Wisconsin Notes Podcast

Nicholas Rodriks joins me today to have a nice rip on our friend Brogan Graham. And after we move on from that, we learn more about Nick as a former lacrosse player, NP Baltimore co-leader, and current owner of Fishercat River Company- a guiding and fly fishing company which uses that platform for improved education on conservation and environmental justice. It also might be important to note that he has his Masters in Public Health and knows a lot about the injustices in the city of Baltimore...as well as trash. He knows a lot about trash. We talk about it all so turn the volume up (apparently Nick likes to whisper-talk on the phone) and enjoy!

Winnie Lok is on the show today! Winnie is my kind of runner, she LOVES to race. With over 250 road races and many trail and ultras under her belt, she loves the racing atmosphere and a great swag bag. Today we dive right into her recent race experience, just finishing the Speed Project hours before our call. Winnie's team was originally planning on participating in a different virtual race when they were asked to change their team name "Black Lives Matter" to something "less political" days before the start of the race. Unwilling to neutralize for the sake of other people's comfort, Winnie and her team decided to withdraw from that race. We get into this entire story and more on today's episode!

Three years ago I sat down with my friend Jorge and got to know him even better. We talked about growing up in NY and CT, how he ended up out west, and his first time ever camping. We started to discuss the barriers to entry in the outdoors for marginalized populations, but never truly got into the meat of the topic. Today, years later and what feels like decades later of growth for both Jorge and I, we return to this conversation as he catches me up on what he has been up to in Lander, Wyoming. Jorge is still that fun, goofy guy, who chooses to sleep on the deck in a tent, wear pizza hats to make people laugh, and make fun of you for being so white. It's why I am just one of many who love this guy so much. But you can hear such a stark difference in how he speaks about his job and, more importantly, his purpose of improving both representation in the outdoors and mentorship to the youth community. He's the best, and I hope you love this conversation that probably could have gone on for 3 more hours.

This week is a short catch up with my friend Brogan Graham. After I officially stepped away from the November Project HQ team last week, BG wanted to check in and requested to interview me. As always, we went off the rails a little bit, but it’s a fun little trip down memory lane as we discuss NP cities and leaders from years past and a host of topics in between. Back to our regularly scheduled interviews next week!

This week is a short catch up with my friend Brogan Graham. After I officially stepped away from the November Project HQ team last week, BG wanted to check in and requested to interview me. As always, we went off the rails a little bit, but it’s a fun little trip down memory lane as we discuss NP cities and leaders from years past and a host of topics in between. Back to our regularly scheduled interviews next week!

Today I have Jesse Dubin on the show! I wanted to learn more about the gender spectrum and pronouns, but I also absolutely love talking to Jesse and wanted to hear more about their story. I always think there is more value in getting to know the background of the person you’re talking to before you fully dive in, so thats what we do, we hear more about their personal queer journey. This is both a super informative and educational episode while also being so fun, lighthearted, and jovial, which speaks to Jesse’s energy and spirit. Thank you for listening, also Jesse is originally from New Jersey so you might need to slow down the speed in which you listen because they are flyyyyying.

Today I’m chatting with my friend Maggie. Maggie MayKei is a longtime member of November Project NYC and Brooklyn, where she is a current co-leader. Over the past couple years she has written some beautifully powerful blogs on the NP website which provide insight into her life as an Asian-American growing up and living in Brooklyn NY. As November Project has begun to pivot and continue working towards becoming a more inclusive space, Maggie has emerged as a leader amongst leaders, which is something she might not admit, so I’ll do it for her. While we are all examining our role in the white supremacist society in which we live, Maggie has been working alongside us reflecting on how the Asian-American population also contributes to anti-black racism.

Today I am honored to share with you a conversation I had with Dana Bogan. Dana and I get in deep almost immediately which is something I think she excels at as a medical social worker and just simply a caring individual. We discuss the intersectionality of being a bi-racial woman with a physical disability and mental health disorder and how she has been unpacking each one of those identities and looking back on the experiences she had growing up. She’s an incredible speaker, writer, oh! And a sub 3 marathoner. The talent is oozing out of her and I can’t wait to see what she does next.

