3rd Person

Hey, y'all - Joel here. Notes coming soon. Drinking my coffee first.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel here. Few updates:Work: Hanna is leaving as of two days ago. Gonna miss her, she's a neat gal. Got a job in some sort of medical organization something, very proud of her. John brought two new people on and they seem chill. I know one of them from college, Monica - I'm pretty sure she comes up at some point in the podcast. The other is this gal Meredith, who is one of our cooler regulars.Music/Band: Patrick is recording his parts for Sweet Dublin Bay as I write this. The recordings for OTL are coming together. I have an idea for another music project that I'm working on in the background. It's for a singer/instrumentalist I know. I have this vision for a live set of original singer/songwriter-type music that could be played solo. However, for recorded works, they would be accompanied by The Founding - "(Their Name) and The Founding." I haven't done a ton with this yet, but I have some material in my back pocket that I'll work on once The Founding gets rehearsing album stuff - which should be soon. It's much simpler writing so the little I've worked on came together within minutes. I have not told the person yet of this idea though lol so keep it on the down-low.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel here. Some of you may have read my entry a few weeks ago where I share that I've had some issues with Cubital Tunnel Syndrome. There have been some updates - some of it good, some of it bad:The good news is that I believe I've found the root cause. When I first began having issues, I reached out to a few of my friends for prayer. When I reached out to my friend Nate (of podcast fame), he stated that he's been having the exact same issues and stated that it very well could be our lifting technique.The bad news is that it's gotten worse. Specifically, I've developed a condition known as "trigger finger." The irony is that I'm pretty sure I developed the issue after wearing corrective arm braces while I slept at night. Apparently, it can take up to a month to heal. Thankfully, it has not affected my playing but I am concerned for my lifting progress.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel here. I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who takes the time to read the episode notes. I know frequency has been lacking as of late, and for that, I apologize. I've come to take a certain amount of pride and joy in writing these and when It comes to endeavors I care about, I'm really hesitant putting out a lackluster product. This week, however, it was really important to me that I complete these notes.When Record 01 first began, we were still figuring out the format. But with Record 02 quickly approaching, the episodes have begun to take on a certain amount of polish. Alinea is an entry that we could not have effectively put out back in November of 2020. Yes, the sounds would have been ambitious, and Lukas has grown quite a bit in his skill as a producer. But an early release wouldn't deprive you, the 3rd Person, of just technical prowess. Our meal at Alinea was a celebration of not just Patrick and Elissa's future together, but a celebration of our shared friendship over the past decade. Much in the same way, John and I are thankful that you've chosen to share this past year with us and hope to celebrate our time together with you.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel here.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel here. I love food. I used to think everyone loved food - and I think most would say they do. But this isn't true - most people just enjoy food. They eat food, it tastes good, and it nourishes them.  BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel here. I miss Greg. Back in 2019, I was working at Tudor House Tea and Spice. At the time, it was just me and Hailey manning the shop. This meant that unless it was for a gig, I didn't really like requesting off work. When Thanksgiving rolled around, I didn't go home. I had the day itself off, but it was a tight fit to try and make anything work so I decided to just hang out at the apartment alone. When Greg found out he took it upon himself to leave his family Thanksgiving early and drive to Kalamazoo with leftovers to share with. We had Turkey Lumpia and I made cornbread. Then we went and saw Knives out in theaters. I know this isn't my most eloquent episode note, but I wanted to share that experience I shared with Greg because it was a day I'll cherish for a long time. BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel here. Uploaded this late. Normally I'm pretty good about uploading the podcast on time but my morning was kind of thrown off. Honestly, my whole week has been kinda weird. Mostly just cuz I threw out my back doing squats. It wasn't even doing the squats themselves - it was moving the plates in between sets. Did a makeup workout tonight now that I feel close to 100%. Anyways - Imma try and change my computer's clock to yesterday to see if I can trick the system.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel here. Hanging with Patrick. Will chat later.