Pondoff's Anonymous

On episode 37, Jeff and I sit down and discuss:

-We’re back in the Studio! Thank you, Jesus!

-Jeff took a mental health break. Power to him!

-The Bold and the Beautiful is getting fucking good, man. Sup, Stephy. Sup, Hope.

-I’ve been to a ton of fucking funerals. Had one this past Saturday.

-I’m a bad coach, man. But I know how to delegate.

And.

-F*** six flags.

Let us pray.

-Chris

Chris Pondoff

On Episode 36, Jeff and I talk about:

-a two week break

Sorry for the short and sweet show notes, life is 2020 right now.

But all is well and God is great, mother fuckers!

Enjoy the show, tell your friends, and let us pray!

-CP

Ben Curtis was on LAW & ORDER!

And he came on our shitty, fucking podcast!?!

I should quit now!

For those of you that know me and understand my obsession with L&O, THIS IS MY MOUNTAIN TOP! (The only thing that could top this is having Joey Potter or Hope from The Bold and The Beautiful on.)

Amen! Praise the Lord! And, check-fucking-please!

Haha.

In all seriousness, it was an absolute honor and privilege having Ben on. He has risen, fell, and rose again, and his story shows hope, resilience, and an incredible act of self-realization, self-empowerment, and personal fucking freedom.

Ben saw fame, money, and the lack of what we call a “no guy” lead him down a path to drug use and alcoholism in “the city that never sleeps”, NY, NY.

The more I think about it, had Ben and I ever ran into each other in Manhattan, we could have had one hell of a time. Not that Manhattan fits the proverbial “small world” cliché, but a guy that gets thrown into jail because he was all fucked up buying weed on a bicycle while free-ballin’ in a Scottish kilt would definitely be a guy that I could have partied with back in the day.

Maybe it’s a good thing that God kept us from bumping into each other after all.

Haha.

Make sure you tune into this one, guys, and hear Ben, Jeff, and I have great conversation about overcoming addiction and listen as Ben gives amazing tips about how to fucking love yourself.

Oh, and even if you are not a diehard L&O’er, you still may recognize Ben...

Yep, he is “Steve the Dell Guy” from the infamous DELL commercials back in the 2000’s!

Thanks for always listening, guys!

And, Ben, thank you again, brother! I’ve repeated one of your quotes daily since we recorded and don’t plan on stopping soon…

“What we don’t resist, will persist.”

Amen.

Let us pray.

-Chris

*Ben Curtis is now a Personal Freedom and Performance Coach and is helping countless folks realize their worth and fight their demons. Check out his YouTube video below, and if you think he could help you, please do not hesitate to reach out! Also, please follow him on Instagram and look for him on Facebook.

Ben’s IG: @bencurtisofficial

FB: https://www.facebook.com/benbelieves

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-ZzcjjW7yA

https://www.youtube.com/BenCurtis

Vacation episode, comin’ at ya’!

I went to Table Rock Lake!

The last time I was in Branson, I rolled my balls off on ecstasy.

Not this time!

This time It was Ashley, Charlie, and I’s first vacation as a family.

As: "The Pondoffs”…

Very similar to: "The Griswolds.”

Lots of “cluster-fuckery”, but also lots of fun.

As much as I make fun of the sentimental shit, I really am a lucky bastard with this family of mine.

Thanks, God.

‘Preeciate ya’.

Anyway, tune in, holla at ‘ur boys, and tell your friends that we rock.

Except when we’re sorta offending people. (Sorry if we have… and by “we” I mean “I” because Jeff doesn’t offend people. After all, he’s a liberal.)

Seriously though, I’m not perfect, so please don’t cancel me.

Have a great week, y’all!

And as always,

Let us pray.

(Shall we.)

-Chris

It’s a bonus episode! I got to take over while Chris is on vacation and give you some quick thoughts on dealing with anxiety. This stuff helps me, I hope it helps you.

Here are some links to the couple things I promised you in this episode:

Breathing exercise video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wdbbtgf05Ek

Salsa Recipe! https://www.dropbox.com/s/arm8bqqav2p6m68/salsa%20recipe.docx?dl=1

Check out our podcasting host, Pinecast. Start your own podcast for free, no credit card required, forever. If you decide to upgrade, use coupon code r-de97d3 for 40% off for 4 months, and support Pondoff's Anonymous.

On episode thirty-three, Jeff and I welcome my dear friend, Chaz Franke.

Chaz has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from McKendree University, and he has a Master of Social Work degree from Saint Louis University (SLU). Chaz received his clinical license in 2009 and now owns his own joint (private practice) in Belleville, IL called Light Source (we’ll get to that in a minute).

Okay. Now that the fancy introduction is out of the way, allow me to get to it.

Chaz is the fucking man!

Plain and simple.