Today we have another cross over episode from November Project the show, hosted by Tywon Thompson. Tywon is joined by two NP co-leaders, Kayode Adigun out of November Project Baltimore and Kwamye Boateng from November Project Kelowna in Canada. Both of these men have also written some very powerful blog posts in the past few months which are on the November Project website so I encourage you to read those as well. Thank you to all three men for giving us your time, giving us some good laughs, and some further insight into your stories!

Adeoti Ashiru joins us today! Adeoti is a first generation Nigerian American and grew up in Rhode Island before attending Northeastern University in Boston before eventually heading out west where she lives in Santa Cruz County today. While I have known Ade since 2013, I was eager to get to know more of her story. She talks about her parents and their relationship to racism, moving to the USA in their early 20's, and then raising two children in a predominately white neighborhood and school system. She speaks to navigating these spaces and finding her voice along the way. I also spend a lot of time gushing about her as a vocalist, which I hope you were able to hear for yourself on our instagram account. If you want to hear more, check out Baby And The Luvies on spotify. Thank you to Adeoti for this lovely conversation!

Today’s episode of Wisconsin Notes, has current co-leader of November Project Dallas, Tywon Thompson, as the host with guests Claudia Thompson and Vinnie Cent. These three have been in the NP world for years. They have experienced the ups and downs of the grassroots movement and have graciously given us their time and words on how they would like to see November Project improve. My hope is that you listen to this entire episode and truly hear their stories and how each leader and member can make the space safer for all those who attend, especially the Black members of our community. Listening to them chat feels like you are sitting in on 3 old friends catching up, and it’s both pure joy and wonderfully honest. Thank you to Tywon, Claudia and Vinnie, and thank you for listening!

We interrupt the Youtube episodes with another important topic, the uterus! Last week, the Supreme Court undercut access to birth control under Obamacare. Under the Affordable Care Act, churches and synagogues were automatically exempted from the birth control insurance mandate but not automatically exempt, were nonprofits like religiously affiliated universities, charities and hospitals, which employ millions of people who want their health insurance plans to cover birth control for themselves and their family members. This changes that. Today I have former November Project San Diego co-leader and current NP Minneapolis member, Shira Klane, Nurse Practitioner, on to discuss all things birth control. This episode is not only for people who identify as women or have female anatomy, this is for everyone! Learn more so you can better support your partner, sister, mother, friend, neighbor, and know what you are talking about when you head to the polls.

Today’s episode of Wisconsin Notes was recorded a few days before Juneteenth with Tonieh Welland, friend and longtime member of November Project Milwaukee. You may recognize Tonieh from the NP film “Showing Up”. She’s a powerhouse yoga instructor, runner, mother, community leader, educator and graced us with her time and brain to teach us more about Juneteenth, as well her role as a mother to three teenagers. This conversation will give you both some historical context and emotional goosebumps and we are so thankful for Tonieh. Thank you for listening and please share it out to make sure all the parents you know are listening.

James Broad is a dog Dad, a soon-to-be human Dad, a snow enthusiast, an entrepreneur, a loving husband, son, and brother, a yogi, and so much more. He's also a Black man and on this episode of NP The Show with Brogan Graham and Bojan Mandaric, James speaks candidly about the death of George Floyd and how growing up as a Black man in America has shaped him and will shape how he raises his unborn son. We are forever fans of this man and so grateful of his time. Thank you for listening.

We have been very quiet over here the last month at Wisconsin Notes as we shut up and listened to those who for so long have not been heard. I personally didn’t think my voice needed to be on the airwaves so I let the professionals take the mic and I did a ton of reading, listening and discussing. Of course, that work continues and will continue forever, and I wanted to share with everyone the conversations we have been having over on the November Project youtube channel. The sound quality is a little crunchy because they are made for youtube videos via Zoom, but I know that most people listen to things on the go, especially on the run, and wanted to make them available for more to hear. There are 4 total and I will be releasing them throughout this week and next. On this first episode, it’s a conversation the November Project HQ of myself, Brogan Graham and Bojan Mandaric had with our anti-racist educations, Soumya Palreddy and D.A. Dirks. It was recorded following the murder of Ahmaud Arbery and we have an open discussion about the mistakes we have made in the past with November Project and some of the ways we hope to improve in the future.