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel here. Thank God, we're almost through the quarantine episodes. I enjoy this phase, but because we recorded so much unusable content (LOL), it's been a feat just to scrounge together a coherent episode each week. Much of the burden of this falls on John as he is the one who listens through all the raw audio and takes notes. Each week he listens to upwards of 12 hours of content. That's far more time than either of us are capable of being interesting. Where things get tough for Lukas and me is that once John sends out his notes and rough edit - it's go-time. Doesn't matter if it's 2 am - I need to get my info together right away so Lukas isn't kept waiting. This is why now I'm racing against the clock to post this before midnight.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel here. Lol I need to write these sooner. The notes are half done but I have to go to work. I'll finish later today - they're about how my perspective toward pop music has changed over the years.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel here. Just wanted to give a shout-out this week to our producer, Lukas. Thanks for everything you do, buddy. These episodes always sound so good. BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel here. This entry's conversation around the show "Oreimo" features a common dynamic between John and I. I exhibit a very performative display of open-mindedness, while John exhibits some distaste not uncommon among Western audiences.  On its surface, the conversation is a lighthearted jaunt over popular Japanese comedic tropes, but I remember being genuinely unsure about the real truth at the heart of our discourse.Mainstream morality is hardly a benchmark for truth, but the conversation around cultural awareness has certainly made me think about the inherent biases that I hold. A common question that arises is "Is this cultural phenomenon bad, or merely different from what I'm used to?" Watching Oreimo made me realize that this question is layered in an absurd amount of nuance. When, if ever, is it ok to critique the morality of a cultural practice? If that cultural practice is objectively wrong, is there a parallel issue in my own culture that I give special permission to? If not, and my critique is valid, am I merely using a mask of good intention to covertly push forth a much flimsier racist narrative?We didn't even begin to unpack all of those ideas in this entry, but it certainly lead to more conversation in the future.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel here. Is there a point where our audience could peak so far behind the curtain that they would recoil with digust? My thought has always been no. I'm comfortable sharing my flaws through this medium because they are contextualized within the entirety of my person. The idea being that after hours and hours of getting to know John and I, our audience will be able to see our humanity amidst any social misgivings. This has lead me to leave in some less than favorable lines of dialogue. I've shared things with the 3rd Person that I've not even shared with some of my dearest of friends.This entry is different though. This was the first entry where the very premise was in questionable taste. Nothing explicitly bad is said or done, but John and I questioned whether or not the context would leave our audience with a sour taste in their mouths. The episode itself is quite pleasant to listen to. However, the situation surrounding it feels a little too real  to share with our audience, let alone the world.Nevertheless, here we are.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel here. Arguably, the biggest disparity between John and me is how thoroughly we analyze the world around us. I tend to overthink and John tends to underthink. John is very intelligent but there's a reason I write these self-indulgent essays and he doesn't. Initially, I wrote these on behalf of the two of us, but after realizing how evident my voice was in the writing, the phrase "Hey, y'all - Joel and John here" felt very silly.(Initially, I was just going to leave it there but I have more thoughts. Will add later. Will I ever finish last week's? Who's to say?"BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel here. I had the privilege of officiating my buddy Patrick's wedding last week. (Yo Yo Imma finish this later today so if you see this after it's dropped, lucky you.)BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel here. I never know what to do at parties. I usually just end up sitting quietly. This isn't because I feel particularly socially anxious, but rather the opposite. I find I lack the needed social drive to put myself out there. I do well at work and at shows because of the performative aspect, but when my only reason for being an active participant is social fulfillment rather than glory or a paycheck, I feel I lack the tools I need to function.  This is not to say I don't wish to make friends or be social, I definitely do. There's a reason I keep going, I do wish to be there and to be friendly. But ever since college I've found I've lost the desperation that comes from not having a stable friend group.