He was around during some pretty infamous “Fucking Pondoff” moments and has a funny way of recalling a lot of the details… which is good… because when you’re hammered drunk during most of these instances you tend to forget some of the juicy details.

I do remember one morning, after inviting myself over to Chaz’s house in Belleville and finishing the rest of my second bottle of whiskey, texting Chaz to see how fucked up I really was… because I thought I remembered him having a three-legged dog.

Turns out he did (and still does) have a three-legged dog!

So that was good news, I felt, as I wasn’t so fucked up that I was seeing things.

Amen!

Side note. Diego is one of the best dogs I have ever met (and drank with)! Chaz reminded me again on the show that I would frequently try and pour Diego a drink, “because he only had three legs”.

Anyway, you guys gotta check out this episode!

It’s funny, it is spiritual as Chaz discusses his life as a Buddhist and how his spirituality basically saved him (I can empathize with that), there’s a lot of brotherly love on this thing (Chaz is a big lover, man… a teddy bear… and fuck, I’m kind of a lover too!), and there are some real aha moments as Chaz describes how trauma affects us as human beings.

When Chaz graduated, his first “big boy job”, as he describes it, was working as a counselor in the meth wing of a prison, where he would basically be in fellowship and facilitate conversations with PEOPLE (that’s key here) that happened to be serving a stint for drug related charges.

Talk about seeing some shit and meeting mother f***ers where they are at.

But that’s what Chaz does.

That’s what Chaz has always done.

Ever since I have known him since the age of 14 when I was trying to smuggle booze in his house.

And now…

Now Chaz has opened his own private practice with a team of therapists that have one of the most unique and endearing approaches to trauma therapy (among other therapies) that I have ever heard or seen of. These folks really are helping so many people, y’all.

So, tune in and hear how he describes their mission!

I promise you it will be captivating!

I also challenge you to listen to Chaz. Don’t just hear the words. Listen to this mother f***er! He’s fucking brilliant and the mission that he and his team are on could vastly improve the quality of your life by getting in the weeds with you to iron out some deep rooted shit that you carry… and they will also remind you that it is “okay to hurt”, that “pain does not play favorites”, and that you are so fucking worth it.

Listen, I’m not trying to tell you what to do (but I kinda am), if you’re suppressing traumatic shit… whether it was long ago or just recently, please listen to this episode and I am praying so fucking hard that you will consider seeking some help to deal with the pain.

And remember that it is o-fucking-kay to do so.

Please.

I’m talking to you.

Thanks, Chaz. Thanks for being a big brother to me and playing a role to get me where I am today. Thanks for coming on the show and thanks for continuing to keep an eye on my bullshit because I realize that I’m still (as my pastor reminds me frequently) a work in progress.

I love you, brother.

Let us pray.

-Chris

*Oh… and don’t worry… Chaz and I touch on the glory days of what was the US Ice Sports Complex in Fairview Heights. And, yes, some names were mentioned. 😉

Find out more at https://pondoff.pinecast.co

What’s up, y’all!

On Episode 32, It’s just Jeff and I.

We talk about:

-Xanax

-Coping

-Friday’s South Tavern’s fish fry.

-Some employee at Friday’s didn’t know me when Jeff name dropped my ass.

-I’m calling her fucking boss.

-I should be apart of the God d**n interview process!

-We then talk about cravings.

-And dopamine.

-And how now I’m a little fat.

Tune into the podcast!

Let us know how we’re doing!

And holler with problems, tips, and (if you’re hot AF) ‘dem digits!

Kidding.

We’re both married.

For now.

Let us pray.

-Chris

“Wake up, wake up, wake up…”

This episode will drop on Monday, August 3rd.

But, we recorded it on the first of the month.

“So cash your checks and up.”

On Episode 31 Jeff and I bullshit back and forth about a variety of different things:

-Jeff quit Facebook.

-Kindness.

-My wife went to Pepperdine. Have you fucking seen Pepperdine? Yeah well, if she had money, she sure doesn’t anymore.

Finally, after jabber jawin’ like two coked up barbers, I get to this episode’s topic:

My college experience.

Belleville, meet Champaign, IL.

Champaign, meet Belleville.

(As an aside, whether I drive the topic home or not on this episode is for y’all to determine, but as I say a couple times on the show, I only skim the surface here. There’s a little more to the story and maybe one day I can dive deeper. Hence the episode being titled, “Part 1”. I cannot promise that I will ever get there, but… maybe. Never say never. Especially considering that these parts of my story could potentially help folks. So, we shall see.)

Take a listen to see if something resonates.

And as always, we are both so grateful for all of you for supporting the podcast.

Let us pray.

We love you, Josh. Your memory and kindness still lives in our hearts today, brother.

-Chris

We made it to episode thirty!