Riley Pathman is a staple at November Project San Diego. He’s strong, joyful, has incredible endurance, and has a sarcastic and fun chauffeur named Jim, who also happens to be his Dad. Today on Wisconsin Notes, I have the honor of interviewing 2 of the 4 members of Team Pathman out in California. Over 20 years ago, Riley and his brother Shane were born 14 weeks premature, resulting in a movement disorder called cerebral palsy. The shock of caring for twins with special needs was quickly pivoted by Jim and his wife Lisa to a mindset of “If other kids can do it, then ours can too.” If the adaptive equipment didn’t exist, Jim built it. If there was a sport his sons were interested in, he made it happen. Riley is competitive and thrives in the racing atmosphere, which is what he is missing so dearly during these lockdown times. So this past week the Pathmans hosted their very first “Everybody’s Home Half Marathon”, complete with a loop around their home (which they ran 265 times!), a DJ, cheering dinosaurs, official timers, and a post race beer garden. Due to Riley’s underlying respiratory issues, the Pathmans will be on lockdown for months to come so this most likely be the first of a complete “Everybody’s Home Race Series” so keep an eye out for the next race. This is a long one but worth every minute as these two will quickly turn your day around and motivate you to lace up your shoes and get out the door today.

John Kohler is a father, a husband, the former founder of November Project Kansas City, and one of those insane ultra runners that signs up for 135 mile races through one of the hottest place in the United States, in the Badwater race series. Today we talk about it all, his FKT across the state of Kansas, how his wife and two babies were with him on Boylston street when the bombs when off during the 2013 Boston Marathon, and of course the road to Badwater, which he completed for the first time last year and is hoping to go for round two in July. For those not familiar, The Badwater 135 begins in Death Valley below sea level, and climbs up to the Mt. Whitney Portal, which is the trailhead for Mt Whitney. With over 14000 feet of climbing that isn’t the hardest part about this race. It is hot. So hot. With no shade, no escape from the pavement, and no mercy. So thank you to John for telling us your whole story, and confirming that I never hope or plan to attempt this race in this lifetime. Enjoy

Orrin Whalen is the former co-leader (founder) of November Project Los Angeles. He is a UK-born, Malibu-raised theatre enthusiast who is now a full time artist, working on his painting and sculptures in LA. His path to getting here, however, was far from straight. It's a fun story to hear, how you can end up leading glacier tours in Iceland and then find your way to Burning Man the next year. Before you finish listening, check out all of Orrin's incredible work at https://www.orrinwhalen.com/

Today I welcome back Brogan Graham for a little quarantine catch-up, alongside his brother, Dan Graham. Dan is checking in from his computer in the basement of his home, so not only is the sound quality not ideal, but the two of them keep forgetting we are recording a podcast and not a video. So I apologize for all the times I have to yell at them. Anyways, if you make it through the initial banter and warm up jokes, you will make it to a great story about the two of them being idiots, swimming at night in shark infested waters with a backpack full of beer to a Dutch concert on the beach, when they lived on the small island of Curaçao.

Today I am hanging with one of the co-leaders of November Project Philadelphia, Vinny Carrano. On this episode Vinny tells us his story, from being a young child who tragically lost his older sister to cancer, to his life in the military serving 4 years for the Marine Corps Infantry as a Corporal (E4), the ongoing affects his deployment in Afghanistan have had on him, and the work he is currently doing as the Director of Development and Engagement for the Emily Whitehead Foundation, whose mission is to provide less toxic treatments to pediatric cancer patients through CAR-T Cell Therapy. He does so many other things as well, and I’m very grateful for Vinny who was an open book, sharing himself with all of us.

Ah, brotherly love. In today's episode, we have returning guest, Chris Heuisler, and this time he is joined by his younger brother, Tim. In many ways these two couldn't be more opposite (as shown in this photo). At the time of recording, Chris was the Global Run Concierge for Westin Hotels, and is still is an avid marathon runner, father of two, doting husband, and oozes the All-American boy next door vibe with such ease. In summary, Chris is someone you want as your neighbor. He probably would mow your lawn when you're on vacation. Tim is the youngest of 5 Heuisler siblings, is covered in tattoos, and spends his 9-5 (which is never actually 9-5) slinging whiskey at industry events as the Master Whiskey Ambassador for Beam Suntory. He is living in NYC, although is often on the road traveling for work, and absolutely hates running. After chatting with these two for an hour, however, I think he would also be a stellar neighbor and might even mow your lawn if there were lawns in NYC. I guess being kind is just a Heuisler trait. Throughout this interview we dive into what it's like to be from a large family, the breakdown of their personalities and how they both arrived in the professions they are in. Family, relationships, and incredible birthday celebrations, this episode is meant to feel like you're sitting around the kitchen table with your own siblings and I hope it's as relatable and entertaining as it was to participate in.