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel here. The quarantine walks describe many setbacks that we encountered as individuals during 2020. I find it very satisfying listening as those setbacks are now being resolved in the present. Losing the Beaver Island Music Festival was a real blow for the band. For a while, it represented a beacon of hope that "normal" was not too far off. But finally, it dropped. I'm very pleased to say, that come 7 AM, John and I are going to hit the road for Beaver Island. This will be the first away gig we've had since 2020. We can't wait to share our experiences there with you.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel here. I'm in charge of compiling all of the episode data for each entry. This means that I'm in charge of writing the episode notes, the episode summary, the episode name, etc. It's very important to me that all of this information be thoughtful and accurate, especially when it comes to the historical information contained within the episode summary.Lukas's monologue is a large part of what makes an entry feel like a time capsule. I don't want the listener to just feel like they're listening to a recording. I want the listener to feel as if they've been transported through space and time. Creating that illusion heavily relies on the idea that when we represent a time or place aurally, that it be accurate to the events that occurred in real life. When you step into 3rd Person, you're no longer an outside observer. It should feel as if you were really there.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel here. I give a lot of caveats. I tend to be very confident, but I always feel the need to buffer my arrogance through the use of phrases like, "don't quote me on this," "I very well could be wrong," or the iconic "I'm talking out of my butt." Often I don't actually feel that I may be wrong. However, I cerebrally understand that my emotional belief in my own infallibility does not constitute its existence.I know this because I'm continually presented with examples of times I've been wrong in the past. Whether it be by other people, personal revelation, or by hearing my bad takes played back in 3D audio, it has become clear to me that even in my best moments I'm a flawed man. People like to think that just because they're introspective or analytical that they are free from self-deception. But "Truth" is an elusive beast that exists outside of human perception. So much of what we consider to be "fact" or "reality" ceases to exist the moment we perceive it. Because we never truly internalize anything - we merely create within ourselves an idea that we believe reflects the world around us. When ultimately, we are floating blind through the void.This is all to say I'm full of crap in most of this entry. I realize it near the end and the 3rd Person will be able to hear a fun little moment of self-discovery.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel here. For the past couple of years, John and I have been trying to learn how to sing. We've done this because I have a grand vision for our band which relies heavily on us having a "wall of vocal sound." However, I'll be the first to say that this is one of our loftier goals as a band.Growing up, I was a notably bad singer. I never really cared for the human voice as all of the music I listened to was instrumental folk music. Because of this, I never developed the baseline vocal ability that most develop as a child. I never hummed melodies or sang with friends, at most I would play air violin in the bathroom mirror.Needless to say, the band was skeptical when I said I wanted not just myself to sing, but everyone else in the band as well. They've putten a lot of trust in me, so I know that if one of my lofty goals does not come together, I have to have the humility to pull the plug on it.For that reason, I feel pretty vulnerable putting this episode out. It exhibits a time John and I rushed our vocal development, underprepared, and were not ready for a project. I feel very threatened listening back to this entry, but I'm excited for how far we've come since.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel here. One of the more significant moments from Entry 01 was when I revealed that I had not engaged in any sort of romantic activity for six years. Since the recording of that entry, I've reached the seven-year mark. This has been because I simply haven't been interested. The idea of giving such a large part of myself over to someone else is unappealing to me. Or at least it has been. I spend much of the podcast pontificating as to whether or not I will ever date. However, I've found myself reassessing my feelings on the matter as of recent. Is it because I've met someone I might be interested in? Maybe. Or is it just that I'm becoming more and more aware of my own mortality and I don't want to spend the rest of my life alone? I dunno man.  Either way, I think I'm starting to be open to it.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel here. We've finally made it to the "Quarantine arc." I'm excited to share this arc because of how drastically the format of the podcast changes. The first act of Record 01 is all about pushing outward- traveling, meeting new people, and experiencing new things. The second act, or "Quarantine Arc," is instead about pushing inward. The 3rd Person will become very familiar with the staples of our lives this past year. They'll come to know us even more deeply while becoming aurally familiar with the apartment we call home.It should be noted that John and I share some opinions in this entry that did not age well at all. It's hard to remember a time where the virus wasn't a thing, but please keep in mind that the virus had only just shown up on our radar, and most people weren't aware of what was about to happen.