Hot damn!

The dirty thirty!

When I was done recording, my wife Ashley asked what we talked about…

After I told her she replied, “Do you think people will find that interesting?”

Smart ass. You barely listen anyway! 😉

Anyway.

To all the loyal listeners out there... (by "loyal" I mean the seven of you - we're growing! - that I guilt trip the fuck out of to listen... )

Are you just now starting to listen to the podcast?

Are you overwhelmed that you haven’t listened to them all? (I’m sure you are.)

Well, on episode 30, you’ve come to the right place.

Jeff and I sit down and recap the highlights of each episode we’ve done since we started this little shindig and, yes, I personally think it will be pretty fucking interesting, Ash-LEY!

Man, we’ve had some awesome guests on. And by awesome I mean... SO-FUCKING-AWESOME.

We cannot thank each one of them enough for coming on this shit-show and spilling their guts. I can attest that each guest has touched the life of at least one human being that has stumbled upon this dull, vile, dogshit podcast.

I don’t do this for money.

And the reach that these guests have had is pretty freaking cool!

Can I get an amen!?!

Ha. I’m such a tool.

Rhyme city.

Anyway, tune in to this one! I think you’ll like it!

Last, I want to take a moment to dedicate this episode to my best childhood friend, Johnny Gibson, who tragically lost his life 28 years ago today (07-25-92). Your death has defined my faith and your subsequent connection to me from heaven above has made me the Jesus loving mother fucker that I am today. I love you, your mother, and your sister Lauren.

Forever and ever.

Amen.

Let us pray.

-Chris

On July, 6th 2016, I drove to my guy's house to pick him up for a baseball game while he was in town visiting from Florida. When he let me into his house that afternoon, It took me all of two seconds to realize that we weren't going to a baseball game that night.

Eric was sick.

When we first started this podcast, there was one person at the top of my list to have on.

So, on Episode TWENTY-NINE (HA!), I give to you, my surrogate little brother, Eric Conley.

*Cue the Ultimate Warrior’s entrance music.

(There’s a reason we waited this long, jerkoffs.)

Anyway, growing up with two sisters, I was always good at finding surrogate brothers. But, it wasn’t until high school that I got stuck with a little punk kid wannabe baller named Eric as my “little brother”.

Haha.

In all seriousness, I met Eric when he was little as his sister and I were… ya’ know… close friends. I remember always saying, “Eric, go outside and hide and I’ll come out and seek ya” so I could get him out of the house and make out with his sis.

Kid would fall for it every time.

She wouldn’t, however.

In fact, if anyone was playing hide-and-seek.. it was usually me seeking her in high school and into college…

And lemme tell ya’, she hid pretty fucking well. Not “restraining-order-well”… but well enough to move a couple of towns away and into a different county.

And on goes the story of that lengthy saga.

ANYWAY.

Back to Eric.

He and I always stayed close. I tried my hardest to be a “role model” for him, and at times that responsibility felt pretty good.

However, before I was able to commit to a life of sobriety, I was anything but a role model to him.

“Hey Eric, don’t fuck around with pills.”

Meanwhile I was telling him this with a bottle-and-a-half of whiskey in me and about 8 lines of coke.

Nice fucking role model, eh? At least back then.

You guys, this episode is the most powerful episode we have done yet.

July 15th, 2020 (this past Wednesday) was the ten year anniversary of the death Eric’s mother, Diane. And since the birth of this little show, Eric and I had this week earmarked as his recording week, to honor his late mother.

Spending as much time in her home as I did when I was a kid (she would always call me Eddie, as in Eddie Haskell), I had a firsthand view of how much she loved Eric. Eazy was her baby boy, no matter how much it would piss his sisters off.

And Diane, well she was a warrior. Period. She battled multiple rounds of cancer and never gave up. No matter how f***ing sick she was.

But it took a toll on Eazy. It did. And he couldn’t cope.

Well, he “coped” I guess.

Eric turned to drugs.

We all handle things differently… we all grieve differently… and unfortunately… a lot of us self-medicate.

As Eric puts it in this episode, he had “a pocket full of lent” and once last chance to get sober at the end of his ride.

So tune in, and hear his story.

I bet you’ll cry… I think you’ll laugh a little… and I know that you’ll wrap up with a renowned sense of hope and a big ole’ fucking smile.

Eric – Thank you so much for coming on and sharing your incredible fucking journey, brother. And thank you for doing what you do in your line of work today. You are helping save lives and you sit right in the pit with people like us. Oh, we'll makeup that ball game soon too, my man! Promise! You can buy the fucking hot dogs.

Love you, bro.

Your mother is so fucking proud of you.

I even loved you back when I was dunking on your ass and that John guy from Champs in your parents drive-way.

Give me the rock!

And, Let us pray.

-Chris