This episode was recorded back in February when I traveled up to Ottawa to visit the lovely ladies of November Project Ottawa for their Wednesday workout, which also happened to be an ice skating workout on their river. It was all very Canadian which is what I live for. The night before the workout I sat down with Elizabeth or Liz Mackenzie and Lauren Garland to chat about life and love and everything NP and Crossfit and Ottawa. To know these two is to love them so I hope you enjoy this pleasant little episode heading into your weekend.

Today I have one of my most favorite people ever, Jacob Conway, on the show. We sit down in his Manhattan apartment to discuss his plant based milk start up, veganism, NYC city living as a CA raised boy, and coming out as a gay man to his parents. All the normal topics. There is a lot of laughing, so I hope you at least enjoy this conversation amongst two friends who are sitting on pillows on the floor discussing everything and nothing at the same time. Thanks for listening!

This episode was honestly supposed to come out in the spring but since we are in Atlanta for the Olympic Trials and made our predictions, we figured the entire thing should just be released today. It's a catch up between two friends. Honestly nothing more to it other than to let you know that we will be back in April! It will be quite something.

Not sure why or how, but I caved to the immense social media pressure to allow my friends Eric and Britto to take over as guest hosts on the newest episode of Wisconsin Notes. This interview is with Mike Burstein and Dave Spandorfer, the co-founders of Janji, a running apparel company founded in 2012 and headquartered in Boston. The company is notable as socially conscious with a percentage of sales funding global clean water initiatives and they also design apparel that features themes from the countries they partner with. Just a warning that after listening to this interview you may feel inspired to both go for a run and save the world.

When we gathered in San Francisco to tell short stories, we told the story tellers that the theme is "fear." To have such a vague topic is hilarious because you can always place your story in the category with a certain level of justification. In this episode of WI Notes, we have Billy and Nicolas. Billy starts us off with his story about how an unusual grocery item saved his bike ride (and his under parts) from ruin. Then Nicolas closes it out with a completely different tone and direction, speaking of the fear of the future and the trajectory of life. As always, thank you to the guests for sharing their stories.

Claire Wood and Keith Kelly both wear a lot of hats. Claire is the SBU Manager at New Balance, overseeing the product creation for global running footwear, is a talented runner, and hilarious storyteller. Keith is also an employee of New Balance in Boston, was an incredible runner back in the day, winning the 2000 NCAA Division 1 Cross Country Championship, and has since moved on to Cat 1 cycling which is no small feat. These two have been friends for more than a decade and have a unique, insider perspective of the running industry. Today's chat covers running shoe poetry, Elaine Kennedy's flannel pajamas, and Claire's dog Violet. All of it random, all of it entertaining.

A couple weeks ago a large group of November Project leaders gathered in San Francisco for the endurance challenge series put on by the north face. Unfortunately, due to the Camp Fire and poor air quality, all of the races were cancelled. So here we were in San Francisco, staying in a large victorian rental home unable to venture outside with nothing to do. We played a lot of hide and seek, chugged a bunch of beers, and then recorded a series of short stories for this little podcast here. Up in the attic a dozen people sat on the floor with the story teller sitting at the mic facing the crowd. There was no theme or direction for these stories, just good ole story telling. To start this series off, here is November Project co founder and Serbian supreme, Bojan Mandaric.

On November 8th, the Camp Fire in northern California grew rapidly and burned through 10,000 acres in under 90 minutes. The rate at which the fire spread was unprecedented which is tragically why the death toll is the highest in history. It destroyed more structures than the previously worst 6 wildfires combined. That's more than 17,000 structures with over 12,000 of those being people’s homes. Those who survived the evacuation in the town of Paradise and beyond lost everything and are now starting the unimaginable process of rebuilding. But in the darkness of the tragedy has risen a call to action from the nearby communities and around the world. Countless donations have been made for the victims, and the volunteer efforts to sort through these donations has been unbelievable. For people who cannot help in person, monetary funds have been established, including one called the Donner Party 50k which was set up by my guest today, Jon Levitt, along with friends. When the 50k he trained for was cancelled due to the poor air quality in San Francisco, a group gathered at Donner Lake, near Lake Tahoe, to use their training and running community to raise money for the victims of the Camp Fire. So without further adieu, here is Jon with how that all came together

Bringing it back this week to our friend and professional trail runner, Clare Gallagher. We first posted this episode almost a year ago the night before a fun little endurance challenge race in Utah. I had almost 2 hours of audio to edit through and still this is a shuffled mess. But hey! It makes me really happy. Enjoy this manic walk down memory lane with Clare.