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel here. A few days ago John turned to me and said, " I can't believe we have a gig in a month." This was a statement that I quickly corroborated. There was a time where the idea of going even one month without playing a show seemed like an eternity. However, after going more than a year, the idea of playing in public at all seems surreal. This week's entry contains our last live performance before COVID. When we first recorded it I felt as though it was just a fun, lighthearted episode. On a second listen, the foreboding I feel is palpable.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel here. When we first started releasing, I had many people in my life ask what success would look like for the podcast. I would always say that the podcast was successful the moment we released the first entry. We had one goal: To prove that innovation is possible within the podcast medium. We achieved that goal. Whether or not it's interesting, or even listenable, is ultimately not a concern of mine or John's.* There are many things we'd love to do with this podcast. We'd love to gain an audience, we'd love to create engaging content, and yes we'd love to make money. However, while all of those things are great and things we strive for, they certainly aren't the metrics by which we are measuring the success of the podcast.I say all of this because we received our first written review this week. It was quite scathing and I'll be honest it did upset me some. I don't understand why so many are needlessly negative, but that's not what bothered me. What bothered me is that too often small, specific ideas get the ax because individuals believe that they don't have enough mass appeal. There's this idea that if a work of art or entertainment only brings joy to one or two people,  that it is then a failure. This is a lie. I know this because years from now, long after we've all grown old, my dearest friends and I will still have this time capsule of our youth. We'll be able to relive some of the best times of our lives, with some of the people we care most about. If this podcast brings joy to only those people, that's all the success I need.*Disclaimer: While there are definitely some less enjoyable entries (i.e. Entry 03 - why is that one of our most popular??), I do find the podcast quite interesting. I listen frequently myself. But like, if you don't, no one is making you listen, my dude. It's free. Go listen to Rogan** or some crap you normie.**I actually have nothing against Joe Rogan. I'm sure he's fine.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel here. I listened to last week's episode, which is a departure from the norm. When we first started releasing the podcast, I would listen every week. The podcast gives me a large amount of joy. It features some of the more positive times in my life, and some of the people I care most about. However, some of our more recent entries reminded me of some more stressful moments from the past year, as well as some failings. Nothing that ultimately has been negative, but just not a blissful joyride for Joel. That stressful arc culminated with the recording project, and now that that's over I'm reminded of the calm I had following its completion.The entries from March 7th of last year have a lot of nostalgia for me. Not just because it was a fun time, but because it was the band's last live performance before COVID. The gig was fun, as all gigs are, but if any of us knew we wouldn't have had another gig for over a year, we wouldn't have taken it so lightly.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel here. Goshdangit I'm losing my goshdang hair. It's not horrible yet but if I don't do something now it's gonna be irreversible. I want to go on finasteride but I'm worried my SHBG is too high and I'll get gynecomastia. I had my bloodwork done a few months ago and it was within the normal range but on the higher end. This has absolutely nothing to do with the podcast but it's all I can think about right now. Anyways, hope you enjoy this entry.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel here. I really wanted to record for the entirety of the recording process. However, the anxiety of being in the studio got to me and I cut this one short. Nonetheless, I find this entry quite interesting despite the fact that I am audibly nervous for its entirety. P.S. Sam, I know you denied my friend request.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel here. It's easy to forget that seasons of prosperity usually coincide with seasons of hard work and often stress. Always gotta be thankful for the current moment. Anyways, this one's for the dude from my work who said he listened to a few episodes. Thanks for that - hope you enjoyed your coffee with soy.