We’ll Take it From Here with Joe

After two years, I have finally decided to vent about some pet peeves of mine within the restaurant industry when dealing with customers. The majority of my encounters have been pleasant, however there have been some that make you scratch your head and think, "gee how does this person function in life?". While this is a rant, I hope some of these stories/suggestions can make you laugh and help you not to do silly things when you are out. The gist (and I do not believe my audience needs to be told this) is to be respectful and patient. Please enjoy.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! This week, I give you a short solo episode in which I express my gratitude to you all. I intend for everyone to have a great Thanksgiving and remember that there is always something or someone for which to be grateful. Enjoy!

This week, I had the honor of sitting down with Dan Covel. Dan has over thirty years of martial arts experience with twenty-one of those years in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ), where he holds the rank of black belt. In addition, Dan is a black belt in Judo and is also well versed in striking. In this episode, we spoke about how he got his start in martial arts, along with his approach as a coach, competitor, and entrepreneur. Dan talks about the importance of training and how it has helped him throughout his life, whether it be in real life altercations (he shares a wicked story of "subduing" a man who attacked him with a knife) or just in general. Dan is also a five-time No-Gi Pan Am Champion and has also achieved many other accolades. Overall, Dan is very humble, great guy and I really enjoyed our conversation. I highly recommend checking out one of Dan's gyms if you are near Newark, NJ or NYC. Please see details below if you are interested in checking out Dan's gym/Instagram. Enjoy the show!

Website - Dan Covel - Manhattan Jiu Jitsu (dancovelbjj.com)

Instagram - Dancoveljiujitsu

This week we are joined by my friend Christian Lopez. I met Christian on the mats of Pure MMA and saw that he was respectful with the determination to succeed. However, I learned that Christian was not always this way and went through hard times to become the man he is today. Christian takes us through his childhood all the way until the present day. We learn of why he was a troublemaker in middle school, falling in love with the sport of Wrestling only to see his shot at collegiate wrestling disappear, and the huge responsibility of having to take care of his siblings, at a young age, while battling depression. This is a roller coaster of a story, which sees Christian battling constant adversity both internal and external; however, you will see why resilience and persistence are important. I am happy to say that Christian has learned from his lessons and is now taking life by the horns and living it to the fullest. Enjoy!

Another JitZone special today with an up and coming BJJ athlete, Dean Hot. Dean trains full time at Pure MMA and has all it takes to become a great in the sport. In this episode, we learn how Dean started in BJJ, his approach/mindset and his plans for the future. We also answered your questions! If you know Dean, then you can attest to how good you can become through quality dedication to anything. We had a lot of fun and laughs in this one so sit back and enjoy!

This week I bring another solo episode. I really enjoy giving my views on certain topics and intend that my words hold value for most if not all of you. Episode 94 is more of a call on the younger generation to step up and be leaders. The kids in their teens and 20's will have a major impact on the future and thus, I believe it is important to let them know that what they have lived through is almost 100% manufactured. It is time for the innocent people of the world to unify and bring peace while remaining competent and strong. Please enjoy the show!

This week I give my take on the horrific events that occurred in Israel by a bunch of evil terrorist, pieces of shit. There is no justifying what these demons did to innocent Israelis. I also give my two cents on the possible ramifications that this can have in our own backyard, along with my views on how the powers at be want this war. Please listen to what I say. I obviously believe the attacks were horrid and do not want any innocent people dying, but I also believe there is something else behind it. There is true evil in this world and it must be stopped.

We are joined by returning guest, Cheyanna Dinkel, for another JitZone episode. Cheyanna shared her incredible story with us on episode #65, so if you have not listened already, I strongly recommend you do! Cheyanna is a very dedicated and skillful BJJ practitioner who pushes herself every session. Cheyanna has improved tenfold since she went all in on the sport back in 2020 and her hardwork and knowledge of the game has paid dividends. Sit back and enjoy our conversation, which is full of funny moments (i.e. Cheyanna talking smack!!!).

We return with another solo rant and this time I unleash about a video of looters destorying and robbing some stores in Philadelphia. I explain why I believe these riots are occuring and why it's important for everyone to wake up. If you like rants, you'll love this one. Enjoy!

You read the title correctly! Don Shoemaker Jr. was in the studio for this week's episode! Some background for our newer listeners; Don was the co-founder of the podcast and stayed for sixty-five episodes! Don decided to step away from the show to focus on himself, his business, and his girlfriend with the goal of bettering his life. We speak about his mental and physical transformation, while also delving into his new outlook toward life and his career. Don still wants all the same things; however, he had a very important epiphany on the power of happiness and living the life YOU want. This seems to be a popular topic in the world, so much, that I believe we are experiencing a spiritual awakening. Our conversation is one of those in which you and your friend would say, "damn wish we had a microphone". Well Don and I did. Enjoy!