Soooooo, I had a baby. A real life human. His name is Jack and he's the man. While having a newborn at home is incredible, joyous, and amazing, the labor and delivery was something completely different. On this episode of Wisconsin Notes, Brogan Graham hosts and we get real. Very real. I hope you enjoy the banter, ridiculous conversation, and learn a thing or two about the terrors of childbirth!

George Woodward is a father, husband, marathoner, and a vital part of the November Project Boston tribe. This self-proclaimed cranky, old man embodies so much of the Boston road running scene with the perfect balance of a welcoming nature mixed with wit and sarcasm. Today we hear George's story with my co-host, Emily Saul.

We love to say, "You have a better chance of getting struck by lightning." Well here are two men who have been struck (or kissed) by lightning and lived to tell the tale. Maybe this phenomenon is more likely than people claim? Or maybe we just have to stop hanging out by large bodies of water during storms. Either way, enjoy today's short story episode of WI Notes!

Emily Saul is the booming voice you hear on the steps of Harvard Stadium every Wednesday morning. She's strong, intimidating, and powerful. Now strip her of November Project, put her in front of a mic, and where does the conversation lead? Today's episode is a raw look inside where she came from, how she became the woman she is today, and what is next. From family to American Gladiator, nothing is off limits.

Today we have one of my favorite people to catch up with, Mary Arnold, who is always so hard to pin down because she’s never not on the move. Mary is an ultra runner out of Harlem, NY who has completed 75 races of marathon distance or longer. She is also a fixture in the NYC running scene, with her curly red hair and fiery cheering voice, she’s easy to spot and so approachable at any NY running event around the city. After working for a national running chain for 14 years she recently broke off to start her own company called Active Brand Consulting, which has led her around the globe and open to new opportunities such as joining the efforts of Run 4 All Women. From trail racing to voter registration, we cover it all and hope you enjoy this talk with our badass friend, Mary.  Learn More Here: https://www.run4allwomen.com/ http://www.midtermrun.com/

We all have a history; an Amazon shopping history, to be precise. The things we search for (and often buy) on the internet paints a picture of who we are, what our hobbies are, and how we choose to spend our hard earned money. If someone were to look at your purchase history what would they learn about you? Well, Erin Briskie is with me today to tell us a little more about who she is based solely on what she has bought on Amazon this past year. Trust me, these are not your normal purchases. Get ready to laugh.

Back for a second (and much more in depth) round is our friend Steve Procknal. Steve has been a Baptiste Certified yoga instructor for over 5 years, is an avid community leader via yoga instruction in the countless arenas, and is a co-leader of November Project Buffalo. Through personal experiences and world travel, Steve's journey to where he is today is both humbling and inspiring. If you are a dedicated yogi or haven't even touched a mat, you will leave this episode ready to get into the yoga flow.

A couple weeks ago I called my sister, a certified holistic nutritionist, with a list of questions I fielded from a collection of runners, weight lifters, and avid Netflix watchers. While the scope of her practice may focus on endurance athletes, the truth is that anyone and everyone could benefit from re-evaluating what they are putting in their bodies. Today is part 1 of what I foresee as a multi-episode series, because even after an hour of talking we barely scratched the surface. Ready to learn a thing or 8? Take a listen!

Hillary Allen is a professional sky runner who tackles some of the steepest trail races around the world. But what makes her even more incredible, is her ability to bring the conversation down to human level and relate to every person she talks to. Last year, Hillary fell 150 feet from a ridge line while racing in Norway, breaking dozens of bones which required multiple surgeries and months of rehabilitation. This year, she’s back running. This story is both miraculous and inspiring.