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel here. Listening back to these entries is a little stressful for me. Usually listening back to these podcasts brings me a large amount of joy as they are aural time capsules of some of the fonder times of my life. However, while I did have a good time on this trip by in large, the subtext is that I was pushing towards a big deadline for the band. Even though everything ended up being fine, listening back transports me to the emotional headspace I was in while I attempted to finish a piano score on a time crunch, having never really successfully written a piano score before. Or maybe it's just that I am currently working on a very similar project. Who knows? BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel here. Neither John nor I attend DePaul University. However, because Patrick is enrolled there, we both feel emotionally connected to the campus, even if only tangentially. We've held auditions at DePaul, seen performances, and made friends. For John and I, the Chicago trip was a novel time where we further cemented our bonds to various landmarks in our lives. Landmarks that likely no longer exist as we remember them.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel here. This week the 3rd Person joins us as we continue to peruse the Fine Arts Building in Chicago. I know for many, all of these violin shop entries may seem monotonous. However, John and I are finding it fascinating listening back and hearing the nuances of the different instruments.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel here. I'm running behind so I'll be writing these notes when I get home from church. If you see this before then, lucky you.Edit: I know that these next few entries may not be for everyone, but if you're someone who cares about craftsmanship and attention to detail, we might have something for you. I put a fair amount of thought into these notes. However, I do sometimes find myself staring at a blank screen, at a loss for what to say. Not because I have nothing to say, but because I care so much about how I say it. These notes are hardly perfect, but I believe in putting care into every part of one's art. Whether it be what I write, what I play, or what tools I play with.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel here. I've mentioned before that this podcast is in-part about finding the narrative in everyday experiences. Discovering the natural arcs that exist in both the mundanities and the eccentricities of our lives is fascinating to me. However, what I find even more interesting is that recording our experiences allows for actual literary devices to occur.In Entry 17 there's a moment where the listener will experience dramatic foreshadowing. If you listen closely during the segment in the restaurant, you can hear someone in the background mention the word "Coronavirus." This was in early February. Neither John nor I would hear of COVID-19 for several weeks. However, unbeknownst to us, the virus had already begun to wreak havoc on the world.I don't want to speak for everyone, but I find myself inclined to understand the world only as I experience it. I may consciously understand that there is great hardship happening throughout the world, but until I have some sort of personal involvement, it is difficult to internalize as a part of my understanding on a visceral level. Empathy is hard enough when presented with a direct emotional stimulus. Without one, it is near impossible.What I found interesting about the scene in the Korean grill, is that it's proof that the forces that I consider removed from my life are often just a few feet away. While it's unlikely that those people had been directly affected by the Coronavirus at that point in time, their personal involvement with it as an idea started much sooner than for me. We talk all the time in the podcast about the stories found in our own lives, but what about the stories of others that we never hear?Not only did all of those people in the restaurant go on and have their own story as it involves coronavirus, but they all have their own lives that will occur entirely separate from mine. Sure, we all have people whose lives we've chosen to intertwine with ours, but there are even more who just dip into our lives for a moment before they slip away.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel here. I've always considered myself to be relatively healthy, but up until recently, this was far from the case. I felt healthy because I felt happy and confident and my body image reflected that. However, whenever something brought that idea of health into question, my confidence would plummet. Not because I was unhappy with my body, but because my self-image and reality did not align. This lead to various unhealthy eating practices, including binging and occasionally starving myself. Nothing bordering on clinical, but certainly behavior that was unhealthy both mentally and physically.This came to a head four years ago. More and more people were commenting on my weight, that I had developed a gut or that my clothes were getting too tight. I decided to begin reassessing my eating practices. I began working out. At first, I would just go to the gym, do ten minutes on the elliptical, walk into the weight room, and walk straight out. As I lost my first twenty pounds, John felt prompted to join, not wanting to be left behind.However, as the first 20 minutes of Entry 17 prove, this did not entirely fix my relationship with food. Calorie counting is an effective way to lose weight, but for someone who already does not have a great relationship with food, it can be a slippery slope. Thankfully as time has gone on, John and I have made great strides in not just eating the right amount of healthy foods, but not allowing the structure of our diets to rule us.