun one about a profession that most people really do not know all that much about. Whether your a ballet regular, intrigued by the arts, or just like to hear about interesting professions everyone will enjoy this one.

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• Yoshiko's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yoshikokamikusa/

• Indianapolis Ballet website: https://www.indyballet.org/

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• Podcast's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notinahuffpodcast/

Please follow/subscribe to the podcast to get the new episodes when they come out each week and rate us on Apple Podcast and Spotify! :)

Have a comment? Email me at [email protected]