Brogan Graham is my not-so-silent creative partner on Wisconsin Notes and so it only felt right to start this chunk of episodes off with a catch up on life with a new baby. Personally, I thought this conversation was going to be all jokes, but turns out this guy has turned soft in his fathering age.

After a short break, we are back for more. More interviews with professional endurance athletes, more short stories, more episodes for us all to shake our heads at or laugh along with. Everyone has a story, people. So email us if you want to tell us yours!

You're on a 50 mile bike ride and your stomach begins to rumble. With each mile it gets worse, and worse, and worse. Finally, you come across a restroom, but the only stall is in use. And just when it becomes available...you realize you already released it all into your biking spandex. What do you do next? Most likely go home. Well, Weston kept riding and the story just keeps getting more and more entertaining/painful to listen to. A must listen for a hearty laugh and nice little perspective shift for those having a "shitty" day.

So you're 13 years old and your doctor just told you that you have cancer. Well, shit. How does that blow up your world? How do your committed parents take the news? And how do these experiences affect your adult life after you survive? Today on Wisconsin Notes we have Matt Schaar to tell us his story and to answer all my nosey questions.

You know the milk mustache athletes? The ones that are celebrated in Sports Illustrated as “Athletes to watch” and they all end up being either CEO’s of major companies or olympics athletes? Well our guests today, Carly and Andrew, were two of those athletes. The story is short and sweet, but even after 3 and a half years of being together you can hear the endearing corny love in their voices as they recount how they first got together.

"Let's make a pact. If we are still single at the end of the month, we will meet up in the middle of England for a run and brunch." A simple plan turned into an adventurous romance. A weekend away on the first date. Meeting the family on the third date. Moving in together-halfway around the world- after only seeing each other in the flesh a half dozen times. The story of Iain and Katie is both hilarious and inspiring. Part 1 of our love fest podcast starts right now.

Today we have a quick story from Jason Shaw, co-leader of November Project Indy. Jason gives us a little background on his childhood, growing up with a birthmark on the right side of his face, and it will hopefully give you a little perspective shift this morning. It's a short one, so enjoy!

So we all do it, but most people don’t love talking about it. I guess unless you’re a November Project leader. Today we have 3 short stories about…poop. A few weeks ago there were about 15 leaders from around the globe gathered in a San Francisco home, telling stories and learning more about one another. The poop topic just kept coming up, so we rolled with it. The Wisconsin Notes today are the following: First up is a 4 minute story from Ryan Wooderson, co-leader of November Project Denver, about the first time he told his now wife he loved her. And how his stomach had other plans. After that is a 7 minute story from Paul Leak, former leader of November Project NYC and the biggest running fan boy on the planet, he talks about the time he completely blew out his running shorts in a HS cross country race. And last but not least is a quick 2 minute story from Melissa Garner, Co-leader of November Project Vancouver, who found herself silently plunging a friend’s toilet on her first visit to his home. We all do it, but these people just really enjoy talking about it.

It’s no secret that there is a lack of diversity in the outdoor world and our guest on Wisconsin Notes today, Jorge Moreno, is on a mission to change that. My conversation with Jorge paints a picture of what growing up in an urban environment with little exposure to the outdoors was like for him and how he stumbled upon a community in San Francisco who forced him out of his comfort zone and into the woods. Now, he’s working with the National Outdoor Leadership School to educate kids from a young age so they don’t have to wait until they adults to learn about the beauty of the wilderness.

Today on Episode 11 we have Kelly Roberts. Kelly is a body positive activist who jumped on an opportunity 4 years ago and turned it into an international following to inspire women across the globe to start believing in themselves and show the world that strength doesn’t just look one particular way, nor is achieved alone. She has a force of powerful women behind her who have helped her launch her blog and Podcast “Run, Selfie, Repeat” and continue her quest to empower females through her platform “She Can And She Did.”

You know those people who light up your day just by saying hello? That's Lindsay Bolt. A UCSF nurse and educator, runner, comedian, and cat enthusiast, today she tells her story about being the younger sister to Becky Bolt, one of November Project SF's most beloved members.

Chris Heuisler is a lot of things. He is the RunWESTIN Concierge for Westin Hotels and Resorts, an actor, a father & husband, a competitive runner, and a really great storyteller. His job and excellent networking skills have gotten him in the mix with some of the fastest runners in the world, but we rarely get to hear more about who Chris actually is. Start your new year off with some great banter with one of our favorite people.