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel and John here. Listening back to the podcast has been an interesting exercise in self-reflection. There are many things that we've learned about ourselves, but our chief observation has been that Joel loves to talk as if he knows everything when, in actuality, he knows very little. We'll keep this brief since last week's notes were an essay, but we hope that you, the 3rd Person, enjoys hearing Joel share his priceless wisdom on comedy and art for an hour straight.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Just Joel here today. I've been a fan of the podcast medium for over a decade now. I became a dedicated listener to the podcast version of the radio show "This American Life" back in early 2008. Every Sunday, I would open the show's RSS feed, refresh the page until the newest episode appeared, download the episode onto my fourth-generation iPod Nano, and go to bed early so I could listen to it as I went to sleep.There are many moments from that show that had an impact on me, but one of the most notable was an appearance by the comedian, Mike Birbiglia. Up until that point, I had never heard a stand-up other than Bill Cosby (whoops), and I was blown away. Not only was Mike funny, but his stories were personal and always had the ring of truth to them.I immediately binged everything Mike had produced. This included all of his specials, his movie, and all podcast appearances. As I combed through the podcast space for mention of Mike, I found myself coming back to certain podcasts that I found particularly enjoyable. This included the works of "You Made It Weird," "Nerdist," and most notably "WTF with Marc Maron."Marc Maron's podcast is in many ways the same as many other podcasts. But this is not due to any lack of originality. Rather, it is because it was the original. We think of the comedic free-form interview as an overdone idea only because at one point it was an original idea, heralded by people like Marc, that others saw as worthy of mimicry. In my eyes, in terms of commercial art, that would be the goal. It would be an honor to create an idea worth copying.In Entry 15 the 3rd Person joins us as John and I voyage to Grand Rapids to see Marc Maron live. We had seen Mike Birbiglia at the same venue just a year before.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel and John here. The podcast, despite merely being a document of our lives, does have  certain amount of narrative. While our preparation is minimal, and our execution is free-form, our podcast is able to find narrative in the natural phases and arks of our lives. We've enjoyed going back and seeing smaller moments in our lives lead to larger cascades of events. The show we attend in Entry 14 is a sort of finale to an ark that started, after some preamble, with us introducing Tommy as a character in Entry 08.Be sure to check out the Ben Daniels Band! They're great musicians and better people.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel and John here. Straight up - we're a little nervous to post this one. We let some of our many flaws float a little too close to the surface. When we were editing John brought up whether or not Joel wanted to cut a particular line of dialogue. Nothing horrible or even all that objectionable is said, but the content is moderately personal in a way that Joel is uncomfortable with. Although he may posture as one, Joel is far from an open book. However, the podcast is very much an open book, and so we decided to leave this entry unscathed. Nonetheless, if you're a family member, this one may not be for you.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel and John here. We do very little prep-work for the podcast. This is because the structure of the podcast is formed from the inherent structure of our lives. We choose not to record with a purpose. Instead, we choose to live with a purpose and use the podcast to form a narrative out of the abstract. Most entries, by this nature, have some sort of connection to our careers and have some sort of objective. However, we don't live every day in a state of forward motion. Entry 12 takes the 3rd Person to a time where Joel and John took a day off just to relax, eat, and travel.