We're co-workers at 4 By 4 Brewing Co, but became friends quickly as he is one of the most positive, upbeat guys you'll ever meet. So, as the podcast grows and we're spending more time hanging out, it made sense to offer AJ Birchler a slot on the show as the Official Sidekick. He's a lot of fun to hang out with, and makes some pretty fantastic banter, I think you're gonna enjoy getting to know him. Cheers!

She was the marketing director for the Yakov Smirnoff Theatre and has participated in painstaking french-fry photo shoots; Amy Hietter has worn many hats and seen many challenges in life, but manages to have one of the most sunny dispositions you've ever encountered. She currently works as the CEO (Chief Excitement Officer) for 7 Billion Ones, who's vision is "to change the world - through people and their stories. As an ongoing movement we exist to document and share stories to connect and empower people". She certainly fulfills the role well, and was more than happy to share her own story with me on the show. Please tune in for a fun hour with an awesome individual!

He was a coworker of mine who's never lived outside of Springfield City limits with degrees in math and physics; a father and stepfather, Dustin Rich never envisioned that he'd be a widow at 33, his beloved wife Ali having been taken by the vicious nature of cervical cancer. This long form podcast brought me to tears, as Dustin describes in vivid detail his and Ali's journey through cancer and their lives both before and during treatment. There are a few laughs between friends here, but it is one of the most gut-wrenching conversations I've had. Please tune in to hear one of my good friends tell his story. Thank you. 

*Strong Language. Strong Sexual Content. NSFW*

What's it like to date if you work in the sex industry? How do you get gigs out of town? Did you know that if you take your heels off at a strip club in Oklahoma it's considered prostitution? In the next chapter with Adria, we delve into the actual work of the sex industry and what it takes to survive and thrive in this secretive business. We also talk about the "field trip" we took after the first interview to a local club, a dive bar of dubious character. 

With a bachelor's degree in Intercultural Studies and a minor in Linguistics, she's fluent in American Sign Language, speaks passable Italian and was raised in a religious cult; she's also a sex worker who is tireless in her beliefs and efforts towards shattering the stigmas surround people who work in the sex industry. In this very sex-positive conversation, Adria sits down with me over some tequila and opened up about her upbringing, her ethics and how she ended up working in the business. It's a very long (2hr.) interview with one of the most honest and open people I've had the opportunity to get to know. Please take the time to hear her story in Part 1 of the show. 

She has played at Burning Man, is trained in the classical genre and has written not one, but TWO songs about tuberculosis; Molly Healey is a tour de force of musical talent, and when not playing with her own band, or the Ozark Mtn. Daredevils or putting out albums, she can be found silently composing her next songs. Enjoy an hour of her backstory and some live music as she delves into her writing process, her background and the one thing we both have in common...having both been in high school productions of "West Side Story". She's an incredibly talented and gracious individual and I am grateful she spent some time here at The House Of Distinguished Rogues to let us into her world! Cheers!

What started out as a random date quickly turned into sharing one of the most harrowing tales of survival I've ever heard. Shot seven times and left to die at the hand of her own mother-in-law, Tammy not only lived to tell the tale, she's rebuilt her life and continues to thrive as a mother, professional and powerhouse of resilience in the face of domestic abuse. In light of the heartbreaking headlines recently, a story of survival might just give some hope to those who need to hear it most. Please take a moment to take in this most serious of subjects. Thank you. 

She's hilarious and delivers a mean six-pack of mini-meisters; Kaitlin Oxenreider sat down with me at The House Of Distinguished Rogues for an hour to discuss a wide variety of wild topics, including her obsession with John Goodman, her love of pickles and her role as an owner/manager of Pappo's Pizzeria South here in Springfield. It gets boozy, as I introduce her to my infamous gin & tonics and she gets me to sample some Jagermeister, against my better judgement. Tune in for some laughs, mostly at my expense. Cheers!

In this episode, Ryan, AJ & I delve into 4 beers that couldn't be more dissimilar; Ryan gives you the technical aspects, I give you the everyman perspective. We also wax idiotic about Deviled Eggs as a palate cleanser, the Sugarfoot Incident, some dude named Terry, and whether or not "Auto-Brewery Syndrome" is a real thing. Tune in for a long dive into some pretty nerdy beer stuff. Cheers!

Let's get personal with a conversation with my close friend Katie about relationships, why we look for attention in the wrong places, guys with flatbill hats and goatees and my mild melatonin addiction. Tune in for an hour of some seriously open discussion with few boundaries. Tune in!