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel and John here. Entry 11 is a journey. This entry has the most characters, the most locations, and the most diverse set of experiences of any entry to date. As the 3rd Person, you will hear live music, you will dance with friends, and you will meet new people.BEST CONSUMED THROUGH HEADPHONESFollow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - just Joel here. I first met Lukas back in 2013 at an ice cream social during "Welcome Week" at Western Michigan University. I was an incoming freshman and Lukas was a sophomore. We both were music composition students so naturally, I chose to make him my friend. We spent the first year of our friendship finding out all the ways that we are similar. We spent the following seven years finding out all the ways that we are different. Follow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - just Joel here. I'm writing to you directly this week because John won't be present for this entry. Instead, Lukas Stanley, our producer and dear friend, will be stepping into John's role as co-host. This was one of two entries that John and I initially did not intend for public release. However, as we've collaborated with Lukas this past year, we came to realize that he really is the unofficial third host of the podcast.Follow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel and John here. Our band, The Founding, is comprised of six members in total. Of those six, three individuals have degrees/experience in music education. This has made workshops and performances a staple of our gigging roster. When the band traveled to Glen Arbor, we were expecting our experience to be familiar. We were mistaken. The Leelanau School is a hidden gem tucked away in the deep of Northern Michigan's forests. Entry 08 brings the 3rd Person with us to a venue we can only describe as "magical."Follow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel and John here. Those who know us well know that we are passionate about two things. We are passionate about our art, and we are passionate about the people with whom we share our lives. The 3rd Person's seventh entry is a return to form from Entry 01 because it represents the more intimate side of these passions. Entry 07 dives further into the dear friendship and artistic partnership that was the catalyst for the podcast's creation.Follow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel and John here. The two of us had very different family experiences growing up. Most of the reasons for variation between our two experiences can be attributed to one thing: family size. John's immediate family consists of more than ten people, whereas Joel's consists of four. When a family is as large as John's, certain social dynamics develop that simply aren't possible in a smaller family. Ideas like hierarchy and gossip don't make a lot of sense when there are only three other people involved.Follow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel and John here. Festivals allow us musicians to experience  a show from all angles. We begin as part of the crew, helping the festival staff to prepare for the ensuing show. We then transition to being audience members, indulging in food and drink while supporting whatever band we share a bill with. Lastly, we ascend to the stage as the band. Direct intimacy is not as overt as with a small venue. However, with the integrated community-based social structure of a festival, the fourth wall does not stand tall enough to notice.Follow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel and John here. The Allerton Park Celtic Festival was the first in a line of gigs The Founding had in August of 2019, following a several month hiatus. The 3rd Person joins Joel, John, Lukas, and Patrick as they travel toward Monticello, brimming with excitement to see and perform with their friends EJ and Kyle.Follow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel and John here. The initial premise for 3rd Person started with a question - what if instead of prioritizing crystal clear dialogue in a stagnant studio audio space, we created a podcast that utilized stereo audio to create an audio-based virtual reality? What if instead of using clever studio techniques to remove ambient noise, we did the opposite? What if we used a mobile recording setup to create a podcast that moved and adapted to the complexities of everyday life? Entry 03 was our first attempt to answer these questions, and while our responses became more well-executed with further entries, this was one of the first we got really excited about.Follow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel and John here. We'd like to introduce to you a few key players in the 3rd Person podcast:The first you may recognize as the man behind the monologue - Lukas Stanley. Not only is Lukas the talent behind the production of 3rd Person, but he is also one of our dearest friends. Lukas is ambitious and inquisitive - always looking for a new project or new angle. Whether it be audio production, property management, or running an elaborate online treasure hunt - Lukas does it all.Patrick Hartson is the kind of guy that when you see his face, you can't help but smile. Patrick never postures, he exudes honesty and authenticity. But what we love most about Patrick is that he always puts those he cares about ahead of himself.Come join all four of us as we travel to one of the most beloved music stores in the midwest!Follow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com

Hey, y'all - Joel and John here. It is our privilege to share with you the very first entry of the 3rd Person podcast. Over the past year, we have shared many adventures with the 3rd Person. We've traveled far, eaten well, and even welcomed new life to the world. But the greatest of adventures have the humblest of beginnings. This one starts with two friends and a late-night drive home.Follow @3rdPersonPodwww.Patreon.com/3rdPersonPodwww.3rdPersonPod.com